Shloka 26
मयस्य शिवस्तुतिः — Maya’s Hymn to Śiva
and Śiva’s Gracious Response
सनत्कुमार उवाच । तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विष्णुब्रह्मादयस्सुराः । अब्रु वन्मुंडिनस्तांस्ते स्थितानग्रे कृतांजलीन्
sanatkumāra uvāca | teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā viṣṇubrahmādayassurāḥ | abru vanmuṃḍinastāṃste sthitānagre kṛtāṃjalīn
Sanatkumāra said: Hearing those words, the gods—Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and the others—addressed those shaven-headed ascetics, who stood before them with folded hands.
Sanatkumara
Sthala Purana: Narrative transition: Sanatkumāra frames the scene where Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and devas respond to the muṇḍins’ surrender.
FAQs
It highlights reverent receptivity (kṛtāñjali) and disciplined humility: even the highest devas respond to spoken instruction with attentive listening and respectful dialogue—an essential Shaiva virtue for receiving Shiva’s grace (anugraha) through right conduct.
Though the Linga is not named here, the verse models the devotional posture central to Saguna Shiva worship—approaching the sacred with folded hands, readiness to hear injunctions, and obedience to dharma, which in Shaiva practice supports proper ritual orientation toward Shiva.
The implied practice is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and namaskāra-bhāva (reverent posture). As a takeaway, one may begin Shiva worship by standing/sitting with joined palms, mentally offering salutations, and then reciting the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with attentive listening to scripture.