Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1
नारदमोहवर्णनम् — Description of Nārada’s Delusion
ऋषय ऊचुः । सूतसूत महाभाग व्यासशिष्य नमोऽस्तु ते । अद्भुतेयं कथा तात वर्णिता कृपया हि नः
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | sūtasūta mahābhāga vyāsaśiṣya namo'stu te | adbhuteyaṃ kathā tāta varṇitā kṛpayā hi naḥ
ఋషులు పలికిరి—ఓ మహాభాగ్య సూతా, వ్యాసశిష్యా, నీకు నమస్కారం. ప్రియ తాతా, నీవు కరుణతో ఈ అద్భుత కథను మాకు వివరించావు; ఇక మా కోసం మరింత విస్తారంగా చెప్పుము.
The sages (ṛṣis) at Naimiṣāraṇya
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Naimiṣāraṇya as a paradigmatic śravaṇa-kṣetra where Purāṇic kathā bestows dharma-jñāna; sages request continuation of Śiva-kathā for uplift.
Significance: Merit of śravaṇa (hearing) and satsanga; considered conducive to purification and receiving grace through sacred discourse.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
It establishes the sacred guru–śiṣya transmission: the sages honor Sūta as Vyāsa’s disciple and request the continuation of a divine narrative, showing humility, receptivity, and devotion as prerequisites for receiving Shiva-centered wisdom.
Though the Liṅga is not named here, the verse sets the devotional frame of the Rudra Saṃhitā: Shiva’s saguna līlā and teachings are approached through reverent listening (śravaṇa) from an authorized narrator, which later matures into concrete worship such as Liṅga-pūjā.
The implied practice is śravaṇa (listening) and sat-saṅga: respectfully hearing Shiva Purana kathā from a qualified teacher with humility and faith—an essential bhakti discipline that supports mantra-japa and later ritual observances.