Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31
मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence
Tapas-abode
एवमभ्यर्थितो धात्रा भगवान्नीललोहितः । कालीत्याह रहस्यं वां निन्दयन्निव सस्मितः
evamabhyarthito dhātrā bhagavānnīlalohitaḥ | kālītyāha rahasyaṃ vāṃ nindayanniva sasmitaḥ
ഇങ്ങനെ ധാത്ര (ബ്രഹ്മാവ്) അപേക്ഷിച്ചതിനാൽ ഭഗവാൻ നീലലോഹിതൻ—സ്നേഹപൂർവ്വം ശാസിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ—സ്മിതത്തോടെ നിങ്ങളിരുവരോടും ‘കാളി’ എന്ന രഹസ്യനാമം ഉച്ചരിച്ചു.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā account to the sages, quoting the event involving Shiva and Brahma)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha
Mantra: काली
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It highlights that Shiva’s sacred names can be “rahasya” (esoteric), revealed only through divine grace; the Lord’s smiling, seemingly reproachful tone suggests that the mystery of Shakti and Shiva is not grasped by mere authority but by humility and inner readiness.
Nīlalohita is Saguna Shiva—approachable through name, form, and mantra. The verse points to mantra-upāsanā (worship through sacred utterance) as a doorway to the same Supreme Reality worshipped as the Linga.
A practical takeaway is nāma-japa with reverence—repeating Shiva’s names as taught by tradition—paired with inner restraint and devotion; this aligns with Shaiva practice of mantra-focused meditation leading the mind toward Pati (Shiva).