Shloka 6
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
यथा भवद्भिः पृच्छेत तथा पृष्टं हि वेधसा । हरिणा शिवया चैव तथा वै शंकरं प्रति
yathā bhavadbhiḥ pṛccheta tathā pṛṣṭaṃ hi vedhasā | hariṇā śivayā caiva tathā vai śaṃkaraṃ prati
మీరు ఎలా ప్రశ్నించారో, అలాగే ఆ ప్రశ్నను విధాత బ్రహ్మ కూడా అడిగెను. హరి విష్ణువు, అలాగే శివా (పార్వతి) కూడా శంకరుని వద్ద అదే విధంగా విచారించారు.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: General: the same ‘which vrata pleases Śiva’ question is portrayed as universally significant—asked by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Pārvatī—mirroring pan-Indian pilgrimage narratives where even gods seek Śiva’s upāya.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
FAQs
It establishes Śaṅkara as the supreme and reliable source of liberating knowledge (pati-jñāna): even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Pārvatī approach Him with the same essential inquiry, so the sages’ question is part of a timeless Shaiva tradition of seeking grace-bestowing instruction.
By pointing to Śaṅkara as the one repeatedly questioned by the highest deities, the verse supports approaching Saguna Śiva—especially through the Śiva-liṅga—as the accessible embodiment of the Supreme who answers devotees and grants siddhi and mokṣa.
The takeaway is to adopt the disciple’s stance—humble inquiry and attentive listening—supported by daily Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and liṅga-pūjā with devotion.