Mahādeva’s Boon: Unwavering Bhakti, Tri-functional Cosmos, and the Supratiṣṭhā of Liṅga-Arcā
यदि प्रीतिः समुत्पन्ना यदि देयो वरश् च नौ भक्तिर्भवतु नौ नित्यं त्वयि चाव्यभिचारिणी
yadi prītiḥ samutpannā yadi deyo varaś ca nau bhaktirbhavatu nau nityaṃ tvayi cāvyabhicāriṇī
Jika benar kasih telah timbul dan Engkau hendak menganugerahkan anugerah kepada kami, maka inilah anugerah itu: semoga bhakti kami kepada-Mu saja tetap abadi, teguh, dan tak menyimpang.
Petitioners (devotees/devas) addressing Lord Shiva (Pati) within Suta’s narration
It frames the highest “vara” not as worldly gain but as steady, non-deviating bhakti to Shiva—the inner core that makes Linga-puja spiritually effective and liberation-oriented.
Shiva is implied as Pati—the supreme Lord whose grace (prīti/anugraha) is the decisive cause for the pashu’s liberation, with devotion as the direct relation binding the soul to the Lord beyond pasha.
The verse highlights bhakti-yoga grounded in Shiva-anugraha: cultivating avyabhicāriṇī (unwavering) devotion as the essential inner discipline that supports puja, japa, and Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā.