शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः
Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation
सिंदूरवर्णाय सुमण्डलाय सुवर्णवर्णाभरणाय तुभ्यम् । पद्माभनेत्राय सपंकजाय ब्रह्मेन्द्रनारायणकारणाय
siṃdūravarṇāya sumaṇḍalāya suvarṇavarṇābharaṇāya tubhyam | padmābhanetrāya sapaṃkajāya brahmendranārāyaṇakāraṇāya
سلامٌ لك—يا ذا الإشراقِ القِرمِزيّ كالسِّندور، يا صاحبَ الهيئةِ المباركةِ البهيّة؛ يا من تزيّنتَ بحُلِيٍّ ذاتِ لونٍ ذهبي؛ يا لوتسيَّ العينين وذو الصلةِ باللوتس؛ يا أصلَ العِلّةِ التي منها يَنبثقُ براهما وإندرا ونارايانا.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: सिंदूरवर्णाय सुमण्डलाय सुवर्णवर्णाभरणाय तुभ्यम् । पद्माभनेत्राय सपंकजाय ब्रह्मेन्द्रनारायणकारणाय
Type: stotra
It establishes Shiva as Pati—the supreme causal Lord—described in a worshipful, saguna form, yet affirmed as the source of even Brahma, Vishnu (Narayana), and Indra, directing the devotee’s surrender toward the highest principle.
The verse uses vivid auspicious attributes (radiance, lotus-eyes, ornaments) typical of saguna upasana; in Shiva Purana practice, such praise naturally culminates in Linga-worship, where the same supreme cause is adored in aniconic form for steadiness of devotion and meditation.
Use it as a dhyana-stotra before Linga puja: apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), hold a rudrākṣa, and recite the pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating Shiva as the source of all deities and the giver of liberation.