Shloka 8
एकदा स्वर्णदीं स्नातुं गच्छन्तीं सुस्मितां च ताम् । ददर्श पथि धर्मश्च मायया वृषरूपधृक्
ekadā svarṇadīṃ snātuṃ gacchantīṃ susmitāṃ ca tām | dadarśa pathi dharmaśca māyayā vṛṣarūpadhṛk
Once, as she—smiling gently—was going to bathe in the Svarṇadī river, Dharma saw her on the path, having assumed by his divine power the form of a bull.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: No explicit Jyotirliṅga setting is indicated in this narrative unit; the episode functions as a moral-theological test (parīkṣā) rather than a liṅga-māhātmya.
FAQs
The verse shows how dharma can appear as a test or turning-point on the seeker’s path; Parvati’s steady purity and intention toward Shiva remain unchanged even when confronted by deceptive appearances (māyā).
In the Parvati narrative, such encounters highlight that outer forms can shift, but the devotee’s orientation toward Saguna Shiva—approached through worship, vows, and focused remembrance—must remain firm despite distractions created by māyā.
The practical takeaway is steadiness in vrata and japa: maintaining disciplined repetition of Shiva’s name (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and purity of conduct when facing trials on the spiritual path.