Shloka 13
नारीसन्देहभञ्जक-शम्भ्ववतारकथा
The Account of Śambhu’s Incarnation that Dispels Doubts Concerning Women
स सुतो जातमात्रस्तु क्षुत्पिपासार्द्दितो भृशम् । रुरोद च सरस्तीरे विनष्ट पितृमातृकः
sa suto jātamātrastu kṣutpipāsārddito bhṛśam | ruroda ca sarastīre vinaṣṭa pitṛmātṛkaḥ
That son, just born, was severely afflicted by hunger and thirst. Bereft of both father and mother, he cried loudly on the bank of the lake.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; the verse intensifies the existential condition (orphaned newborn) that invites Śiva’s saving grace.
Significance: Didactic: compassion toward the helpless is dharma; the devotee’s cry (ārta-bhakti) is a classic trigger for divine anugraha.
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It highlights the vulnerable state of the jīva when separated from support, pointing to the Shaiva Siddhanta theme that worldly conditions arise through karma, while true refuge is ultimately in Pati—Lord Shiva—whose grace alone steadies and uplifts the soul.
The verse sets a narrative ground for seeking protection and shelter; in the Shiva Purana this often culminates in taking refuge in Saguna Shiva—commonly through Linga-worship—where the devotee approaches Shiva as the compassionate Lord who responds to distress.
A practical takeaway is śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) expressed through daily Panchakshara japa—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and simple Linga-upāsanā with water offering, cultivating compassion and inner steadiness amid hardship.