Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12
देवस्तुतिः — Hymn of Praise by the Devas
Devastuti
विमर्षणो नृपवरस्सप्तजन्मावधि प्रभो । भुक्त्वा भोगांश्च विविधांस्त्वद्भक्त्या प्राप सद्गतिम्
vimarṣaṇo nṛpavarassaptajanmāvadhi prabho | bhuktvā bhogāṃśca vividhāṃstvadbhaktyā prāpa sadgatim
ఓ ప్రభో! శ్రేష్ఠ రాజు విమర్షణుడు ఏడు జన్మలవరకు అనేక విధాల భోగాలను అనుభవించినా, నీ భక్తిచేత సద్గతిని—శివకృపలో మోక్షాన్ని—పొందెను.
Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
FAQs
It teaches that even after repeated births and worldly experiences, the soul attains the highest good (sadgati) through steadfast devotion to Lord Shiva—liberation comes by Shiva’s grace rather than by pleasure or status.
The verse emphasizes tvad-bhakti—personal devotion to Shiva. In Shiva Purana practice this is commonly expressed through Saguna worship such as Linga-pūjā, where devotion purifies karma across births and culminates in Shiva’s liberating favor.
A direct takeaway is to cultivate Shiva-bhakti through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and regular Linga worship with reverence, as devotion is shown here as the decisive means to sadgati.