Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5
श्रद्धामाहात्म्यं तथा देवीप्रश्नः
The Greatness of Śraddhā and Devī’s Question to Śiva
साक्षात्सर्वजगत्कर्तुर्भर्तुरंकं समाश्रिता । भगवन्किन्नु पप्रच्छ भर्तारं परमेश्वरी । उपमन्युरुवाच । स्थाने पृष्टं त्वया कृष्ण तद्वक्ष्यामि यथातथम् । भवभक्तस्य युक्तस्य तव कल्याणचेतसः
sākṣātsarvajagatkarturbharturaṃkaṃ samāśritā | bhagavankinnu papraccha bhartāraṃ parameśvarī | upamanyuruvāca | sthāne pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā kṛṣṇa tadvakṣyāmi yathātatham | bhavabhaktasya yuktasya tava kalyāṇacetasaḥ
സകലജഗത്തിന്റെ പ്രത്യക്ഷ സ്രഷ്ടാവും പോഷകനുമായ ഭർത്താവിന്റെ മടിയിൽ ആശ്രയിച്ച് പരമേശ്വരി ഭർത്താവിനോട് ചോദിച്ചു—“ഭഗവൻ, ഇതെന്ത്?” ഉപമന്യു പറഞ്ഞു—“ഹേ കൃഷ്ണേ, നീ യഥാസ്ഥാനമായി ചോദിച്ചു; ഉള്ളത് ഉള്ളതുപോലെ ഞാൻ പറയും, കാരണം നീ ഭവൻ (ശിവൻ) ഭക്തയും യോഗസംയമമുള്ളവളും മംഗളചിന്തയുള്ളവളുമാണ്.”
Upamanyu
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
FAQs
It presents Śiva as Pati—the direct source and sustainer of the cosmos—and shows that true instruction is given to a seeker who is both devoted (bhakti) and disciplined (yoga), with a mind oriented toward auspiciousness (kalyāṇa).
By depicting Pārvatī resting upon Śiva and questioning him, the verse emphasizes approachable Saguna Śiva—graceful, relational, and teachable—whose worship (including Linga-upāsanā) becomes fruitful when grounded in sincere devotion to Bhava.
The implied practice is to approach Śiva with bhakti and inner steadiness—regular japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a yogic, disciplined mind—so that inquiry and listening to Śiva-tattva lead to auspicious transformation.