Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 73
नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion
नत्वा स्तुत्वा विशेषेण विधिं स्वजनकं मुने । प्रष्टव्यं शिवमाहात्म्यं बहुशः प्रीतचेतसा
natvā stutvā viśeṣeṇa vidhiṃ svajanakaṃ mune | praṣṭavyaṃ śivamāhātmyaṃ bahuśaḥ prītacetasā
Ó sábio, após te prostrares e ofereceres louvor especial a Vidhī (Brahmā), teu próprio progenitor, deves perguntar repetidas vezes—com o coração cheio de júbilo—sobre a grandeza (māhātmya) do Senhor Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga passage; it prescribes approaching Brahmā (Vidhī) with reverence to receive repeated instruction about Śiva’s greatness—an archetype of guru-śiṣya transmission.
Significance: Highlights the devotional etiquette that precedes sacred inquiry (praśna) and śravaṇa—key steps for transforming the bound soul’s understanding toward Śiva-centric liberation.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches the Shaiva way of approach: humility (bowing), devotion (praise), and persistent inquiry into Śiva’s māhātmya—because repeated listening and questioning ripens the heart toward Śiva-bhakti and liberation.
By urging repeated inquiry into Śiva’s glory, it supports saguna-upāsanā: learning and hearing Śiva’s qualities and deeds strengthens devotion that culminates in reverent worship—commonly expressed in Śiva-liṅga pūjā and recitation of Śiva-stotras.
A practical takeaway is śravaṇa and praśna (hearing and devotional questioning) after offering namaskāra and stuti—ideally alongside daily Śiva-nāma japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).