Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23
शिवदूतगमनानन्तरं शङ्खचूडस्य तुलसीसम्भाषणं युद्धप्रस्थान-तत्परता च / After Śiva’s Messenger Departs: Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Counsel with Tulasī and Readiness for War
शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशा भारते च सुपुण्यदा । पुष्पभद्रा नदी रम्या जलपूर्णा सरस्वती
śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśā bhārate ca supuṇyadā | puṣpabhadrā nadī ramyā jalapūrṇā sarasvatī
بھارت میں پُشپ بھدرَا نام کی ایک دلکش ندی ہے—بہت بڑا پُنّیہ دینے والی، خالص بلّور کی مانند درخشاں؛ وہی سرسوتی ہے جو ہمیشہ پانی سے لبریز رہتی ہے۔
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: The river is praised as supuṇyadā and identified with Sarasvatī; such river-identification functions as tīrtha-pratiṣṭhā, making bathing/ācamanam a vehicle of merit and purification in the campaign narrative.
Significance: Snāna and tarpaṇa in a Sarasvatī-identified stream are framed as śuddhi (purification) that weakens pāśa (mala/karma) and supports dharma before major undertakings.
Shakti Form: Tārā
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It praises a sacred tīrtha-river as “pure like crystal” and “merit-giving,” teaching that outer purity (holy waters) supports inner purity—making the mind fit for Shiva-bhakti and liberation-oriented remembrance of Pati (Shiva).
In Purāṇic Shaiva practice, tīrtha-snāna and reverence to sacred rivers are preparatory acts for Saguna Shiva worship—approaching the Liṅga with cleansed body and steadied mind, then offering water (jala-abhisheka) and mantra-japa.
A practical takeaway is tīrtha-snāna (or symbolic purification), followed by offering pure water to the Shiva-liṅga and chanting the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with a sāttvic intention for merit and self-purification.