Shloka 24
मयस्य शिवस्तुतिः — Maya’s Hymn to Śiva
and Śiva’s Gracious Response
कोटिकल्पानि नरके नो वासस्तु भविष्यति । नोद्धारो भविता नूनं शिवभक्तविरोधिनाम्
koṭikalpāni narake no vāsastu bhaviṣyati | noddhāro bhavitā nūnaṃ śivabhaktavirodhinām
Surely, those who oppose the devotees of Śiva will dwell in hell for crores of aeons; indeed, for them there will be no rescue or deliverance.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages of Naimisharanya, within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: Not tied to a specific liṅga-site; it articulates a purāṇic ‘phala/daṇḍa’ doctrine: hostility to Śiva-bhaktas yields prolonged naraka-experience.
Significance: Didactic significance: encourages bhakta-sevā and avoidance of bhakta-apacāra; pilgrimage merit is framed as protection of devotion rather than geography.
Cosmic Event: karmic retribution across koṭi-kalpas (vast cosmic timescale)
FAQs
The verse warns that śiva-bhakta-virodha (hostility toward Śiva’s devotees) is a grave aparādha that hardens bondage (pāśa) and blocks upliftment; in Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it obstructs Śiva’s anugraha (grace) and leads to prolonged suffering until repentance and right conduct arise.
Linga/Saguṇa-Śiva worship is not only ritual but also ethical devotion: honoring Śiva includes honoring His bhaktas. Insulting or harming devotees contradicts Linga-upāsanā and weakens the fruit of pūjā, japa, and vrata, because devotion must express itself as reverence and non-enmity.
A practical takeaway is to observe bhakta-sammāna (respect for devotees) alongside daily Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and to perform prāyaścitta through confession, humility, and renewed vrata/pūjā—avoiding nindā (slander) as a core discipline.