Shloka 57
देवर्षि-प्रश्नः तथा असुर-वध-हेतुनिवेदनम् | The Devas’ Petition and the Cause for Slaying Asuras
ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् विष्णुस्तूष्णीमास मुने सुधीः । तथा स्तुतिं विहस्याह स प्रभुर्भक्तवत्सलः
brahmovāca | ityuktvā bhagavān viṣṇustūṣṇīmāsa mune sudhīḥ | tathā stutiṃ vihasyāha sa prabhurbhaktavatsalaḥ
Brahmā said: Having spoken thus, the blessed Lord Viṣṇu, the wise one, fell silent, O sage. Then that mighty Lord, ever affectionate to His devotees, smiled and spoke again, continuing the hymn of praise.
Brahma
Tattva Level: pati
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it is a narrative hinge: after Viṣṇu’s words, the Lord ‘bhaktavatsala’ smiles and continues—smile signifies gracious acceptance and impending bestowal of favor.
Significance: Models the fruit of stuti: sincere praise leads to divine responsiveness (prasāda), a key devotional expectation in Śaiva temple culture.
Type: stotra
FAQs
It highlights the devotional mood (stuti) and the divine quality of bhakta-vātsalya—grace responding to sincere praise—showing that reverent speech, contemplative silence, and renewed prayer are all part of approaching the Highest.
Though Viṣṇu is the immediate subject, the narrative style of the Rudra Saṃhitā uses stuti as a core method of Saguna devotion—praising the Lord with attributes—preparing the heart for deeper realization that culminates in Shiva-tattva.
A practical takeaway is to combine stotra-pāṭha (recitation of hymns) with a brief pause of tūṣṇī-bhāva (silent recollection), then resume prayer—an effective bhakti-based meditation that can accompany japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”