Shloka 48
Vṛṣeśākhya-Śivāvatāra and the Initiation of the Kṣīrasāgara-Manthana
Churning of the Milk Ocean
ततो वै हरिपुत्रास्ते महाबलपराक्रमाः । महोपद्रवमाचेरुस्स्वर्गे भुवि च दुःखदम्
tato vai hariputrāste mahābalaparākramāḥ | mahopadravamācerussvarge bhuvi ca duḥkhadam
Then those sons of Hari, endowed with immense strength and valor, unleashed a great calamity, bringing sorrow both in heaven and on earth.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Rudra
Cosmic Event: Loka-saṅkṣobha (world-disturbance) across svarga and bhū—signals need for divine rebalancing, typically via Rudra’s regulatory power
FAQs
It highlights how even powerful divine lineages can become instruments of upheaval when cosmic balance is disturbed; in Shaiva thought, such turmoil underscores the need for Shiva (Pati) to restore dharma and loosen the bonds (pāśa) that generate suffering.
The verse sets a narrative backdrop of widespread distress, for which the Shiva Purana commonly presents Saguna Shiva—worshipped as the Linga—as the compassionate, accessible form through whom order is re-established and grace is bestowed.
In times of distress, the Shiva Purana’s practical remedy is steady Shiva-upāsanā—japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and remembrance of Shiva’s protective presence—supported by simple purity disciplines like bhasma/tripundra where traditionally followed.