Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 45
कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path
बृहस्पतिरुवाच । हे देव भगवन्भक्ता अनुकंप्याः सदैव हि । भक्तवत्सलनामेति त्वं सत्यं कुरु शंकर
bṛhaspatiruvāca | he deva bhagavanbhaktā anukaṃpyāḥ sadaiva hi | bhaktavatsalanāmeti tvaṃ satyaṃ kuru śaṃkara
বৃহস্পতি বললেন—হে দেব, হে ভগবান! আপনার ভক্তেরা সর্বদাই করুণার যোগ্য। অতএব হে শংকর, ‘ভক্তবৎসল’ নামটি কর্মে সত্য করুন।
Brihaspati
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahadeva
Mantra: हे देव भगवन्भक्ता अनुकंप्याः सदैव हि । भक्तवत्सलनामेति त्वं सत्यं कुरु शंकर
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
FAQs
It highlights Śiva as Bhakta-vatsala—whose grace (anugraha) naturally flows to devotees; in Shaiva Siddhanta, this compassion is the Lord’s saving act that helps the soul move toward liberation.
The verse appeals to Śaṅkara’s accessible, personal (saguṇa) aspect—worshipped as the Liṅga—where the devotee relies on the Lord’s promised tenderness and protection rather than on mere personal power.
A direct takeaway is bhakti-centered japa—especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—performed with surrender, trusting Śiva’s compassion to make his ‘Bhakta-vatsala’ nature manifest in one’s life.