Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75

उमास्वयंवरः / भवोद्वाहः, गणसमागमः, अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्, तथा विनायक-उत्पत्तिसूचना

Devanagari script

पापिनां यत्र मुक्तिः स्यान् मृतानाम् एकजन्मना अन्यत्र तु कृतं पापं वाराणस्यां व्यपोहति

Transliteration

pāpināṃ yatra muktiḥ syān mṛtānām ekajanmanā anyatra tu kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ vārāṇasyāṃ vyapohati

Translation

在那圣地，即便罪人若死于彼处，也能于一生之内得解脱（mukti）；而在他处所造诸罪，皆在婆罗那西（Vārāṇasī）蒙主宰帕提（Pati，即湿婆）之恩而消除。

Word by Word

• पापिनाम् (pāpinām): of sinners

• यत्र (yatra): where

• मुक्तिः (muktiḥ): liberation

• स्यात् (syāt): would occur/comes to be

• मृतानाम् (mṛtānām): of those who have died

• एकजन्मना (ekajanmanā): within one birth/one lifetime

• अन्यत्र (anyatra): elsewhere

• तु (tu): indeed/but

• कृतम् (kṛtam): done/committed

• पापम् (pāpam): sin

• वाराणस्याम् (vārāṇasyām): in Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

• व्यपोहति (vyapohati): removes, wipes away

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Varanasi (Kashi)

FAQs

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

It elevates Śiva’s kṣetra (Vārāṇasī/Kāśī) as a direct field of Śiva’s saving power, where the Pashu (soul) can be freed from pāpa and bondage—supporting the Shaiva view that mukti ultimately arises from Pati’s grace, often accessed through devotion, pilgrimage, and worship.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the sovereign remover of pāpa and granter of mukti—whose presence sanctifies space itself. Liberation is not portrayed as merely moral recompense, but as release from binding impurities through Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights tīrtha-sevā and kṣetra-vāsa (pilgrimage/residing in Śiva’s holy place) as a Shaiva sādhanā; it also implies end-of-life remembrance and surrender to Śiva in Kāśī as a potent means toward mukti.