Shloka 49
Śiva–Arjuna Yuddha and the Subjugation of Pride (Śiva-parīkṣā)
शंकर उवाच । वचसा किम्बहूक्तेन शृणुष्व वचनम्मम । शीघ्रं वृणु वरम्पुत्र सर्वन्तच्च ददामि ते
śaṃkara uvāca | vacasā kimbahūktena śṛṇuṣva vacanammama | śīghraṃ vṛṇu varamputra sarvantacca dadāmi te
Śaṅkara sprach: „Wozu viele Worte? Höre Meine Aussage. Lieber Sohn, wähle rasch eine Gabe; alles, worum du bittest, werde Ich dir gewähren.“
Lord Shiva (Shankara)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahadeva
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse highlights Śiva’s swift, compassionate grace: when devotion matures, the Lord does not require elaborate speech—He invites the devotee to state the essential desire, showing that divine blessing flows from sincere bhakti and surrender.
As Saguna Śiva (Śaṅkara), the Lord engages personally with the devotee, responding to prayer and granting boons. Linga-worship similarly approaches Śiva in a gracious, accessible form where devotion, mantra, and offering culminate in divine favor.
The takeaway is simplicity and focused prayer: worship Śiva with steady bhakti—e.g., japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and a clear sankalpa—asking for dharma, devotion, and ultimately liberation rather than scattered desires.