Shloka 48

अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य

The Greatness of Avimukta–Vārāṇasī and Viśveśvara

Devanagari script

काशीं प्राप्य नरो यस्तु गंगायां स्नानमाचरेत् । तदा च क्रियमाणस्य संचितस्यापि संक्षयः

Transliteration

kāśīṃ prāpya naro yastu gaṃgāyāṃ snānamācaret | tadā ca kriyamāṇasya saṃcitasyāpi saṃkṣayaḥ

Translation

కాశీకి చేరి గంగలో స్నానం చేసే మనిషికి, అప్పుడే జరుగుతున్న (క్రియమాణ) మరియు ముందే కూడబెట్టిన (సంచిత) పాపాలు కూడా క్షయమవుతాయి.

Word by Word

• kāśīm: Kāśī
• kāśīm: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• prāpya: having reached
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prāp (प्राप् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having reached’

• naraḥ: a man/person
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; relative pronoun

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative/contrast particle (तु)

• gaṃgāyām: in the Gaṅgā
• gaṃgāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṃgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ācaret: should perform/practice
• ācaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā+√car (चर् धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• kriyamāṇasya: of (karma) being performed
• kriyamāṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kriyamāṇa (कृदन्त; √kṛ)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्/मान), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; Masculine/Neuter; ‘of what is being done’

• saṃcitasya: of accumulated (karma)
• saṃcitasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃcita (कृदन्त; sam+√ci)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Genitive, Singular; Masculine/Neuter; ‘of accumulated (karma)’

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = also/even)

• saṃkṣayaḥ: complete destruction
• saṃkṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Kotirudrasaṃhitā pilgrimage discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Viṣṇu (null)

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In Kāśī, Gaṅgā-snāna is praised as a powerful auxiliary to Viśveśvara’s kṣetra-grace, said to diminish sañcita and even presently accruing pāpa.

Significance: Purification (pāpa-kṣaya) and readiness for Śiva’s liberating anugraha; reinforces Kāśī as the supreme tīrtha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Kashi
• Ganga

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It proclaims the purifying power of Kāśī and the Gaṅgā: bathing there destroys both accumulated (sañcita) and presently accruing impurities, supporting the Shaiva view that sacred places tied to Shiva’s grace accelerate purification and readiness for liberation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Kotirudra-saṃhitā emphasizes tīrtha and Jyotirliṅga pilgrimage; Gaṅgā-snāna at Kāśī is presented as a preparatory rite that cleanses the devotee so Liṅga-worship to Saguna Shiva becomes more potent and inwardly aligned with Shiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Gaṅgā-snāna upon reaching Kāśī, then continue with Shaiva purification and devotion—such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and if undertaken, Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa observances as supporting disciplines.