Shloka 5
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
सूत उवाच । सम्यक्पृष्टमृषिश्रेष्ठा भवद्भिः करुणात्मभिः । स्मृत्वा शिवपदांभोजं कथयामि यथाश्रुतम्
sūta uvāca | samyakpṛṣṭamṛṣiśreṣṭhā bhavadbhiḥ karuṇātmabhiḥ | smṛtvā śivapadāṃbhojaṃ kathayāmi yathāśrutam
Sūta berkata: Wahai para resi yang paling mulia, kalian yang berhati belas kasihan telah bertanya dengan tepat. Sambil mengingati kaki Śiva laksana teratai, aku akan menceritakan sebagaimana yang telah aku dengar.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Significance: General: smaraṇa of Śiva’s pāda (lotus-feet) is treated as a direct means to prasāda; in kṣetra traditions, pāda-smaraṇa accompanies darśana and vrata observance.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
It establishes the Shaiva posture of narration: true teaching begins with remembrance of Śiva’s feet (bhakti), and the listener’s compassionate intent makes the inquiry worthy; knowledge is then transmitted faithfully through śravaṇa-paramparā (“as heard”).
Remembering Śiva’s lotus feet indicates saguna-upāsanā—devotional contemplation of Śiva’s gracious form—through which the devotee becomes fit to receive accounts of Śiva’s manifestations, including Jyotirliṅgas praised in the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā.
A simple practice is to begin listening/reading with smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śiva—mentally bowing to his feet and reciting a Śaiva mantra such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” aligning the mind for śravaṇa and devotion.