Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1
नारदमोहवर्णनम् — Description of Nārada’s Delusion
ऋषय ऊचुः । सूतसूत महाभाग व्यासशिष्य नमोऽस्तु ते । अद्भुतेयं कथा तात वर्णिता कृपया हि नः
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | sūtasūta mahābhāga vyāsaśiṣya namo'stu te | adbhuteyaṃ kathā tāta varṇitā kṛpayā hi naḥ
قال الرِّشِيّون: «يا سوتا سوتا، أيها المبارك العظيم الحظ، يا تلميذ فياسا، لك منا السجود. يا أبانا، لقد رويتَ لنا هذه الحكاية العجيبة برحمةٍ منك؛ فتابِع شرحها لنا من أجلنا».
The sages (ṛṣis) at Naimiṣāraṇya
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Naimiṣāraṇya as a paradigmatic śravaṇa-kṣetra where Purāṇic kathā bestows dharma-jñāna; sages request continuation of Śiva-kathā for uplift.
Significance: Merit of śravaṇa (hearing) and satsanga; considered conducive to purification and receiving grace through sacred discourse.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
It establishes the sacred guru–śiṣya transmission: the sages honor Sūta as Vyāsa’s disciple and request the continuation of a divine narrative, showing humility, receptivity, and devotion as prerequisites for receiving Shiva-centered wisdom.
Though the Liṅga is not named here, the verse sets the devotional frame of the Rudra Saṃhitā: Shiva’s saguna līlā and teachings are approached through reverent listening (śravaṇa) from an authorized narrator, which later matures into concrete worship such as Liṅga-pūjā.
The implied practice is śravaṇa (listening) and sat-saṅga: respectfully hearing Shiva Purana kathā from a qualified teacher with humility and faith—an essential bhakti discipline that supports mantra-japa and later ritual observances.