Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49
कार्त्तिकेयान्वेषण-नन्दिसंवाद-वर्णनम्
Search for Kārttikeya and the Nandī Dialogue
त्वामत्र कृत्तिकास्थाने कथयामासुरीश्वरम् । सर्वे धर्मादयो धर्माधर्मस्य कर्मसाक्षिणः
tvāmatra kṛttikāsthāne kathayāmāsurīśvaram | sarve dharmādayo dharmādharmasya karmasākṣiṇaḥ
Aqui, na morada sagrada das Kṛttikās, falaram-te do Senhor. E Dharma e os demais princípios divinos—todos—permanecem como testemunhas dos atos de dharma e de adharma.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā account to the sages)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: The verse situates instruction at the 'Kṛttikā-sthāna' (abode of the Kṛttikās), a Skanda-related sacred locus where divine beings testify to dharma/adharma; it functions as a local sanctity marker rather than a Jyotirliṅga legend.
Significance: Association with Skanda/Kārttikeya lore and the witnessing of karma (dharma/adharma) makes the site a place for vows of right conduct and seeking clarity of duty.
FAQs
The verse highlights Shiva as Īśvara and affirms an objective moral order: Dharma and allied cosmic principles witness every action, reinforcing accountability and the soul’s journey toward purification and liberation.
By calling Shiva “Īśvara,” it supports Saguna devotion—worshipping Shiva as the personal Lord—while also implying his subtle role as the inner witness of karma, a key contemplation often associated with Linga worship.
A practical takeaway is to meditate on Shiva as karma-sākṣī (witness of deeds) while repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating ethical discipline (dharma) alongside bhakti.