Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 15
Gautama–Ahalyā-Upākhyāna: Durbhikṣa, Tapas, and Varuṇa’s Boon (गौतमाहल्योपाख्यानम्)
सूत उवाच । इति संप्रार्थितस्तेन वरुणो गौतमेन वै । उवाच वचनं तस्मै गर्तश्च क्रियतां त्वया
sūta uvāca | iti saṃprārthitastena varuṇo gautamena vai | uvāca vacanaṃ tasmai gartaśca kriyatāṃ tvayā
سوت نے کہا—یوں گوتم مُنی کی عاجزانہ دعا سے راضی ہو کر دیو ورُن نے اس سے فرمایا—“پس تم ایک گڑھا (گرت) بناؤ۔”
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: Varuṇa’s instruction to dig a garta (pit) initiates the physical establishment of a sacred water-point—often the seed of a localized tīrtha narrative.
Significance: Shows dharma as enacted through concrete instruction: sacred geography arises from obedience to divine ordinance.
FAQs
It shows that even divine beings respond to sincere supplication grounded in dharma; the instruction to “make a pit” indicates that spiritual outcomes often unfold through a concrete, disciplined act performed with purity and obedience.
In Kotirudrasaṃhitā, practical instructions commonly serve as preparatory steps for sacred events connected to Jyotirliṅga traditions; such commanded actions become part of the devotee’s outer discipline that supports focused Saguna Shiva worship.
The verse implies a prescribed ritual action (kriyā)—preparing a designated sacred space; a Shaiva takeaway is to perform the act with śauca (purity) while maintaining Shiva-smaraṇa, such as mentally repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”