Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10
कौशिकी-गौरी तथा शार्दूलरूप-निशाचरस्य पूर्वकर्मवर्णनम् | Kauśikī-Gaurī and Brahmā’s account of the tiger-formed niśācara
अतः किं कृपया कृत्यमीदृशेषु दुरात्मसु । अनेन देव्याः किं कृत्यं प्रकृत्या कलुषात्मना
ataḥ kiṃ kṛpayā kṛtyamīdṛśeṣu durātmasu | anena devyāḥ kiṃ kṛtyaṃ prakṛtyā kaluṣātmanā
Dès lors, à quoi bon la compassion envers de tels êtres à l’âme mauvaise ? Et pour la Déesse, quel dessein servirait celui-ci, dont la nature est impure et l’être intérieur souillé ?
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages, conveying a character’s critical remark within the story-context)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shakti Form: Durgā
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights the tension between compassion and discernment: when a person remains committed to inner impurity (kaluṣa), mere sentiment cannot transform them; true change requires receptivity, repentance, and the descent of divine grace (anugraha) that purifies the bound soul (paśu) from its bonds (pāśa).
In Saguna worship—especially Linga worship—devotion is paired with inner cleansing. The verse implies that closeness to Devi or Shiva is not merely social or external; the devotee must become fit through purity, humility, and surrender, so that the Lord’s and Goddess’s grace can truly bear fruit.
The takeaway is purification and self-correction: regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), sincere confession and restraint from harmful actions, and Shaiva purificatory observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with devotion—done not as display, but to cleanse the mind and align conduct with dharma.