Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 18
Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)
आत्मारामोऽपि यस्त्वस्य लोककल्पस्य राधसे । शक्त्या युक्तो विचरति घोरया भगवान् भव: ॥ १८ ॥
ātmārāmo ’pi yas tv asya loka-kalpasya rādhase śaktyā yukto vicarati ghorayā bhagavān bhavaḥ
Lord Śiva, the most powerful demigod, second only to Lord Viṣṇu, is self-sufficient. Although he has nothing to aspire for in the material world, for the benefit of those in the material world he is always busily engaged everywhere and is accompanied by his dangerous energies like the goddess Kālī and the goddess Durgā.
Lord Śiva is known as the greatest devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is known as the best of all types of Vaiṣṇavas ( vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ ). Consequently, Lord Śiva has a Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, the disciplic succession known as the Rudra sampradāya. Just as there is a Brahma sampradāya coming directly from Lord Brahmā, the Rudra sampradāya comes directly from Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is one of the twelve great personalities, as stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.20):
FAQs
This verse states that Lord Śiva is ātmārāma—complete in himself—yet he still engages in activity for the world’s arrangement, showing that divine action can be performed without personal need.
Because his role in cosmic order involves intense, awe-inspiring power—his śakti—through which he moves and functions for universal administration while remaining internally self-satisfied.
Perform duties for the welfare of others without egoistic craving—act responsibly and powerfully when needed, while cultivating inner contentment and spiritual steadiness.