Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41
श्रृण्वन्निमामपि कथां नृपते मनुष्यः सुश्रद्धया भवति पापविमुक्तदेहः । शंभोः प्रसादमभिगम्य यथायुरेवमासीत्प्रसादत इयं मम कूर्मता च
śrṛṇvannimāmapi kathāṃ nṛpate manuṣyaḥ suśraddhayā bhavati pāpavimuktadehaḥ | śaṃbhoḥ prasādamabhigamya yathāyurevamāsītprasādata iyaṃ mama kūrmatā ca
ஓ அரசே, இந்தக் கதையையும் தூய நம்பிக்கையுடன் கேட்பவன் உடலோடு பாவமின்றி விடுபடுவான். சம்புவின் அருளைப் பெற்றால் ஆயுள் முறையாக நிலைத்து நிறைவு பெறும்; அந்த அருளாலேயே எனக்கு இந்த ‘கூர்ம’ நிலையும் ஏற்பட்டது।
Kūrma
Listener: Nṛpati (the king)
Scene: Kūrma teaches that faithful listening frees one from sin and that Śiva’s grace sustains life; a subtle vision of Śiva’s benevolent presence seems to hover over the scene.
FAQs
Faithful listening to sacred Śiva-kathā brings purification and makes one fit to receive Śiva’s grace, which transforms destiny.
No particular place is specified; the emphasis is on Śiva’s prasāda gained through śraddhā and śravaṇa.
Suśraddhā-yukta śravaṇa—listening with sincere faith—is presented as the effective practice.