Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28
मृत्युञ्जय-विद्या-प्रादुर्भावः
The Manifestation/Transmission of the Mṛtyuñjaya Vidyā
पानीयरूप परमेश जगत्पवित्र चित्रविचित्रसुचरित्रकरोऽसि नूनम् । विश्वं पवित्रममलं किल विश्वनाथ पानीयगाहनत एतदतो नतोऽस्मि
pānīyarūpa parameśa jagatpavitra citravicitrasucaritrakaro'si nūnam | viśvaṃ pavitramamalaṃ kila viśvanātha pānīyagāhanata etadato nato'smi
హే పరమేశ్వరా! జలరూపుడవై జగత్తును పవిత్రం చేసేవాడవు; నీవు నిశ్చయంగా విచిత్రమైన, అత్యంత మంగళకరమైన కార్యాలను సిద్ధింపజేస్తావు. హే విశ్వనాథా! ఈ జలావగాహన వల్ల సమస్త విశ్వం నిర్మలమై పవిత్రమవుతుంది; అందుకే నేను నీకు ప్రణామం చేస్తున్నాను।
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages of Naimisharanya, within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Invokes ‘Viśvanātha’ explicitly; aligns with Kāśī-kṣetra theology where Śiva as Viśvanātha grants purification and liberation, and where snāna/immersion in tīrthas is praised as Śiva’s own purifying form.
Significance: Snāna and darśana are extolled as purifying; Kāśī is famed for granting śuddhi and (in later kṣetra-theology) liberation through Śiva’s grace.
Type: stotra
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse praises Shiva as the supreme purifier who pervades even water; purification is ultimately His grace, by which inner and outer impurities are removed and the world is made “amala” (stainless).
It supports Saguna devotion by recognizing Shiva’s immanence in sacred elements like water used in snana and abhiṣeka; the act becomes meaningful because it is offered to and empowered by Shiva, the Viśvanātha.
Perform snana (sacred bathing) and/or Shiva-linga abhiṣeka with pure water while cultivating bhakti and remembrance of Shiva as the indwelling purifier—ideally accompanied by japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”