Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1
कार्त्तिकेयान्वेषण-नन्दिसंवाद-वर्णनम्
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नारद उवाच । देवदेव प्रजानाथ ततः किमभवद्विधे । वदेदानीं कृपातस्तु शिवलीलासमन्वितम्
nārada uvāca | devadeva prajānātha tataḥ kimabhavadvidhe | vadedānīṃ kṛpātastu śivalīlāsamanvitam
قال نارَدَة: «يا إلهَ الآلهة، يا ربَّ الخلائق، يا مُدبِّرَ الأمر—ماذا حدث بعد ذلك؟ فالآن، تفضّل عليّ رحمةً، وأخبرني به مقرونًا بليلا شيفا الإلهية.»
Narada
Tattva Level: pashu
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse models the Shaiva approach of humble inquiry: spiritual knowledge arises through devotion and questioning, and Śiva’s līlā is to be heard as a compassionate revelation that turns the mind toward Pati (Śiva), the liberator.
By requesting the account “along with Śiva’s līlā,” Nārada asks for narrations of Saguna Śiva—Śiva’s manifest actions and grace—through which devotees commonly develop bhakti that later matures into insight into Śiva beyond form.
The takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and smaraṇa (remembrance): hear Śiva-kathā with reverence, and support it with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a daily contemplative practice.