Shloka 22
नन्दिकेशावतारवर्णनम् (Nandikeśa Avatāra Varṇanam) — “Account of the Descent/Origin of Nandikeśvara”
तुष्टः प्रभुस्तदा तस्मै दर्शयामास स्वां तनुम् । दिव्यां दिव्यगुणैर्युक्तामलभ्यां वामबुद्धिभिः
tuṣṭaḥ prabhustadā tasmai darśayāmāsa svāṃ tanum | divyāṃ divyaguṇairyuktāmalabhyāṃ vāmabuddhibhiḥ
అప్పుడు ప్రభువు సంతుష్టుడై అతనికి తన స్వరూపమును దర్శింపజేసెను—దివ్యము, దివ్యగుణసంపన్నము, వక్రబుద్ధులకెప్పుడూ అందనిది।
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Śiva Purāṇa account to the sages, describing Śiva’s act)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it is a darśana episode where Śiva reveals his own divine form to the tapasvin as a response to devotion.
Significance: Darśana as salvific: the Lord’s self-revelation is ‘alabhya’ to distorted intellect, underscoring grace over mere speculation.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights Śiva’s anugraha (grace): when the Lord is pleased, He grants direct darśana of His divine form, but this revelation is inaccessible to those whose understanding is distorted by ego, hostility, or wrong views.
The verse underscores that Saguna revelation—Śiva known through form and attributes—arises through devotion and divine favor. Linga-worship similarly trains the mind toward reverence and right insight, making one fit to receive Śiva’s self-disclosure.
The practical takeaway is to cultivate right-buddhi through bhakti and japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—along with purity practices like bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and disciplined worship, so the mind becomes receptive to Śiva’s grace.