Shloka 35
अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना
Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga
दूषणेन वचः प्रोक्तं हन्यतां वध्यतामिति । तच्छ्रुतं तैस्तदा नैव दैत्यप्रोक्तं वचो द्विजैः । वेदप्रियसुतैश्शंभोर्ध्यानमार्गपरायणैः
dūṣaṇena vacaḥ proktaṃ hanyatāṃ vadhyatāmiti | tacchrutaṃ taistadā naiva daityaproktaṃ vaco dvijaiḥ | vedapriyasutaiśśaṃbhordhyānamārgaparāyaṇaiḥ
With malice he uttered, “Strike them down—kill them.” But on hearing those words, the twice-born sons of Vedapriya—devoted to Śambhu and steadfast on the path of meditation—did not accept the demon’s command at all.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The episode anticipates Mahākāla’s protective epiphany: when a demon commands the killing of Śiva-devoted brāhmaṇas, the devotees refuse adharma; Śiva manifests to defend dharma and his bhaktas—an archetypal Mahākāla motif later localized at Ujjain.
Significance: Protection of devotees, removal of fear of death/time, and assurance that Śiva’s grace overrides demonic coercion; reinforces brāhmaṇa-saṃrakṣaṇa and bhakti as refuge.
Type: stotra
FAQs
It shows that true devotees grounded in dhyāna and dharma do not follow adharma even under threat; allegiance is to Śiva (Pati) and right conduct, not to coercive power.
Calling Śiva as Śambhu highlights a personal, Saguna focus for devotion; those devoted to Him remain steady in contemplative worship rather than being swayed by hostile forces.
The verse emphasizes dhyāna-mārga—steady meditation on Śiva; practically, this aligns with daily Śiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") as a stabilizing discipline.