Shloka 2
अत्रीश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् (Atrīśvara-māhātmya-varṇanam) — “Account of the Greatness of Atrīśvara”
सापि साध्वी त्ववश्यं च गृहीत्वाथ कमण्डलुम् । जगाम विपिने तत्र जलं मे नीयते कुतः
sāpi sādhvī tvavaśyaṃ ca gṛhītvātha kamaṇḍalum | jagāma vipine tatra jalaṃ me nīyate kutaḥ
وہ پاک دامن خاتون بھی آپ کے اصرار سے مجبور ہو کر کمندلو اٹھا کر جنگل میں چلی گئی۔ وہاں اس نے سوچا—“میرے لیے پانی کہاں سے لایا جائے؟”
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: In the Atrīśvara-māhātmya setting, a virtuous woman is sent to the forest with a kamaṇḍalu; the apparent lack of water becomes the narrative trigger for Gaṅgā’s epiphany and ensuing divine aid, illustrating how tīrtha arises as Śiva’s instrument of purification and grace.
Significance: Frames the existential helplessness of the bound soul (paśu) and the need for divinely-sanctioned tīrtha; encourages faith that Śiva provides purifying means when dharma is upheld.
FAQs
It highlights the sādhvī’s purity and obedience, showing how sincere intent and dharmic conduct become the ground for divine aid—an important Shaiva theme where grace responds to inner sincerity.
Though the verse is narrative, it prepares the devotional setting: practical needs and human limitation are met through reliance on Shiva’s saguna grace, which is central to Jyotirlinga-centered pilgrimage stories in the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā.
A takeaway is humble service with remembrance of Shiva—carrying water for worship (jala-sevā) while mentally repeating the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” as a simple, portable sādhana.