Shloka 24
Śivakṣetra–Tīrtha–Māhātmya
The Salvific Function of Shiva’s Sacred Domains
धर्मलोके दंतिलोके महाभोगप्रदं विदुः । कावेर्यां च तथास्नायात्तुलागे तु रवौ गुरौ
dharmaloke daṃtiloke mahābhogapradaṃ viduḥ | kāveryāṃ ca tathāsnāyāttulāge tu ravau gurau
เขาทั้งหลายประกาศว่า (การอาบน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์และการปฏิบัติ) ณ ธรรมโลกและทันติโลก ย่อมประทานโภคสมบัติยิ่งใหญ่และผลมงคล อีกทั้งพึงอาบในแม่น้ำกาเวรีด้วย—โดยเฉพาะเมื่อพระอาทิตย์และพระพฤหัสบดีสถิตในราศีตุล—การอาบนั้นย่อมมีบุญยิ่งนัก
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya in the Viśveśvarasaṃhitā context)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: This verse functions as a tīrtha-māhātmya style injunction: merit is amplified by bathing at specific sacred realms/regions (Dharmaloka, Dantiloka) and at Kāverī during a rare graha-yoga (Sun and Jupiter in Tulā). It is not framed as a Jyotirliṅga origin episode, but as a calendrical intensification of tīrtha-phala.
Significance: Tīrtha-snāna as a karma-śodhana and puṇya-sañcaya act that supports dharma, prosperity, and eligibility for higher sādhana; in Śaiva Siddhānta terms, it is an auxiliary purifier for the paśu under pāśa, preparing for Śiva’s anugraha.
Cosmic Event: Graha-yoga specified: Ravi and Guru in Tulā (Libra)
FAQs
The verse highlights tīrtha-snana (holy bathing) as a dharmic purifier that generates punya (merit) and supports a Shaiva life of inner and outer purity, preparing the devotee for Shiva-bhakti and liberation-oriented discipline.
In Shaiva practice, external purification—such as bathing at revered tīrthas—functions as a supportive rite before approaching Saguna Shiva in Linga-worship, helping the devotee cultivate śauca (purity), faith, and steadiness for mantra and pūjā.
It suggests tīrtha-snana, particularly at the Kāverī, timed with auspicious planetary conditions (Sun and Jupiter in Tulā), ideally followed by Shiva-japa (e.g., the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Linga-pūjā as a completion of the vow.