Shloka 51
ब्राह्मणीस्वर्गतिवर्णनम्
Brāhmaṇī-Svargati-Varṇana: Account of a Brāhmaṇa Woman’s Ascent to Heaven
ऊर्ध्वपुच्छं तदा कृत्वा शीघ्रं गौर्नर्मदां प्रति । आगत्य नन्दिकस्यास्य समीपे नर्मदाजले
ūrdhvapucchaṃ tadā kṛtvā śīghraṃ gaurnarmadāṃ prati | āgatya nandikasyāsya samīpe narmadājale
Kemudian lembu itu mengangkat ekornya tinggi-tinggi lalu segera menuju ke Sungai Narmadā. Setelah tiba di air Narmadā, ia mendekati Nandikeśvara (Nandi) dan tinggal dekat baginda di sana.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara
Sthala Purana: The cow hastens to the Narmadā and approaches Nandikeśvara at the river; Nandi’s presence marks the site as Śiva’s domain and a threshold into kṣetra-māhātmya.
Significance: Contact with Narmadā near Nandi signifies entry into Śiva’s protective field; approaching Nandi symbolizes turning toward the Lord (Pati) through devotion and service.
FAQs
It highlights tirtha-mahima: sacred waters like the Narmadā become spiritually potent when approached with devotion, especially in the presence of Shiva’s foremost devotee, Nandi—signifying that bhakti and holy association purify the soul (paśu) and loosen bondage (pāśa).
Nandi is the paradigmatic attendant of Saguna Shiva and the guardian of Shiva’s abode and shrines; approaching Nandi near a sacred river suggests the proper devotional approach to Shiva-linga worship—humility, purity, and reverence for Shiva’s devotees and pilgrimage settings linked to Jyotirlinga narratives.
A practical takeaway is tirtha-snana (ritual bathing) with Shiva-smaraṇa: bathe in a sacred river like the Narmadā, then offer prayers to Shiva with the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” honoring Nandi as the ideal of steadfast devotion.