Shloka 42
तारकासुर-पूर्ववृत्त-प्रश्नः (Questions on Tārakāsura and Śivā’s tapas) / “Inquiry into Tārakāsura’s origin and Śivā–Śiva narrative”
वज्रांग उवाच । सुतं देहि स्वमातुर्मे महाहितकरं प्रभो । महाबलं सुप्रतापं सुसमर्थं तपोनिधिम्
vajrāṃga uvāca | sutaṃ dehi svamāturme mahāhitakaraṃ prabho | mahābalaṃ supratāpaṃ susamarthaṃ taponidhim
Vajrāṅga disse: «Ó Senhor, concede à minha mãe um filho—que lhe traga grande bem: de força imensa, radiante em valor, plenamente capaz e tesouro de austeridade (tapas).»
Vajrāṅga
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse is a boon-request scene where a devotee seeks progeny and welfare through divine grace.
Significance: Frames putra-prārthanā (seeking a worthy son) as an act of śaraṇāgati to the Lord, aligning worldly welfare with dharma and tapas.
FAQs
The verse presents a Shaiva ideal of divine grace: one seeks Shiva’s blessing not merely for worldly gain, but for a virtuous, capable, tapas-endowed life that becomes a cause of welfare (hita) for family and dharma.
The request is addressed to “Prabhu,” reflecting Saguna Shiva as the compassionate Lord who responds to prayer and devotion. In Linga-worship, devotees similarly petition Shiva for dharmic blessings—strength, competence, and spiritual merit—rather than mere indulgence.
The emphasis on “tapo-nidhi” points to disciplined sadhana—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), observance of vrata (especially Mahāśivarātri), and steady tapas supported by purity and devotion.