Shloka 38
Viśveśvara-māhātmya and the Nirguṇa–Saguṇa Emergence of Śiva (Śakti–Puruṣa/Prakṛti Discourse)
जीवान्भवाब्धेरखिलांस्तारय त्वं सदाशिव । भक्तकार्य्यं कुरु हर प्रार्थयामि पुनःपुनः
jīvānbhavābdherakhilāṃstāraya tvaṃ sadāśiva | bhaktakāryyaṃ kuru hara prārthayāmi punaḥpunaḥ
O Sadāśiva, ferry all living beings across the ocean of worldly becoming. O Hara, fulfill the need of Your devotee—I beseech You again and again.
A devotee/supplicant addressing Lord Shiva (within Suta Goswami’s narration of the Kotirudrasaṃhitā context)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: The prayer frames Kāśī’s Lord as Sadāśiva-Hara who ferries all beings across saṃsāra; Kāśī’s salvific fame is grounded in Śiva’s role as universal liberator, not merely local deity.
Significance: Pilgrimage is construed as seeking taraka-anugraha—Śiva’s liberating intervention that cuts pāśa (bondage) and grants passage beyond bhava-sāgara.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It expresses śaraṇāgati (surrender): the devotee asks Sadāśiva, the Pati (Lord), to remove pāśa (bondage) and carry beings across saṃsāra, showing liberation depends on Shiva’s grace received through devotion.
The prayer is directed to Shiva as Sadāśiva/Hara—Saguna Shiva who compassionately responds to bhakti; in Jyotirliṅga contexts, such supplication is fulfilled through the Lord’s manifest presence and saving power.
Repetition of heartfelt prayer (punaḥ punaḥ) aligns with japa and bhakti—especially Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with liṅga-dhyāna, offered as a continual request for deliverance from saṃsāra.