Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11
विदलोत्पलदैत्ययोरुत्पत्तिः देवपराजयः ब्रह्मोपदेशः नारदप्रेषणम्
Vidalotpala Daityas, Defeat of the Devas, Brahmā’s Counsel, and Nārada’s Mission
एकस्मिन्समये शंभुर्विजहार सुलीलया । कौतुकेनैव चिक्रीडे शिवा कन्दुकलीलया
ekasminsamaye śaṃbhurvijahāra sulīlayā | kautukenaiva cikrīḍe śivā kandukalīlayā
Zu einer Zeit spielte Śambhu in einer überaus anmutigen, mühelosen Līlā. Aus lauter Freude spielte auch Śivā mit Ihm, im Zeitvertreib des Ballwerfens.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: dipa
FAQs
It portrays the Saguna (personal) aspect of Pati (Śiva) with Śakti (Śivā/Pārvatī), showing that the Lord’s līlā is not worldly attachment but a compassionate, accessible mode through which devotees cultivate loving devotion and inner purity.
The verse supports Saguna-upāsanā: meditating on Śiva’s divine qualities and līlās. Such remembrance naturally matures into reverence for the Liṅga as the steady, formless-symbolic presence of the same Śiva beyond play—Nirguṇa realized through Saguna devotion.
Līlā-smaraṇa (devotional recollection) with japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—is the key takeaway; one may combine it with calm dhyāna on Śiva-Śakti unity to steady the mind and turn delight into bhakti.