Shloka 20
भस्म–रुद्राक्ष–शिवनाममाहात्म्य
The Greatness of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and the Name of Śiva
सुगूढमपि शास्त्रेषु पुराणेषु श्रुतिष्वपि । भवत्स्नेहान्मया विप्राः प्रकाशः क्रियतेऽधुना
sugūḍhamapi śāstreṣu purāṇeṣu śrutiṣvapi | bhavatsnehānmayā viprāḥ prakāśaḥ kriyate'dhunā
Walaupun kebenaran ini tersembunyi amat dalam bahkan di dalam Śāstra, Purāṇa dan juga Śruti, wahai para brāhmaṇa resi, kerana kasih sayangku kepada kamu, kini aku menyingkapkannya dengan jelas dan nyata.
Sūta Gosvāmin
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: The verse underscores that Śiva’s doctrine can be ‘sugūḍha’ (deeply hidden) even in śruti and purāṇa—yet becomes manifest through compassionate exposition; this aligns with Kāśī’s reputation as a place where hidden truth is revealed through Śiva’s grace and teaching lineages.
Significance: Promises that sincere seekers receive clarified upadeśa; the ‘unconcealment’ of meaning is itself a form of Śiva’s anugraha overcoming tirodhāna.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights that the deepest Shaiva truth—realization of Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who grants liberation—can remain hidden in scripture unless revealed through compassionate instruction; devotion and receptivity make the teaching luminous.
By promising to ‘make clear’ what is concealed, the narrator prepares the sages for practical, accessible Shaiva upāsanā—often expressed through Saguna worship such as the Śiva-liṅga—through which seekers approach the Nirguṇa reality of Śiva.
The verse implies śravaṇa (listening) and manana (contemplation) under guidance; in the Vidyeśvara context this commonly culminates in disciplined japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Śiva-pūjā.