Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । इति स्तुत्वा महादेवमृषिका सा शुभव्रता । तूष्णीमासाथ गिरिशः प्रोवाच करुणाकरः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | iti stutvā mahādevamṛṣikā sā śubhavratā | tūṣṇīmāsātha giriśaḥ provāca karuṇākaraḥ

Translation

Sūta said: Having thus praised Mahādeva, that woman-sage of auspicious vows then fell silent. Thereupon Girīśa—the compassionate Lord—spoke.

Word by Word

सूतःSūta

उवाचsaid

इतिthus

स्तुत्वाhaving praised

महादेवम्Mahādeva

ऋषिकाthe female sage

साshe

शुभ-व्रताof auspicious vow

तूष्णीम्silently

आसremained

अथthen

गिरिशःGiriśa (Lord of mountains)

प्रोवाचspoke

करुणा-करःthe compassionate one

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Narrative hinge: after stuti, the devotee/ṛṣikā becomes silent; Śiva, ‘karuṇākara’, prepares to respond—typical prelude to granting boons and/or establishing a sacred presence.

Significance: Highlights the purāṇic pattern: stuti → mauna → īśvara-vākya (divine reply), legitimizing the ensuing kṣetra-māhātmya.

Characters & Entities

Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It highlights the Shaiva principle that sincere stuti (devotional praise) followed by inner silence makes the seeker receptive to Śiva’s anugraha (grace), after which the compassionate Lord reveals guidance.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The verse presents Saguna Śiva (Girīśa, Karuṇākara) responding personally to devotion—mirroring how Linga-worship is not mere symbol but a grace-bearing encounter where the Lord ‘speaks’ through blessings, insight, and instruction.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer stuti/japa with bhakti, then sit in tūṣṇī-bhāva (quiet, attentive stillness) to receive Śiva’s inner prompting—ideally alongside Shaiva supports like Panchākṣarī japa and Tripuṇḍra-bhasma dhāraṇa where appropriate.