Shloka 35
अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना
Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga
दूषणेन वचः प्रोक्तं हन्यतां वध्यतामिति । तच्छ्रुतं तैस्तदा नैव दैत्यप्रोक्तं वचो द्विजैः । वेदप्रियसुतैश्शंभोर्ध्यानमार्गपरायणैः
dūṣaṇena vacaḥ proktaṃ hanyatāṃ vadhyatāmiti | tacchrutaṃ taistadā naiva daityaproktaṃ vaco dvijaiḥ | vedapriyasutaiśśaṃbhordhyānamārgaparāyaṇaiḥ
Dengan niat jahat ia berkata, “Pukullah mereka—bunuhlah mereka.” Namun para putra dwija dari Vedapriya—para bhakta Śambhu yang teguh di jalan meditasi—sama sekali tidak menerima perintah sang raksasa itu.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The episode anticipates Mahākāla’s protective epiphany: when a demon commands the killing of Śiva-devoted brāhmaṇas, the devotees refuse adharma; Śiva manifests to defend dharma and his bhaktas—an archetypal Mahākāla motif later localized at Ujjain.
Significance: Protection of devotees, removal of fear of death/time, and assurance that Śiva’s grace overrides demonic coercion; reinforces brāhmaṇa-saṃrakṣaṇa and bhakti as refuge.
Type: stotra
FAQs
It shows that true devotees grounded in dhyāna and dharma do not follow adharma even under threat; allegiance is to Śiva (Pati) and right conduct, not to coercive power.
Calling Śiva as Śambhu highlights a personal, Saguna focus for devotion; those devoted to Him remain steady in contemplative worship rather than being swayed by hostile forces.
The verse emphasizes dhyāna-mārga—steady meditation on Śiva; practically, this aligns with daily Śiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") as a stabilizing discipline.