Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12
कौशिकी-गौरी तथा शार्दूलरूप-निशाचरस्य पूर्वकर्मवर्णनम् | Kauśikī-Gaurī and Brahmā’s account of the tiger-formed niśācara
ब्रह्मोवाच । अस्य भक्तिमविज्ञाय प्राग्वृत्तं ते निवेदितम् । भक्तिश्चेदस्य किं पापैर्न ते भक्तः प्रणश्यति
brahmovāca | asya bhaktimavijñāya prāgvṛttaṃ te niveditam | bhaktiścedasya kiṃ pāpairna te bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
Brahmā dit : « N’ayant pas discerné sa dévotion, je t’ai rapporté ce qui s’était produit auparavant. Mais si la bhakti est réellement en lui, que peuvent les péchés ? Ton dévot ne périt pas. »
Brahma
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It asserts that genuine devotion (bhakti) to Pati (Shiva) is spiritually decisive: sins cannot ultimately destroy the devotee because Shiva’s grace preserves and uplifts the bhakta toward liberation.
Linga/Saguna worship is a concrete expression of bhakti; the verse emphasizes that when devotion is real, external accusations or past faults lose their power—Shiva safeguards His devotee who approaches Him with faith.
Strengthen daily bhakti through Shiva-japa (especially the Panchakshara), simple Linga-puja with water and bilva, and repentance with renewed surrender—treating devotion as the primary antidote to papa.