Shloka 23
अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना
Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga
यदि जीवितुमिच्छा स्यात्तदा धर्मं शिवस्य च । वेदानां परमं धर्मं त्यक्त्वा सुखसुभागिनः
yadi jīvitumicchā syāttadā dharmaṃ śivasya ca | vedānāṃ paramaṃ dharmaṃ tyaktvā sukhasubhāginaḥ
ఎవరైనా నిజంగా సార్థకంగా జీవించాలని కోరితే, శివుని ధర్మాన్ని మరియు వేదాలు బోధించిన పరమధర్మాన్ని అనుసరించాలి. దానిని విడిచినవాడు కేవలం సుఖం, లోకసౌభాగ్యం వెదకేవాడిగా మారుతాడు.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: General Śiva Purāṇa didactic pivot: ‘to live’ (jīvitum) is redefined as living in Śiva-dharma; abandoning Vedic supreme dharma leads to mere sukha-saubhāgya chasing—typical Purāṇic moral reversal.
Significance: Frames pilgrimage as dharma-alignment: true longevity/meaning comes from Śiva-dharma grounded in Veda; worldly prosperity without dharma is spiritually sterile.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It asserts that true “life” is life aligned with Śiva-dharma—living in accordance with the highest Vedic aim (dharma leading to liberation), rather than reducing religion to the pursuit of comfort and social prosperity.
Śiva-dharma in the Purāṇa is commonly embodied through saguna upāsanā—reverent worship of Śiva as the Liṅga—where devotion is disciplined by Vedic principles (purity, truthfulness, restraint), making worship a path toward grace and release.
Adopt Śiva-dharma through steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and conduct consistent Śiva-pūjā (especially Liṅga worship), treating these as Veda-aligned disciplines rather than mere wish-fulfillment rites.