Shloka 67
शिवपुराण-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Śiva Purāṇa) / Śivapurāṇa Māhātmya
शैवं पुराणतिलकं खलु सत्पुराणं । वेदांतवेदविलसत्परवस्तुगीतम् । यो वै पठेच्च शृणुयात्परमादरेण शंभुप्रियः स हि लभेत्परमां । गतिं वै
śaivaṃ purāṇatilakaṃ khalu satpurāṇaṃ | vedāṃtavedavilasatparavastugītam | yo vai paṭhecca śṛṇuyātparamādareṇa śaṃbhupriyaḥ sa hi labhetparamāṃ | gatiṃ vai
This Śaiva Purāṇa is truly the crown-jewel among the Purāṇas—the noble scripture that sings of the Supreme Reality, resplendent in the Vedas and the Vedānta. Whoever reads it or listens to it with the highest reverence becomes dear to Śambhu and surely attains the supreme goal: final liberation.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: As ‘Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha’, Śiva is praised as Lord of the universe; the Purāṇic tradition links hearing/reciting Śiva-kathā with mokṣa, resonant with Kāśī’s promise of liberation through Śiva’s grace.
Significance: Śravaṇa/pāṭha with reverence makes one ‘Śambhu-priya’ and leads to paramā gati (mokṣa); Kāśī-viśeṣa: liberation by Śiva’s anugraha.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
FAQs
It declares the Śiva Purāṇa as a foremost scripture that reveals the Supreme Reality (Śiva as Pati) and teaches that reverent reading or hearing makes one dear to Śiva and leads to the highest goal—mokṣa.
By praising the Śaiva Purāṇa as Vedānta-aligned teaching of the Supreme, it supports Saguna worship (such as Liṅga-upāsanā) as a valid devotional means through which the devotee becomes Śambhu’s beloved and progresses toward the supreme state.
Śravaṇa and pāṭha—listening to and reciting the Śiva Purāṇa with parama-ādara (deep reverence)—as a devotional discipline that ripens bhakti and supports liberation.