Shloka 28
ब्राह्मणीमरणवर्णनम् (Account of the Brahmin Woman’s Death) — within Nandikeśvara-māhātmya
ममास्थीनि त्वया पुत्र क्षेपणीयान्यतन्द्रितम् । गंगाजले शुभं तेद्य भविष्यति न संशयः
mamāsthīni tvayā putra kṣepaṇīyānyatandritam | gaṃgājale śubhaṃ tedya bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
ลูกเอ๋ย จงอย่าชักช้า นำอัฐิของแม่ไปลอยลงในสายน้ำคงคาอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ด้วยเหตุนี้ วันนี้ความเป็นมงคลจักบังเกิดแก่เจ้าแน่นอน—ไม่ต้องสงสัย
A dying father/elder speaking to his son (narrated within Suta Goswami’s Koṭirudrasaṃhitā discourse on tīrtha and Jyotirliṅga-associated rites)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Viśvanātha
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: The instruction to immerse bones in Gaṅgā water aligns with Kāśī’s funerary-sacral complex: Gaṅgā-sparśa and Kāśī-smaraṇa are treated as conduits of Śiva’s grace for the departed and merit for the living performer.
Significance: Asthi-visarjana in Gaṅgā is said to yield śubha (merit/auspiciousness) and support the preta’s onward journey; in Kāśī-context it is linked to kṣetra-mukti ideals.
Shakti Form: Gaurī
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It affirms the purifying, merit-giving power of Gaṅgā-jala in death-related rites: honoring the departed through sacred immersion supports auspiciousness for the living and aligns the departed with a purer passage, consistent with Shaiva tīrtha-mahātmyas.
In Koṭirudrasaṃhitā, sacred geography (Gaṅgā and Jyotirliṅga tīrthas) is treated as Saguna Shiva’s grace made accessible through places and waters; performing rites at such tīrthas is a devotional act that connects the family to Shiva’s sanctifying presence.
Prompt immersion of the remains (asthi-visarjana) in Gaṅgā-jala is indicated; as a Shaiva accompaniment, one may remember Shiva with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while offering water (jala) and prayers for peace (śānti) to the departed.