Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22
गाणपत्यदानकथा
Bāṇāsura Receives Gaṇapatya; Genealogical Prelude
शंकर उवाच । बालेयः स महादैत्यो बाणो भक्तवरस्सुधीः । प्रणम्य शंकरं भक्त्या नुनाव परमेश्वरम्
śaṃkara uvāca | bāleyaḥ sa mahādaityo bāṇo bhaktavarassudhīḥ | praṇamya śaṃkaraṃ bhaktyā nunāva parameśvaram
શંકર બોલ્યા: બલિનો પુત્ર તે મહાદૈત્ય બાણ—ભક્તિમાં શ્રેષ્ઠ અને બુદ્ધિમાન—ભક્તિપૂર્વક શંકરને પ્રણામ કરીને પરમેશ્વરની સ્તુતિ કરવા લાગ્યો।
Lord Shiva (Shankara)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahadeva
Type: stotra
FAQs
It highlights that sincere bhakti and humility—expressed by bowing and praising Śiva—can exist even in an asura, showing that devotion to Pati (Parameśvara) is a direct purifier and a doorway toward grace and liberation.
Bāṇa’s act of प्रणाम (prostration) and स्तुति (praise) reflects Saguna Śiva-upāsanā: approaching Shiva as the personal Lord who can be adored, invoked, and pleased—commonly embodied in Linga worship within Shaiva practice.
The verse implies a simple sādhana: begin with namaskāra (prostration), then stuti/japa with bhakti—such as repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while mentally offering reverence to Parameśvara.