Shloka 85
Niṣādasya Bhillasya Itihāsaḥ — Śivarātri-vrata-prabhāvaḥ
The Hunter’s Account and the Efficacy of the Śivarātri Observance
इति ज्ञानं समापन्नो बाणं संवारयंस्तदा । गम्यतां च मृगश्रेष्ठा धन्याः स्थ इति चाब्रवीत्
iti jñānaṃ samāpanno bāṇaṃ saṃvārayaṃstadā | gamyatāṃ ca mṛgaśreṣṭhā dhanyāḥ stha iti cābravīt
এভাবে জ্ঞান লাভ করে সে তখন তীর সংযত করল এবং বলল—“যাও, হে মৃগশ্রেষ্ঠ! তোমরা ধন্য।”
Suta Goswami (narrating the episode to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse highlights that when right knowledge dawns, cruelty and impulsive action subside; restraint becomes a natural expression of dharma, aligning the seeker toward Shiva-oriented liberation (moksha).
Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is repeatedly tied to inner purification; this moment of withdrawing the arrow mirrors the devotee’s shift from outward aggression to inner devotion—an essential preparation for approaching Saguna Shiva through reverence and self-control.
A practical takeaway is japa with the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady the mind, along with cultivating ahimsa as a daily vrata; this inner restraint is treated as a core Shaiva discipline supporting worship and meditation.