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
ఆ విధంగా అంజలి చాపి ప్రార్థిస్తున్న ఆ చాండాల స్త్రీని చూసి, పరమ పుణ్యవంతుడైన ఒక పథికుడు శివలింగంపై బిల్వపుష్పమంజరిని అర్పించాడు।
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.