Shloka 17
नारीसन्देहभञ्जक-शम्भ्ववतारकथा
The Account of Śambhu’s Incarnation that Dispels Doubts Concerning Women
सा दृष्ट्वा तत्र तम्बालं वने निर्मनुजे मुने । विस्मिताति द्विजस्त्री सा चिचिन्तं हृदये बहु
sā dṛṣṭvā tatra tambālaṃ vane nirmanuje mune | vismitāti dvijastrī sā cicintaṃ hṛdaye bahu
O sage, seeing there a tambāla (a dwelling or structure) in a forest devoid of people, that Brahmin woman was utterly astonished and pondered many thoughts within her heart.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse highlights how a sudden, uncanny encounter in solitude can turn the mind inward—wonder (vismaya) becomes the doorway to deeper reflection, preparing the seeker for recognizing Shiva’s guiding presence behind events.
Though the Linga is not named here, the motif of a mysterious place in an empty forest fits the Purana’s pattern where Saguna Shiva’s grace becomes perceptible through signs and sacred locales, leading the devotee toward reverence and worship.
The immediate takeaway is inward contemplation (manana). A Shaiva practice aligned with this mood is silent japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namah Shivaya”—to steady the mind when faced with the unknown.