Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31
शिवतत्त्वे परापरभावविचारः
Inquiry into Śiva’s Principle and the Parā–Aparā Paradox
विहृत्य सुचिरं देव्या विहारा ऽतिप्रसङ्गतः । रसां रसातलं नीतामिव कृत्वाभिधां ततः
vihṛtya suciraṃ devyā vihārā 'tiprasaṅgataḥ | rasāṃ rasātalaṃ nītāmiva kṛtvābhidhāṃ tataḥ
देवीसोबत दीर्घकाळ विहार करून तो त्या आनंद-रसात अतिशय गुंतला; मग ‘रसा’ नावाच्या तिला जणू रसातळात नेले आहे असे भासविले।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse belongs to the Skanda/Kārttikeya conception cycle where Śiva’s līlā and concealment of intent sets the stage for a cosmic birth.
Significance: General: contemplation of Śiva–Śakti līlā as a means to soften ego and accept divine mystery (tirodhāna preceding anugraha).
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Cosmic Event: Mythic concealment motif: naming/wordplay (Rasā → Rasātala) signals tirodhāna within divine play.
FAQs
It uses the imagery of “Rasā” and “Rasātala” to show how even refined delight can become a downward pull when one becomes over-engrossed; Shaiva Siddhanta reads this as a caution about pasha (bondage) and the need for Shiva’s grace to lift awareness back to the highest good.
The episode highlights Saguna Shiva’s līlā with Devī while implicitly teaching that devotion should not remain at the level of pleasure alone; Linga-worship steadies the mind on Shiva as Pati, transforming attachment into bhakti and leading toward inner purity.
A practical takeaway is to counter over-attachment by daily japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with mindful restraint, and to support steadiness with simple Shaiva observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudraksha as aids to remembrance.