Shloka 1
Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti
Request for the Account of Umā
मुनय ऊचुः । श्रुत्वा शंभोः कथा रम्या नानाख्यानसमन्विता । नानावतार संयुक्ता भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदा नृणाम्
munaya ūcuḥ | śrutvā śaṃbhoḥ kathā ramyā nānākhyānasamanvitā | nānāvatāra saṃyuktā bhuktimuktipradā nṛṇām
મુનિઓએ કહ્યું—શંભુની રમ્ય કથા, જે અનેક ઉપાખ્યાનો વડે સમન્વિત અને તેમના અનેક અવતારો સાથે સંયુક્ત છે, તેને સાંભળી અમે જાણ્યું કે તે મનુષ્યોને ભુક્તિ અને મુક્તિ બન્ને આપે છે.
The sages (Munis) addressing the narrator in the discourse (traditional frame: sages at Naimiṣāraṇya addressing Sūta)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: Positions Śambhu-kathā as simultaneously bhukti- and mukti-pradā—mirroring tīrtha-yātrā style benefits but through kathā-śravaṇa.
Type: stotra
FAQs
It declares that hearing Śiva’s sacred narratives is not merely entertaining; it is spiritually potent, capable of granting both dharmic prosperity (bhukti) and final liberation (mukti) through devotion and right understanding of Śiva as Pati (the Lord).
By praising Śambhu’s “many avatāras” and stories, the verse affirms Saguna engagement—devotees approach Śiva through forms, deeds, and symbols like the Liṅga, and such devotional hearing becomes a means to inner purification and grace.
The implied practice is śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Śiva-kathā; devotees can pair it with daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to align worldly life with the pursuit of moksha.