Shloka 21
Bhairavaśāpavṛttāntaḥ
The Episode of Bhairava’s Curse and Consolation
इति श्रीशिव महापुराणे तृतीयायां शतरुद्रसंहितायां महेशावतारवर्णनं नामैकविंशोध्यायः
iti śrīśiva mahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ śatarudrasaṃhitāyāṃ maheśāvatāravarṇanaṃ nāmaikaviṃśodhyāyaḥ
Demikianlah, dalam Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa, pada Kitab Ketiga—Śatarudra Saṃhitā—berakhirlah bab kedua puluh satu yang berjudul “Uraian tentang Manifestasi (Avatāra) Maheśa.”
Suta Goswami
Sthala Purana: Colophon (iti…): formal chapter-ending rubric naming the text, saṃhitā, and chapter title; not a narrative locus for shrine tradition.
Significance: Liturgical/recensional marker used in pāraayaṇa traditions to segment recitation; supports disciplined study and ritual reading.
Mantra: iti śrīśiva mahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ śatarudrasaṃhitāyāṃ maheśāvatāravarṇanaṃ nāmaikaviṃśodhyāyaḥ
FAQs
This is a colophon marking the completion of Adhyaya 21; it sanctifies the chapter’s teaching by formally anchoring it within the Śatarudra Saṃhitā, which emphasizes Shiva’s countless divine manifestations (saguna expressions of the Supreme Pati).
By naming “Maheśāvatāra-varṇana,” it points the reader toward Saguna contemplation—approaching Shiva through describable forms and deeds—while the wider Purāṇic frame ultimately leads the devotee toward the same Supreme reality worshipped as the Linga.
As a chapter-ending marker, it implicitly encourages śravaṇa (reverent listening/recitation) and manana (reflection) of the completed narrative; devotees may conclude with remembrance of Shiva and japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a fitting closure.