Shloka 8
Harīśvara-liṅga Mahimā and the Origin-Context of Viṣṇu’s Sudarśana (हरिश्वरलिङ्गमहिमा तथा सुदर्शनप्राप्तिकथा)
सूत उवाच । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां दुःखितात्मनाम् । स्मृत्वा शिवपदांभोजं विष्णुर्वचनमब्रवीत
sūta uvāca | ityevaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ duḥkhitātmanām | smṛtvā śivapadāṃbhojaṃ viṣṇurvacanamabravīta
Sūta sprach: Als er so die Worte der Götter vernahm, deren Herzen von Kummer bedrückt waren, erinnerte sich Viṣṇu an die Lotosfüße des Herrn Śiva und sprach diese Worte.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: Though not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga, the motif “remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet” mirrors pilgrimage theology: smaraṇa of the Lord’s pādāravinda is itself a tirtha-like purifier and a gateway to grace.
Significance: Smaraṇa of Śiva’s feet is presented as Viṣṇu’s immediate refuge; for devotees, it legitimizes nāma-smaraṇa/pāda-smaraṇa as a direct means to invoke anugraha.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It presents śiva-smaraṇa (remembrance of Śiva’s lotus-feet) as the immediate refuge in collective suffering, implying that even great deities look to Śiva as the supreme shelter and liberator (Pati) when bound beings (pāśa-baddha) face distress.
Remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet indicates saguna-upāsanā—devotional contemplation of the Lord with attributes. In the Kotirudrasaṃhitā context (Jyotirliṅga-centered), such remembrance naturally aligns with Liṅga worship as a concrete focus for devotion and surrender.
The takeaway is smaraṇa and śaraṇāgati: mentally dwell on Śiva’s feet while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”). This can be paired with simple Liṅga-dhyāna and respectful application of bhasma (tripuṇḍra) where appropriate.