Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8
विभूतिविस्तरप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Expansion of Śiva’s Vibhūti
इत्याकर्ण्य शुभां वाणीमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः । विभूतिविस्तरं श्रोतुमूचुस्ते परमं वचः
ityākarṇya śubhāṃ vāṇīmṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ | vibhūtivistaraṃ śrotumūcuste paramaṃ vacaḥ
Ayant entendu ces paroles de bon augure, les sages—dont les souillures s’étaient épuisées—formulèrent leur requête suprême, désirant entendre en détail l’ampleur de la vibhūti, la grandeur sacrée aux gloires multiples.
The sages (ṛṣis) addressing Suta Goswami in the Vayu Samhita discourse
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; it frames the transmission of Śiva-vibhūti-kathā as purifying and grace-bearing for qualified listeners (kṣīṇakalmaṣa).
Significance: Śravaṇa (hearing) of Śiva’s vibhūti is itself a tīrtha-like purifier; emphasizes sādhana through satsanga and kathā-śravaṇa.
FAQs
It highlights śravaṇa (devotional listening) as a purifier: when the mind becomes kṣīṇa-kalmaṣa (freed from impurities), the seeker naturally longs to hear Shiva’s vibhūti—His divine manifestations and sacred greatness—leading toward bhakti and liberation.
By requesting the detailed ‘vibhūti-vistara,’ the sages seek understanding of Shiva’s manifest (saguṇa) glories—often taught through Linga-centered narratives, sacred powers, and forms—so that devotion gains clarity and steadiness.
The implied practice is regular śravaṇa and manana: hear Shiva-kathā with reverence and reflect on it daily; this supports inner purification and strengthens bhakti (commonly paired in Shaiva practice with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).