Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9
शिवदूतस्य शङ्खचूडकुलप्रवेशः — The Śiva-Envoy’s Entry into Śaṅkhacūḍa’s City
एवंभूतं च तं दृष्ट्वा पुष्पदंतस्सविस्मयः । उवाच रणवृत्तांतं यदुक्तं शंकरेण च
evaṃbhūtaṃ ca taṃ dṛṣṭvā puṣpadaṃtassavismayaḥ | uvāca raṇavṛttāṃtaṃ yaduktaṃ śaṃkareṇa ca
അവനെ ആ അത്യദ്ഭുതാവസ്ഥയിൽ കണ്ട പുഷ്പദന്തൻ വിസ്മയഭരിതനായി, ശങ്കരൻ (ശിവൻ) പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ തന്നെ യുദ്ധവൃത്താന്തം മുഴുവനും വിവരിച്ചു।
Suta Goswami (narrating the episode to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Type: stotra
FAQs
The verse highlights the authority of Śaṅkara’s word and the dharmic act of truthful remembrance: recounting events in alignment with Shiva’s instruction becomes a form of devotion (bhakti) and right understanding, turning even a battle narrative into a spiritually oriented testimony.
By naming Śaṅkara as the source of the correct account, the verse emphasizes Saguna Shiva as the accessible Lord who guides devotees through speech and instruction. Remembering and repeating Shiva’s spoken guidance is akin to linga-worship through śravaṇa (hearing) and kīrtana (reverent narration).
A practical takeaway is śravaṇa–manana: listen to and contemplate Shiva’s narratives and teachings, then repeat them accurately as kīrtana. As a Shaiva practice, one may accompany such recitation with mental japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to keep the narration anchored in devotion.