Shloka 70
द्विजेश्वरावतारः
The Manifestation of Shiva as Dvijeśvara
इदं चरित्रं परमं पवित्रं शिवावतारस्य पवित्रकीर्त्तेः । द्विजेशसंज्ञस्य महाद्भुतं हि शृण्वन्पठञ्शम्भुपदम्प्रयाति
idaṃ caritraṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ śivāvatārasya pavitrakīrtteḥ | dvijeśasaṃjñasya mahādbhutaṃ hi śṛṇvanpaṭhañśambhupadamprayāti
हे चरित्र परम पवित्र आहे—पवित्र कीर्ती असलेल्या शिवावतार ‘द्विजेश’ याचे अत्यंत अद्भुत वृत्तांत। जो हे ऐकतो किंवा पठण करतो, तो शंभुपद (शिवधाम) प्राप्त करतो।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadashiva
Sthala Purana: Phala-śruti: the Dvijeśa-avatāra-caritra is declared ‘parama-pavitra’; śravaṇa/pāṭha itself becomes a tīrtha-like purifier culminating in Śambhu-pada.
Significance: Establishes śravaṇa and pāṭha as efficacious pilgrimage-substitutes: hearing/reciting with faith yields Śiva-loka/Śāmbhava-pada by grace.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: dipa
FAQs
It declares śravaṇa (devout listening) and pāṭha (reverent recitation) of Śiva’s avatāra-caritra as inherently purifying and capable of granting Śambhu-pada—liberation/entry into Shiva’s divine state—through Shiva’s grace, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on grace (anugraha) and devotion.
By praising an avatāra-līlā (Saguna Shiva’s manifest play), the verse supports devotional engagement with Shiva’s forms and deeds; such kathā functions like Linga-worship in cultivating remembrance (smaraṇa) and surrender, leading the devotee toward Shiva’s highest reality.
Regular śravaṇa and pāṭha of Shiva Purana narratives as a daily vrata, ideally preceded by simple purification (bhasma/tripundra if practiced) and concluded with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as an offering of devotion.