Shloka 29
पुराणविदः महिमा तथा अध्ययन-अध्यापन-दानफलम्
The Glory of the Purāṇa-Knower and the Fruits of Study, Teaching, and Giving
कथां शैवीं मुहूर्तं वा तदर्द्धं क्षणं च वा । ये शृण्वति नरा भक्त्या न तेषां दुर्गतिर्भवेत्
kathāṃ śaivīṃ muhūrtaṃ vā tadarddhaṃ kṣaṇaṃ ca vā | ye śṛṇvati narā bhaktyā na teṣāṃ durgatirbhavet
الذين يستمعون بتعبّد إلى الحكاية المقدّسة لِشِيفا—سواءً لِمُهورتا، أو لنصفها، أو حتى للحظة واحدة—لا يقعون في مآلٍ سيّئ؛ فلا تنشأ لهم شقاوة ولا هبوط في المصير.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana’s teaching on the fruit of śravaṇa/listening)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Promises protection from durgati through even momentary śravaṇa with bhakti—functionally akin to a ‘kavaca’ of grace, though not tied to a site.
Type: stotra
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It teaches that even brief, devotion-filled listening to Śiva-kathā purifies the mind and aligns the soul (paśu) toward Śiva (Pati), preventing a fall into durgati and supporting the path toward liberation through grace.
Śiva-kathā is a form of upāsanā (devotional approach) to Saguna Śiva; hearing His līlā and glory steadies faith, which naturally ripens into reverence for the Liṅga as the accessible sign of the Supreme.
Practice śravaṇa: set aside even a short time to listen to Shiva Purana recitation with bhakti; ideally accompany it with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a simple offering like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as remembrance.