Shloka 90

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

Devanagari script

इदं मन्ये महाक्षेत्रं निवासो योगिनां परम् क्षेत्रमध्ये च यत्राहं स्वयं भूत्वाग्रमास्थितः

Transliteration

idaṃ manye mahākṣetraṃ nivāso yogināṃ param kṣetramadhye ca yatrāhaṃ svayaṃ bhūtvāgramāsthitaḥ

Translation

“Ta cho rằng đây là Đại Thánh Địa—chốn cư ngụ tối thượng của các bậc Du-già; bởi ngay giữa lòng kṣetra này, Ta tự hiện thân và đứng an lập ở vị trí tiền phong.”

Word by Word

• idam: this

• manye: I consider/I deem

• mahā-kṣetram: great sacred field (tirtha/kshetra)

• nivāsaḥ: abode/dwelling

• yoginām: of yogins

• param: supreme

• kṣetra-madhye: in the middle/heart of the field

• ca: and

• yatra: where

• aham: I (Shiva as Pati)

• svayam: by Myself

• bhūtvā: having become/having manifested

• agram: at the forefront/at the summit/as the foremost

• āsthitaḥ: stands established/abides

Speaker

Shiva (Pati) speaking within Suta’s narration

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the kṣetra as a supreme seat of Shiva’s self-manifest presence (svayambhū), implying that Linga-worship here is direct approach to Pati, the Lord who sanctifies the field and grants yogic fruition.

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

Shiva is presented as svatantra (self-dependent) and svayambhū (self-manifest), established as the foremost reality in the kṣetra—Pati who is prior to and independent of pasha (bondage) and who becomes the refuge of pashus (souls) seeking liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights kṣetra-sevā and yogic residence in a Shiva-kṣetra: staying, meditating, and performing Linga-pūjā in the “heart” of the sacred field as a Pashupata-oriented discipline aimed at siddhi and moksha.