Shloka 2
शिवानुकम्पा, ब्रह्मणो निर्भयत्वं च (Śiva’s Compassion and Brahmā’s Fearlessness)
ततः किमभवत्तात कथ्यतां शशिमौलिनः । सत्याश्च चरितं दिव्यं सर्वाघौघविनाशनम्
tataḥ kimabhavattāta kathyatāṃ śaśimaulinaḥ | satyāśca caritaṃ divyaṃ sarvāghaughavināśanam
“അതിനുശേഷം എന്തു സംഭവിച്ചു, ഹേ താതാ? ശശിമൗലിയായ ശിവന്റെ വൃത്താന്തം പറയുക; കൂടാതെ പാപസമൂഹങ്ങളുടെ മുഴുവൻ പ്രവാഹവും നശിപ്പിക്കുന്ന സതിയുടെ ദിവ്യചരിതവും വിവരിക്കൂ.”
The sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (inquiring of Sūta Gosvāmī)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: This verse functions as a narrative invitation (śravaṇa-māhātmya) rather than a specific liṅga-sthala episode; it frames Satī’s divine history as sin-destroying and thus sets up the Satīkhaṇḍa’s ensuing events.
Significance: Hearing/reciting Śiva–Satī kathā is presented as pāpa-kṣaya (destruction of accumulated sins), a common Purāṇic equivalent of tīrtha-phala.
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It proclaims śravaṇa (devout hearing) of Śiva and Satī’s divine narrative as a purifying sādhana that dissolves accumulated pāpa, turning the listener toward Śiva-bhakti and liberation.
By invoking Śiva as “Śaśimauli” (a saguna, worshipful form), the verse frames the coming narration as an act of devotion that supports concrete worship—such as Liṅga-pūjā—through remembrance of Śiva’s līlā and grace.
The implied practice is kathā-śravaṇa and nāma-smaraṇa—listening to Śiva-kathā with reverence and repeating Śiva’s names (including the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a means of inner purification.