Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 44
सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct
Prelude to Detailed Narrative
विनश्यति यथा मोहस्तत्कुरु त्वं सति प्रिये । गत्वा तत्र स्थितस्तावद्वटे भव परीक्षिका
vinaśyati yathā mohastatkuru tvaṃ sati priye | gatvā tatra sthitastāvadvaṭe bhava parīkṣikā
«Satī bien-aimée, fais ce par quoi l’illusion se dissipe. Va là-bas, demeure un moment près du banian, et deviens celle qui éprouve et atteste la vérité.»
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: liberating
FAQs
Shiva directs Satī toward the destruction of moha (delusion) through discernment and verification; in Shaiva thought, clarity arises when one tests appearances against dharma and Shiva’s higher purpose, loosening the soul’s bondage to भ्रम and attachment.
Though not naming the Liṅga directly, the verse reflects Saguna Shiva as compassionate Guru—guiding the devotee to remove delusion. Such inner purification is the foundation for steady Liṅga-bhakti, where worship becomes sincere rather than driven by confusion or social pressure.
The practical takeaway is “parīkṣā” (self-inquiry and testing): pause, observe, and verify before acting. A fitting Shaiva practice is silent japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while cultivating viveka (discrimination) to dissolve moha.