Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10
शिवलोकप्रवेशः
Entry into Śivaloka through successive gateways
सम्यङ्नत्वा च तं स्तुत्वा पूर्ववत्तेन नन्दिना । आज्ञप्तश्च शनैर्विष्णुर्विवेशाभ्यंतरं मुदा
samyaṅnatvā ca taṃ stutvā pūrvavattena nandinā | ājñaptaśca śanairviṣṇurviveśābhyaṃtaraṃ mudā
তাঁকে যথাযথ প্রণাম ও স্তব করে, নন্দী পূর্ববৎ নির্দেশ দিলেন; তখন বিষ্ণু ধীরে ধীরে আনন্দসহকারে অন্তঃপুরে প্রবেশ করলেন।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Type: stotra
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse highlights the Shaiva ideal that spiritual access is gained through humility (proper bowing) and devotion (praise), even for exalted beings like Viṣṇu; reverent surrender becomes the doorway to entering the divine inner presence.
The act of bowing and offering stuti reflects Saguna worship—approaching Shiva’s manifest presence through respectful ritual conduct; Nandin, as Shiva’s foremost attendant, represents proper protocol in entering the sanctified inner space associated with Shiva’s abode and worship.
A practical takeaway is to begin worship with namaskāra and stotra (praise), proceeding calmly and attentively (śanaiḥ), maintaining inner joy (mudā); this aligns with disciplined bhakti that can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).