Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29
सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct
Prelude to Detailed Narrative
इतीदृशीं सतीं दृष्ट्वा शिवलीलां विमोहनीम् । सुविस्मिता शिवं प्राह शिवमायाविमोहिता
itīdṛśīṃ satīṃ dṛṣṭvā śivalīlāṃ vimohanīm | suvismitā śivaṃ prāha śivamāyāvimohitā
Voyant Satī en un tel état et contemplant la līlā de Śiva, si envoûtante et troublante, elle fut saisie d’étonnement ; abusée par la propre Māyā de Śiva, elle s’adressa au Seigneur Śiva.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Satī–Śiva episode to the sages)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse highlights that even exalted beings can be momentarily bewildered by Śiva’s Māyā, underscoring Śiva as Pati (the Lord) whose līlā governs experience; liberation arises through devotion and right discernment rather than mere astonishment at phenomena.
Śiva’s ‘vimohanī līlā’ points to Saguna Śiva’s accessible manifestation that devotees can approach in worship (including Liṅga-upāsanā), while remembering that forms and events are within Māyā and should lead the mind toward the transcendent Lord behind them.
A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady bhakti to pierce māyic bewilderment; supporting disciplines like Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa can be adopted as Shaiva aids to remembrance and inner purity.