Shloka 8
Harīśvara-liṅga Mahimā and the Origin-Context of Viṣṇu’s Sudarśana (हरिश्वरलिङ्गमहिमा तथा सुदर्शनप्राप्तिकथा)
सूत उवाच । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां दुःखितात्मनाम् । स्मृत्वा शिवपदांभोजं विष्णुर्वचनमब्रवीत
sūta uvāca | ityevaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ duḥkhitātmanām | smṛtvā śivapadāṃbhojaṃ viṣṇurvacanamabravīta
Sūta berkata: Setelah mendengar demikian kata-kata para dewa yang hatinya diliputi dukacita, Viṣṇu—sambil mengingati kaki teratai Dewa Śiva—lalu menuturkan kata-kata ini.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: Though not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga, the motif “remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet” mirrors pilgrimage theology: smaraṇa of the Lord’s pādāravinda is itself a tirtha-like purifier and a gateway to grace.
Significance: Smaraṇa of Śiva’s feet is presented as Viṣṇu’s immediate refuge; for devotees, it legitimizes nāma-smaraṇa/pāda-smaraṇa as a direct means to invoke anugraha.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It presents śiva-smaraṇa (remembrance of Śiva’s lotus-feet) as the immediate refuge in collective suffering, implying that even great deities look to Śiva as the supreme shelter and liberator (Pati) when bound beings (pāśa-baddha) face distress.
Remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet indicates saguna-upāsanā—devotional contemplation of the Lord with attributes. In the Kotirudrasaṃhitā context (Jyotirliṅga-centered), such remembrance naturally aligns with Liṅga worship as a concrete focus for devotion and surrender.
The takeaway is smaraṇa and śaraṇāgati: mentally dwell on Śiva’s feet while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”). This can be paired with simple Liṅga-dhyāna and respectful application of bhasma (tripuṇḍra) where appropriate.