Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 62
तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode
Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall
जले पतंति यास्तत्र शिलास्तास्त्वतिपुण्यदाः । स्थलस्था पिंगला ज्ञेयाश्चोपतापाय चैव हि
jale pataṃti yāstatra śilāstāstvatipuṇyadāḥ | sthalasthā piṃgalā jñeyāścopatāpāya caiva hi
ศิลาทั้งหลายที่ตกลงสู่สายน้ำ ณ ที่นั้น เป็นผู้ประทานบุญอย่างยิ่ง แต่ศิลาที่คงอยู่บนพื้นดินพึงรู้ว่าเรียกว่า ‘ปิงคลา’ และแท้จริงย่อมเป็นเหตุแห่งความเดือดร้อน
Sūta Gosvāmin
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: Normative rule within the Gaṇḍakī māhātmya: stones that enter the water become highly merit-giving; stones left on land are termed piṅgalā and bring distress—an instruction shaping pilgrimage practice (what to take/revere, what to avoid).
Significance: Encourages snāna and reverent handling of river-borne stones; warns against inauspicious/afflictive stones not sanctified by immersion.
FAQs
It distinguishes between auspicious and inauspicious conditions connected with a sacred locale: what enters the purifying element (water) is said to yield great merit, while what remains “dry” is treated as a sign linked with suffering—highlighting Shaiva emphasis on purification and right engagement with a tirtha.
In Saguna Shiva worship, sacred geography and ritual acts (like tirtha-snāna and offerings) are vehicles for grace; the verse frames water-contact as merit-bestowing, supporting the broader Purāṇic idea that approaching Shiva’s abodes with proper observance enhances auspiciousness and reduces obstacles.
A practical takeaway is tirtha-snāna (bathing in holy water) with Shiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), while avoiding actions regarded as inauspicious at the site and maintaining ritual cleanliness.