Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21
त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam
Description of the Burning of Tripura
अथ देवो महादेवो वरलीलाविशारदः । केनापि कारणेनात्र सावज्ञं तदवैक्षत
atha devo mahādevo varalīlāviśāradaḥ | kenāpi kāraṇenātra sāvajñaṃ tadavaikṣata
അപ്പോൾ ദേവാധിദേവനായ മഹാദേവൻ—വരദാനത്തിലും ദിവ്യലീലകളിലും നിപുണൻ—ഏതോ കാരണത്താൽ ആ നിമിഷം തന്നെ അതിനെ അറിഞ്ഞുകൊണ്ട് ഉപേക്ഷാഭാവത്തോടെ നോക്കി।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: The ‘knowing disregard’ (sāvajñam) signals līlā and tirodhāna: Śiva momentarily withholds immediate action for a hidden pedagogic/cosmic reason, despite being fully able.
Significance: Instructs that divine delay is not incapacity but līlā—concealment that ripens karma and reveals dependence on grace.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights Śiva as the sovereign Lord whose glance is never ordinary: even when it appears dismissive, it expresses divine freedom (svātantrya) and purposeful leelā, reminding devotees that His actions arise from higher wisdom, not human emotion.
As Saguna Śiva, Mahādeva engages the world through leelā—granting boons and directing events. Linga-worship trains the devotee to perceive this hidden governance: behind outer appearances, Śiva’s conscious will is at work.
A practical takeaway is to cultivate steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) remembrance, learning to accept changing circumstances as guided by Śiva’s higher intention.