Shloka 47
Kṛṣṇādi-Śivabhaktoddhāraṇa & Śiva-māhātmya-varṇana
Deliverance of Krishna and other devotees; Description of Shiva’s Greatness
तच्छ्रुत्वा श्रद्धया युक्तोऽभवच्छंभोस्तु भक्तिमान् । पप्रच्छ शिवमाहात्म्यं स तं प्राह मुनीश्वरः
tacchrutvā śraddhayā yukto'bhavacchaṃbhostu bhaktimān | papraccha śivamāhātmyaṃ sa taṃ prāha munīśvaraḥ
Hearing that, he became filled with faith and became a devoted worshipper of Śambhu. He then asked about the glory of Lord Śiva; and the lordly sage spoke to him in reply.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana account to the sages, reporting that a great sage replied)
Tattva Level: pashu
Significance: Describes the classic Siddhānta sequence: śraddhā → bhakti → inquiry (jijñāsā) → upadeśa. This is the inner pilgrimage culminating in Śiva’s grace mediated by the sage.
Type: stotra
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It shows the Shaiva Siddhanta progression where śraddhā (faith) ripens into bhakti (devotion), and devotion naturally leads to inquiry into Śiva-māhātmya—knowledge that turns the soul toward Pati (Lord Śiva) for liberation.
By becoming “Śambhu’s devotee,” the seeker turns to Saguna worship—Śiva approached through name, form, and praise (māhātmya). In the Purana context, such praise commonly culminates in Linga-centered devotion and understanding Śiva’s grace as the liberating power.
The verse primarily recommends śraddhā-filled śravaṇa (devotional listening) and praśna (humble inquiry) before a realized sage—practices that support mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined worship grounded in understanding Śiva’s glory.