Shloka 8
Bhairavaśāpavṛttāntaḥ
The Episode of Bhairava’s Curse and Consolation
शिवोवाच । नारीदृष्ट्या पश्यसि त्वं यतो मां पुरुषाधम । अतो भव धरायां हि मानुषस्त्वं च भैरव
śivovāca | nārīdṛṣṭyā paśyasi tvaṃ yato māṃ puruṣādhama | ato bhava dharāyāṃ hi mānuṣastvaṃ ca bhairava
Śiva said: “Since you behold Me with a woman’s gaze, O lowest among men, therefore become human upon the earth—yes, you too, Bhairava.”
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Bhairava
Mantra: नारीदृष्ट्या पश्यसि त्वं यतो मां पुरुषाधम । अतो भव धरायां हि मानुषस्त्वं च भैरव
FAQs
The verse warns that perception (dṛṣṭi) shapes bondage: seeing Śiva through a sensual or worldly lens leads to karmic consequence and descent into embodied experience, whereas pure darśana leads toward grace and liberation.
Linga/Saguna worship trains the devotee to replace objectifying vision with reverent darśana—seeing Śiva as Pati (Lord) rather than as an object of desire—thereby purifying the mind and reducing pāśa (bondage).
Cultivate śuddha-dṛṣṭi through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), disciplined sense-restraint, and focused Linga-dhyāna; applying vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and wearing rudrākṣa may be adopted as supports for steady Shaiva sādhanā.