Shloka 2
Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ
Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship
पुरातनाश्च राजान ऋषयो देवतास्तथा । आराधनञ्च तस्यैव चकुर्देववरस्य हि
purātanāśca rājāna ṛṣayo devatāstathā | ārādhanañca tasyaiva cakurdevavarasya hi
ప్రాచీన రాజులు, ఋషులు, దేవతలు కూడా—ఆ దేవశ్రేష్ఠుడైన శ్రీశివుని ఆరాధననే చేసిరి.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: General statement of universal worship: ancient kings, sages, and devas all adored Śiva, ‘best of the gods’; not tied to a single jyotirliṅga site.
Significance: Establishes Śiva’s supremacy and universality of his ārādhana—supporting the legitimacy of Śaiva worship across varṇa/āśrama and even among devas.
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It establishes Śiva as the universally worship-worthy Pati (Supreme Lord): even ancient kings, ṛṣis, and devas attain auspiciousness by ārādhana of Him, highlighting bhakti as an authoritative, time-tested path.
By praising collective ārādhana of the “best of devas,” it supports Saguna worship—commonly expressed in the Purāṇa through Liṅga-pūjā and pilgrimage to Jyotirliṅgas—while implying that the one Lord is approached through accessible forms.
The takeaway is consistent Shiva-ārādhana: daily Liṅga worship with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and traditional aids like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supportive disciplines.