Shloka 15
गौतमस्य शिवदर्शनं पापक्षयवचनं च | Gautama’s Vision of Śiva and the Teaching on Sin and Purification
शिव उवाच । ऋषि धन्योसि विप्रेंद्र ऋषे श्रेष्ठतरोऽसि वै । ज्ञात्वा मां सुप्रसन्नं हि वृणु त्वं वरमुत्तमम्
śiva uvāca | ṛṣi dhanyosi vipreṃdra ṛṣe śreṣṭhataro'si vai | jñātvā māṃ suprasannaṃ hi vṛṇu tvaṃ varamuttamam
શિવે કહ્યું—હે ઋષિ, હે વિપ્રેન્દ્ર, તું ધન્ય છે; નિશ્ચયે તું ઋષિઓમાં શ્રેષ્ઠ છે. મને સંપૂર્ણ પ્રસન્ન જાણીને હવે ઉત્તમ વર માગ।
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; Śiva’s ‘vara-pradāna’ (boon-bestowal) frames the narrative momentum that later culminates in loka-upakāra (world-benefit).
Significance: General: remembrance of Śiva as varada (boon-giver) strengthens śaraṇāgati (refuge) and receptivity to grace (anugraha).
FAQs
It highlights Śiva’s prasāda (grace): when the devotee-sage recognizes Śiva as supremely compassionate, Śiva invites him to seek the “uttama vara,” implying the highest aim—liberation and steadfast devotion—rather than merely worldly gain.
In the Kotirudra context (Jyotirliṅga glorification), Śiva responds as Saguna—personally speaking and blessing. Such a response mirrors liṅga-worship: sincere pūjā and pilgrimage culminate in Śiva’s visible favor, granting spiritual elevation.
The takeaway is to seek the “highest boon” through devotion: worship of the liṅga with mantra-japa (especially pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), coupled with vrata-like discipline (purity, restraint) so that worship ripens into Śiva’s suprasanna grace.