Shloka 26
नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion
इत्युक्त्वा स पुनर्विष्णोः पादयोर्मुनिसत्तमः । पपात सुमतिर्भक्त्या पश्चात्तापमुपागतः
ityuktvā sa punarviṣṇoḥ pādayormunisattamaḥ | papāta sumatirbhaktyā paścāttāpamupāgataḥ
Having spoken thus, that foremost of sages—Sumati—again fell at the feet of Lord Viṣṇu with devotion, overcome by remorse.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages)
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It highlights purification through humility: remorse (paścāttāpa) and devotional surrender (bhakti with prostration) soften the ego and make the seeker fit for grace—an essential step toward liberation in Shaiva thought.
Even when the narrative mentions Viṣṇu, the Shiva Purana repeatedly teaches reverence and surrender to the Divine in a personal form (saguṇa). Such bhakti and pranāma are the same inner posture cultivated in Liṅga-worship—approaching the Lord with humility and repentance.
A simple practice is heartfelt pranāma (full prostration) with self-examination and confession of faults, followed by japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a means to transform remorse into steady devotion.