Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24
त्रिपुरदाहानन्तरं देवभयः ब्रह्मस्तुतिश्च — Fear of the Gods after Tripura’s Burning and Brahmā’s Praise
सर्वदा मेऽस्तु सारथ्यं तव देवेश शंकर । अनुकूलो भव विभो सदा त्वं परमेश्वर
sarvadā me'stu sārathyaṃ tava deveśa śaṃkara | anukūlo bhava vibho sadā tvaṃ parameśvara
ఓ దేవేశ శంకరా, నీవు ఎల్లప్పుడూ నా సారథివై ఉండు. ఓ విభూ పరమేశ్వరా, నీవు సదా నాకు అనుకూలంగా, కృపతో ఉండుము.
A devotee-warrior (the supplicant in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa) addressing Lord Shiva as divine charioteer
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: The ‘charioteer’ (sārathi) metaphor recasts Śiva as the inner guide and protector who steers the devotee through dharma-yuddha and saṃsāra—akin to guru-function within Siddhānta (Śiva as the ultimate guru).
Significance: Invokes Śiva’s ongoing guidance (not only crisis-intervention), encouraging daily reliance on divine governance of one’s path.
Mantra: सर्वदा मेऽस्तु सारथ्यं तव देवेश शंकर । अनुकूलो भव विभो सदा त्वं परमेश्वर
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse expresses śaraṇāgati (surrender): the devotee asks Śiva to take the role of sārathi—inner and outer guide—so that one’s actions align with dharma and culminate in Śiva’s anugraha (saving grace), central to Shaiva Siddhānta.
Addressing Śiva as Deveśa, Vibhu, and Parameśvara highlights Saguna devotion—approaching the Supreme through a gracious, personal Lord who actively protects and directs the devotee, just as Linga-worship invokes Śiva’s accessible presence and blessing.
A practical takeaway is daily prayerful japa with a surrender-intent—especially the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—seeking Śiva’s guidance before action; it may be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines.