Shloka 59
शिवानुकम्पा, ब्रह्मणो निर्भयत्वं च (Śiva’s Compassion and Brahmā’s Fearlessness)
विवाहसमये यज्ञे प्रारंभे वा शृणोति यः । एतदाख्यानमव्यग्रस्संपूज्य वृषभध्वजम्
vivāhasamaye yajñe prāraṃbhe vā śṛṇoti yaḥ | etadākhyānamavyagrassaṃpūjya vṛṣabhadhvajam
వివాహకాలంలో గాని యజ్ఞారంభంలో గాని, అవ్యగ్రచిత్తంతో వృషభధ్వజ మహేశ్వరుని విధివిధానంగా పూజించి ఈ పవిత్రాఖ్యానాన్ని వినువాడు, ఆ శ్రవణమాత్రంతోనే ధన్యుడగును।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: The verse functions as śravaṇa-māhātmya: hearing Śiva-kathā with pūjā at liminal rites (vivāha/yajña-beginning) is said to confer auspiciousness and protection from obstacles.
Type: stotra
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that śravaṇa (devout listening) becomes spiritually fruitful when preceded by Śiva-pūjā and done with avyagra-citta (undistracted attention), especially at sanctifying life-ritual thresholds like marriage and yajña.
By naming Śiva as Vṛṣabhadhvaja, it points to Saguna Śiva worship (iconic devotion). In practice, this worship can be performed to the Śiva-liṅga before hearing the Purāṇic kathā, uniting pūjā and śravaṇa.
Perform simple Śiva-pūjā first (offer water, bilva leaves, or bhasma as per tradition), then listen attentively to the कथा without distraction—making the beginning of a wedding/yajña spiritually Śaiva-centered.