Shloka 24
दुन्दुभिनिर्ह्रादनिर्णयः / Dundubhinirhrāda’s Stratagem: Targeting the Brāhmaṇas
एकदा शिवरात्रौ तु भक्तस्त्वेको निजोटजे । सपर्यां देवदेवस्य कृत्वा ध्यानस्थितोऽभवत्
ekadā śivarātrau tu bhaktastveko nijoṭaje | saparyāṃ devadevasya kṛtvā dhyānasthito'bhavat
Once, on the sacred night of Śivarātri, a lone devotee in his own hut worshipped the God of gods, Lord Śiva; and when that service was complete, he became established in meditation.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames Śivarātri as the liminal night when the bound soul (paśu) turns inward through pūjā and dhyāna, inviting Śiva’s grace (anugraha).
Significance: Śivarātri observance with worship and meditation is presented as a direct means to receive Śiva’s protective grace and inner steadiness.
Cosmic Event: Śivarātri—auspicious night for Śiva-upāsanā, symbolically when tirodhāna thins and anugraha is sought.
FAQs
It presents Śivarātri as a night where sincere bhakti (saparyā) naturally culminates in dhyāna—turning outer worship into inner absorption in Śiva, the supreme Pati.
The verse emphasizes devotional service to “Devadeva” through concrete ritual worship (typical of Saguna/Liṅga-upāsanā), followed by meditative stillness—showing the classical movement from form-based worship to inner realization.
Perform Śiva-pūjā (saparyā) on Śivarātri and then sit steadily in dhyāna; a practical takeaway is to conclude worship with quiet japa and meditation on Śiva (commonly with the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).