Shloka 23
पितृसर्ग-श्राद्धमाहात्म्य-प्रश्नः
Pitṛ-sarga and the Greatness of Śrāddha: The Inquiry
त्वया दायादवानस्मि धर्मज्ञेन विपश्चिता । तारितोहं तु जिज्ञासा कृता मे पुरुषोत्तम
tvayā dāyādavānasmi dharmajñena vipaścitā | tāritohaṃ tu jijñāsā kṛtā me puruṣottama
By you—wise and learned in dharma—I have been made an heir to righteous merit. Through you I have been delivered; my longing to know has been fulfilled, O Supreme Person.
A devotee/disciple addressing Lord Shiva (Puruṣottama) in a teaching dialogue within Umāsaṃhitā
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
FAQs
The verse frames Shiva as the liberator (tāritā) who fulfills the seeker’s jijñāsā—true inquiry into dharma and reality—granting a rightful share in spiritual merit and the path toward moksha.
Addressing Shiva as Puruṣottama supports Saguna devotion: the seeker approaches the personal Lord who actively rescues and instructs. In Shaiva practice, this inner transformation is commonly anchored through Linga-worship as the tangible focus for grace and right understanding.
The practical takeaway is disciplined dharma-jijñāsā supported by Shiva-upāsanā—daily remembrance and prayer to Shiva (often with the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to seek guidance, clarity, and liberation.