Shloka 35
गौतमस्य शिवदर्शनं पापक्षयवचनं च | Gautama’s Vision of Śiva and the Teaching on Sin and Purification
सूत उवाच । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा स्वामिनः परमेशितुः । प्रसन्नमानसा भूत्वा गंगा च प्रत्यपूजयत्
sūta uvāca | ityevaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā svāminaḥ parameśituḥ | prasannamānasā bhūtvā gaṃgā ca pratyapūjayat
سوت نے کہا—یوں اپنے مالک، پرمیشور کے کلام کو سن کر گنگا کا دل شاد ہوا اور اس نے جواباً ادب سے ان کی پوجا کی۔
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Gaṅgā responds to Śiva’s assurance by worshipping Him—depicting the reciprocal sanctification of Kāśī: the tīrtha honors the Lord whose presence makes the kṣetra liberating.
Significance: Models ideal bhakti: even a cosmic purifier (Gaṅgā) approaches Śiva as Parameśvara; pilgrims emulate this humility and devotion in Kāśī worship.
Shakti Form: Tārā
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose word brings inner clarity; when the heart becomes prasanna (serene), devotion naturally expresses itself as worship and surrender.
By calling Śiva “Parameśituḥ,” the verse frames Him as the approachable Supreme; in Purāṇic practice this is honored through Saguna worship—especially Liṅga-pūjā—where reverence is offered in response to His grace and instruction.
A practical takeaway is calm-minded worship after receiving scriptural guidance: perform Śiva-pūjā with a settled mind, optionally accompanied by pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as an act of responsive devotion.