Shloka 4
Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ
Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship
एतदेव पुरा पृष्टो नारदेन पितामहः । प्रत्युवाच प्रसन्नात्मा नारदं मुनिसत्तमम्
etadeva purā pṛṣṭo nāradena pitāmahaḥ | pratyuvāca prasannātmā nāradaṃ munisattamam
Pada zaman dahulu, mengenai perkara inilah Nārada pernah menyoal Pitāmaha Brahmā. Dengan jiwa yang tenang dan berkenan, baginda menjawab Nārada, sang resi yang utama.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Establishes paramparā (Nārada → Brahmā → Sūta → sages), a hallmark of tīrtha-like authority: the teaching is sanctified by lineage, making hearing equivalent to receiving a transmitted blessing.
FAQs
It establishes the authoritative transmission of Shaiva teaching through a guru–disciple dialogue: Nārada’s inquiry and Brahmā’s serene reply indicate that sacred knowledge of Shiva is received through humility, questioning, and grace-filled instruction.
As a framing verse, it signals that the coming teaching about Shiva—often expressed through Saguna forms like the Jyotirlinga and Linga worship—will be presented as a reliable tradition (śruti-smṛti style) passed from Brahmā to Nārada and onward.
The implied practice is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and manana (reflection): approach the teaching with a calm, receptive mind, then anchor it in daily Shiva-upāsanā such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and reverent contemplation of the Jyotirlinga narratives.