नन्दिकेश्वरोत्पत्तिः — Nandikesvara’s Origin, Shiva’s Boons, and the Rise of Sacred Rivers
यदागतो ऽहमुटजं शिलादस्य महामुने तदा वै दैविकं रूपं त्यक्त्वा मानुष्यम् आस्थितः
yadāgato 'hamuṭajaṃ śilādasya mahāmune tadā vai daivikaṃ rūpaṃ tyaktvā mānuṣyam āsthitaḥ
Wahai resi agung, ketika aku datang ke pertapaan Śilāda, aku menanggalkan wujud ilahiku dan mengambil raga manusia.
Shiva (speaking within Suta’s narration)
It shows Shiva’s anugraha (grace): by taking a human form, the transcendent Pati becomes approachable for devotees, making disciplined worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—practically attainable for paśus bound by pाशa.
Shiva-tattva is simultaneously transcendent and immanent: though divine by essence, Shiva can veil (tirodhāna) and reveal (anugraha) by adopting forms suited to the seeker, without diminishing His lordship as Pati.
The verse implies Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā: the Lord assumes an accessible form to teach vrata, mantra, and disciplined conduct that purifies the paśu and loosens pāśa, culminating in Shiva-realization.