Shloka 16
सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct
Prelude to Detailed Narrative
सर्वेयं शिवलीला हि बहुलीलाकरः प्रभुः । स्वतंत्रो निर्विकारी च सती सापि हि तद्विधा
sarveyaṃ śivalīlā hi bahulīlākaraḥ prabhuḥ | svataṃtro nirvikārī ca satī sāpi hi tadvidhā
Segala ini sesungguhnya ialah līlā suci Śiva. Tuhan yang menzahirkan līlā yang tidak terbilang itu sepenuhnya merdeka dan tidak berubah; dan Satī juga memiliki hakikat yang sama.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It teaches that the entire narrative-world is Śiva’s līlā, while Śiva remains svatantra (self-sovereign) and nirvikārī (unchanged). Satī is affirmed as sharing that divine, non-limiting nature—supporting a Shaiva Siddhanta view where the Supreme is beyond change even while revealing forms for grace.
By calling all events Śiva’s līlā, the verse validates saguna worship (forms, stories, icons) as compassionate self-manifestation, while reminding devotees that the reality worshipped—often through the Śiva-liṅga—remains changeless and transcendent.
Contemplate Śiva as nirvikārī while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), seeing all experiences as His līlā; this steadies the mind in devotion and detachment.