Shloka 45
नारीसन्देहभञ्जक-शम्भ्ववतारकथा
The Account of Śambhu’s Incarnation that Dispels Doubts Concerning Women
नन्दीश्वर उवाच । इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा स भिक्षुः परमेश्वरः । विप्रपत्न्याः प्रसन्नात्मा प्रोवाच विहसंश्च ताम्
nandīśvara uvāca | iti tasyā vacaḥ śrutvā sa bhikṣuḥ parameśvaraḥ | viprapatnyāḥ prasannātmā provāca vihasaṃśca tām
Nandīśvara said: Having heard her words thus, that mendicant—Parameśvara Himself—became gracious toward the brahmin’s wife and, smiling, spoke to her.
Nandishvara (Nandi)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana
Sthala Purana: A recurring Purāṇic teaching motif: Śiva appears as a bhikṣu to receive questions, then reveals truth and grants grace; here Nandīśvara explicitly identifies the mendicant as Parameśvara, marking the turn from tirodhāna to anugraha.
Significance: Hearing/reciting such episodes is framed as śravaṇa-bhakti that ripens into Śiva’s grace—recognizing the Lord in humble forms and receiving instruction.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights Shiva’s saulabhya (easy accessibility): Parameśvara may appear as a simple bhikṣu to meet devotees, hear their sincerity, and respond with grace—showing that compassionate attention to the devotee is central to Shaiva bhakti.
The verse emphasizes Saguna Shiva—Shiva taking a perceivable form (here, a mendicant) to engage with devotees. Such narratives support Linga-worship by teaching that the same Parameśvara who is worshipped in the Linga also manifests outwardly to guide and bless.
The implied takeaway is humility and devotional receptivity: approach Shiva with sincere speech and a pure heart, supported by simple Shaiva practice such as japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and respectful service to holy guests (atithi-sevā).