Shloka 187

अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य — काशी-वाराणसी में मोक्ष, लिङ्ग-तीर्थ-मानचित्र, और उपासना-विधि

Devanagari script

कल्पयामास वै क्षेत्रं मन्दरे चारुकन्दरे तत्रान्धकं महादैत्यं हिरण्याक्षसुतं प्रभुः

Transliteration

kalpayāmāsa vai kṣetraṃ mandare cārukandare tatrāndhakaṃ mahādaityaṃ hiraṇyākṣasutaṃ prabhuḥ

Translation

پروردگار نے مَندَر کے خوش نما غار میں ایک مقدّس کْشَیتر قائم کیا؛ اور وہیں ہِرَنیہاکش کے بیٹے، مہا دَیتیہ اندھک کو مقرر فرمایا۔

Word by Word

• कल्पयामास: established/ordained

• वै: indeed

• क्षेत्रम्: sacred field/pilgrimage-region (kṣetra)

• मन्दरे: on Mandara (mountain)

• चारुकन्दरे: in the beautiful cavern

• तत्र: there

• अन्धकम्: Andhaka

• महादैत्यम्: great Daitya (asuric being)

• हिरण्याक्षसुतम्: son of Hiraṇyākṣa

• प्रभुः: the Lord (Pati, sovereign)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Andhaka
• Hiranyaksha
• Mandara

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It links Shiva’s authority as Pati with the establishment of a kṣetra—showing that holy sites for Linga-upāsanā arise by divine ordinance, not merely by geography.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By calling Him “Prabhu,” the verse presents Shiva as the sovereign regulator who sets the field (kṣetra) and assigns destinies—hinting at His roles of niyantṛ (governor) and anugrahakartṛ (bestower of grace) over pashu and pasha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Kṣetra-sevā and tīrtha-vāsa are implied: dwelling/performing worship in a Shiva-established kṣetra supports Pashupata-oriented sādhana by placing the practitioner in a consecrated field of Shiva’s śakti.