Shloka 59
Śiva–Arjuna Yuddha and the Subjugation of Pride (Śiva-parīkṣā)
नन्दीश्वर उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा निजहस्तं च धृत्वा शिरसि तस्य सः । पूजितो ह्यर्जुनेनाशु शंकरोन्तरधीयत
nandīśvara uvāca | ityuktvā nijahastaṃ ca dhṛtvā śirasi tasya saḥ | pūjito hyarjunenāśu śaṃkarontaradhīyata
Nandīśvara sprach: Nachdem er so gesprochen hatte, legte Śaṅkara Seine eigene Hand auf Arjunas Haupt. Dann, von Arjuna gebührend verehrt, entschwand Herr Śaṅkara rasch dem Blick.
Nandishvara (Nandi)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
Śiva’s placing His hand on Arjuna’s head signifies anugraha (divine grace): the Lord, as Pati, directly blesses the devotee, confirming acceptance of worship and inner readiness for His guidance.
The verse shows Saguna Śiva responding to personal devotion—He is worshipped, grants a tangible sign of blessing, and then withdraws from sight, indicating that ritual and devotion culminate in grace rather than mere external vision.
Offer sincere pūjā to Śiva (with mantra-japa such as Om Namaḥ Śivāya), then meditate on receiving His anugraha—symbolically ‘Śiva’s hand on the head’—as steadiness, humility, and inner quiet after worship.