Shloka 18
नन्दिकेश्वरावताराभिषेकविवाहवर्णनम्
Nandikeśvara: Incarnation, Consecration, and Marriage—Description
जटोदका त्रिस्रोताश्च वृषध्वनिरितीव हि । स्वर्णोदका जम्बुनदी पञ्चनद्यः प्रकीर्तिताः
jaṭodakā trisrotāśca vṛṣadhvaniritīva hi | svarṇodakā jambunadī pañcanadyaḥ prakīrtitāḥ
జటోదకా, త్రిస్రోతా, వృషధ్వని (అని చెప్పబడుతుంది), స్వర్ణోదకా, జంబునదీ—ఇవే ఐదు పవిత్ర నదులుగా ప్రసిద్ధి।
Suta Goswami
Sthala Purana: The verse enumerates five sacred rivers forming the Pañcanada tīrtha; the sanctity is framed as Śiva-oriented geography rather than a Jyotirliṅga origin episode.
Significance: Merit accrues through tīrtha-snāna and proximity to Śiva’s sacred landscape; prepares the devotee for japa and pūjā described in the following verses.
FAQs
The verse glorifies five revered rivers as tirthas, implying that remembrance and contact with sanctified waters support inner purification (mala-kṣaya) and devotion to Shiva, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on purity as an aid to grace (anugraha).
Such sacred rivers are traditionally used for Shiva-linga abhiṣeka and tirtha-snāna; the verse supports Saguna Shiva worship by honoring the consecrated means—holy waters—through which devotees express bhakti and receive Shiva’s auspiciousness.
A practical takeaway is tirtha-smarana (recollection of holy rivers) and using sanctified water for Shiva abhiṣeka while chanting the Panchakshara mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” especially on Mahāśivarātri or Mondays.