Shloka 17
Sunartaka-Naṭa Avatāra and Pārvatī’s Boon-Request (Śiva as the Testing Benefactor)
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे शम्भुः सुलीलो भक्तवत्सलः । सुनर्तकनटो भूत्वा मेनकासन्निधिं ययौ
etasminnantare śambhuḥ sulīlo bhaktavatsalaḥ | sunartakanaṭo bhūtvā menakāsannidhiṃ yayau
ഇതിനിടയിൽ ശംഭു—ദിവ്യലീലയിൽ മനോഹരനും ഭക്തവത്സലനും—സുനർത്തക-നടന്റെ രൂപം ധരിച്ചു മേനകയുടെ സന്നിധിയിലേക്ക് പോയി.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Naṭarāja
FAQs
It highlights Śiva as bhakta-vatsala—He freely adopts accessible, saguna forms through līlā to guide beings, showing that divine grace can arrive through ordinary-looking encounters.
Though the Liṅga points to the transcendent (nirguṇa) reality, this verse emphasizes the same Supreme acting as saguna—taking a visible form for devotees—affirming both modes of worship as valid in the Purāṇic vision.
Contemplate Śiva as bhakta-vatsala while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” remembering that His grace may appear through unexpected forms and situations.