Shloka 26
चाण्डालीसद्गतिवर्णनम् (Cāṇḍālī-sadgati-varṇanam) — “Account of the Cāṇḍālī’s Attainment of a Good Destiny”
एवमभ्यर्थयंत्यास्तु चांडाल्याः प्रसृताञ्जलौ । एकः पुण्यतमः पान्थः प्राक्षिपद्बिल्वमंजरीम्
evamabhyarthayaṃtyāstu cāṃḍālyāḥ prasṛtāñjalau | ekaḥ puṇyatamaḥ pānthaḥ prākṣipadbilvamaṃjarīm
Tatkala wanita Caṇḍāla itu merayu demikian, dengan kedua telapak tangan terhulur dalam anjali, seorang pengembara—yang paling suci antara manusia—telah melemparkan seberkas bunga bilva sebagai persembahan ke atas liṅga suci Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: At Gokarṇa, a virtuous traveller offers bilva to Śiva; the episode functions as a micro-sthala-māhātmya: even incidental contact with Śiva-upacāra (bilva) becomes a channel of grace affecting nearby beings.
Significance: Bilva is pre-eminent in Śiva-pūjā; the narrative underscores that Śiva’s anugraha can overflow from a devotee’s act to others (saṅga/saṃbandha), transcending social boundaries.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It highlights that sincere devotion and even a simple act like offering bilva blossoms to Śiva carries great merit, indicating Śiva’s grace responds to bhakti rather than social status.
The act of casting bilva blossoms is a direct form of Saguna worship of Śiva through the Liṅga, where tangible offerings become vehicles for inner reverence and the awakening of devotion.
Offer bilva leaves/flowers to the Śiva-liṅga with a prayerful añjali and remembrance of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), cultivating humility and single-pointed devotion.