Shloka 31
विदलोत्पलदैत्ययोरुत्पत्तिः देवपराजयः ब्रह्मोपदेशः नारदप्रेषणम्
Vidalotpala Daityas, Defeat of the Devas, Brahmā’s Counsel, and Nārada’s Mission
सांबिकं शंकरं दृष्ट्वा कृतांजलिपुटाश्च ते । प्रणम्य तुष्टुवुर्भक्त्या वाग्भिरिष्टाभिरादरात्
sāṃbikaṃ śaṃkaraṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛtāṃjalipuṭāśca te | praṇamya tuṣṭuvurbhaktyā vāgbhiriṣṭābhirādarāt
Seeing Śaṅkara together with Ambikā (Pārvatī), they folded their hands in reverence; bowing down, they praised Him with devotion, respectfully offering words that were dear and fitting.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: In Kāśī, the vision of Śaṅkara ‘sāṃbika’ (with Ambikā) becomes the immediate cause for añjali, praṇāma, and stuti—depicting the kṣetra as a place where the divine couple is directly approachable and responsive to bhakti.
Significance: Darśana of Śiva with Śakti in Kāśī is portrayed as bhakti-siddhi: it ripens devotion into praise and surrender, a proximate cause for receiving Śiva’s grace and protection.
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta bhakti-mārga: true darśana of Pati (Śiva) naturally culminates in humility (praṇāma), inner surrender (añjali), and loving praise (stuti), which invite Śiva’s anugraha (grace).
Here Śiva is approached as Saguna—Śaṅkara visible with Ambikā—showing that worship is not merely abstract but relational: devotees honor the Lord through respectful gestures and spoken stotra, the same bhāva that also sanctifies Liṅga-pūjā.
Practice darśana-bhāva: stand or sit with folded palms (añjali), offer namaskāra/prostration (praṇāma), and recite a simple stotra or the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with ādarā (reverent attention).