Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38
शिवविहारवर्णनम् (Śivavihāra-varṇana) — “Description of Śiva’s Divine Pastimes/Sojourn”
अजामिलं द्विजश्रेष्ठं वृषल्या सह संयुतम् । न भिया वारयामासुस्सुरास्तां चापि केचन
ajāmilaṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ vṛṣalyā saha saṃyutam | na bhiyā vārayāmāsussurāstāṃ cāpi kecana
अजामिल नामक द्विजश्रेष्ठ वृषली के साथ संलग्न हो गया था; पर भय के कारण देवताओं में से किसी ने भी उसे रोकने का साहस नहीं किया।
Sūta Gosvāmī
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga episode; it invokes the well-known Ajāmila paradigm of moral fall, highlighting the overpowering force of pāśa (bondage) and social transgression.
Significance: Functions as a cautionary exemplum: even the ‘best of dvijas’ can be overpowered by pāśa; hence one should seek Śiva’s protection and maintain disciplined worship.
FAQs
It highlights how powerful pāśa (bondage)—desire, association, and accumulated karma—can become, such that even divine forces are portrayed as unable to intervene; liberation ultimately requires turning toward Pati (Lord Shiva) through inner transformation.
The verse sets a moral-spiritual backdrop: when dharma declines, the corrective is not mere external control but refuge in Saguna Shiva—approaching the Linga with devotion, repentance, and disciplined worship to reorient the mind toward purity and grace.
A practical takeaway is śiva-bhakti with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), supported by purificatory observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and ethical restraint to weaken the bonds of habit and desire.