Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11
मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्
Description of the Sages’ Questions
इदानीं कथय प्राज्ञ शिवरूपमनुत्तमम् । दिव्यानि वै चरित्राणि शिवयोरप्यशेषतः
idānīṃ kathaya prājña śivarūpamanuttamam | divyāni vai caritrāṇi śivayorapyaśeṣataḥ
Nun, o Weiser, beschreibe die unvergleichliche Gestalt des Herrn Śiva; und berichte auch vollständig, ohne etwas auszulassen, von den göttlichen Taten der beiden—Śiva und seiner Śakti.
The sages at Naimisharanya (addressing Suta Goswami)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthala) passage; it is a framing request to narrate Śiva’s supreme form and the divine līlā of Śiva-Śakti in the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa.
Significance: Establishes śravaṇa (listening) as a primary means for devotees to approach Śiva through kathā and tattva-vicāra.
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse frames a devotional and philosophical inquiry: the listener seeks both Śiva’s supreme nature (His anuttama tattva) and His divine līlā with Śakti, affirming that liberation-oriented knowledge in the Shiva Purana is received through complete hearing (śravaṇa) of Śiva–Śakti glory.
By requesting Śiva’s ‘form’ and ‘divine deeds,’ the verse supports Saguna upāsanā—approaching Śiva through describable manifestations and sacred narratives; in the Purāṇic setting, such narration commonly culminates in Linga-centered devotion where the transcendent (nirguṇa) is revered through an accessible sign (liṅga) and stories.
The implied practice is śravaṇa and smaraṇa—listening to and contemplating Śiva–Śakti caritra with devotion; a fitting takeaway is to pair such hearing with japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a meditative support.