Shloka 11
ब्राह्मणीमरणवर्णनम् (Account of the Brahmin Woman’s Death) — within Nandikeśvara-māhātmya
ततश्च नंदिको देवो हत्याकोटिनिवारकः । सर्वकामार्थदश्चैव मोक्षदो हि प्रकीर्तित
tataśca naṃdiko devo hatyākoṭinivārakaḥ | sarvakāmārthadaścaiva mokṣado hi prakīrtita
ต่อมา “นันทิ” ผู้เป็นทิพย์ ได้รับการสรรเสริญว่าเป็นผู้ขจัดบาปมหันต์นับโกฏิ ประทานผลแห่งความปรารถนาทั้งปวง และเลื่องลือว่าเป็นผู้ประทานโมกษะ
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara
Sthala Purana: In this kṣetra, Nandī (Nandikeśa), Śiva’s foremost gaṇa and gatekeeper, is praised as a powerful remover of even immense sin (hātyā-koṭi) and as a bestower of both worldly aims and mokṣa—indicating the kṣetra’s integrated path of bhukti and mukti under Śiva’s grace.
Significance: Nandī-darśana and service at Śiva-kṣetra are framed as purificatory (pāpa-kṣaya) and as supportive of both dharmic prosperity and liberation.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
Offering: dhupa
FAQs
The verse highlights Nandī as a powerful channel of Śiva’s anugraha (grace): sincere devotion can dissolve even vast accumulated pāpa, fulfill righteous aims, and culminate in mokṣa—aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta where liberation arises through the Lord’s grace received via devotion and right orientation.
In Linga worship, Nandī stands as Śiva’s foremost attendant and guardian of the shrine; honoring Nandī before approaching the Liṅga expresses surrender to Saguna Śiva and receptivity to grace, making one’s worship fruitful in both bhoga (worldly well-being) and mokṣa.
A practical takeaway is Nandī-upāsanā alongside Śiva-pūjā: begin with reverence to Nandī, then japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a repentant, devoted mind; such bhakti is presented as sin-purifying and mokṣa-oriented.