Shloka 70
द्विजेश्वरावतारः
The Manifestation of Shiva as Dvijeśvara
इदं चरित्रं परमं पवित्रं शिवावतारस्य पवित्रकीर्त्तेः । द्विजेशसंज्ञस्य महाद्भुतं हि शृण्वन्पठञ्शम्भुपदम्प्रयाति
idaṃ caritraṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ śivāvatārasya pavitrakīrtteḥ | dvijeśasaṃjñasya mahādbhutaṃ hi śṛṇvanpaṭhañśambhupadamprayāti
This supremely purifying and sacred account—of the Śiva-incarnation whose fame is itself holy, known as Dvijeśa—is truly most wondrous. Whoever listens to it or recites it attains the state (abode) of Śambhu.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadashiva
Sthala Purana: Phala-śruti: the Dvijeśa-avatāra-caritra is declared ‘parama-pavitra’; śravaṇa/pāṭha itself becomes a tīrtha-like purifier culminating in Śambhu-pada.
Significance: Establishes śravaṇa and pāṭha as efficacious pilgrimage-substitutes: hearing/reciting with faith yields Śiva-loka/Śāmbhava-pada by grace.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: dipa
FAQs
It declares śravaṇa (devout listening) and pāṭha (reverent recitation) of Śiva’s avatāra-caritra as inherently purifying and capable of granting Śambhu-pada—liberation/entry into Shiva’s divine state—through Shiva’s grace, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on grace (anugraha) and devotion.
By praising an avatāra-līlā (Saguna Shiva’s manifest play), the verse supports devotional engagement with Shiva’s forms and deeds; such kathā functions like Linga-worship in cultivating remembrance (smaraṇa) and surrender, leading the devotee toward Shiva’s highest reality.
Regular śravaṇa and pāṭha of Shiva Purana narratives as a daily vrata, ideally preceded by simple purification (bhasma/tripundra if practiced) and concluded with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as an offering of devotion.