Shloka 3
नन्दिकेशावतारवर्णनम् (Nandikeśa Avatāra Varṇanam) — “Account of the Descent/Origin of Nandikeśvara”
प्रजाकामः शिलादोऽभूदुक्तः पितृभिरादरात् । तदुद्धर्तुमना भक्त्या समुद्धारमभीप्सुभिः
prajākāmaḥ śilādo'bhūduktaḥ pitṛbhirādarāt | taduddhartumanā bhaktyā samuddhāramabhīpsubhiḥ
إذ كان راغبًا في الذُّرِّيَّة، اتّبع شِيلادا باحترامٍ ما أوصى به البِتْرِ (الأسلافُ المكرَّمون). وبقلبٍ يقصدُ رفعَهم، التمسَ لهم الخلاصَ التامَّ عبرَ البَكْتِي المخلِصة.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
FAQs
It presents bhakti as a liberating power: Śilāda’s desire for progeny is joined with a higher aim—uplifting the Pitṛs—showing that devotion to Shiva-oriented dharma leads toward samuddhāra (true deliverance).
Though the verse does not name the Liṅga explicitly, the Shatarudra context centers on Shiva as Pati who grants upliftment; Śilāda’s bhakti implies turning to Saguna Shiva (the gracious Lord) as the effective refuge for deliverance of oneself and one’s lineage.
The takeaway is devotion performed with the intention of upliftment—such as japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shiva-pūjā offered for Pitṛ-śānti—done with sincere bhakti rather than mere formality.