Shloka 40
मित्रसह-राज्ञो रक्षत्व-शापकथा — The Curse that Turns King Mitrasaha into a Rakshasa
Vasiṣṭha’s Śāpa Narrative
गौतम उवाच । साधु राजेन्द्र धन्योसि महाघेभ्यो भयन्त्यज । शिवे शास्तरि भक्तानां क्व भयं शरणैषिणाम्
gautama uvāca | sādhu rājendra dhanyosi mahāghebhyo bhayantyaja | śive śāstari bhaktānāṃ kva bhayaṃ śaraṇaiṣiṇām
โคตมกล่าวว่า “ดีแล้ว โอ้ราชาเหนือราชา ท่านเป็นผู้มีบุญยิ่ง จงละความหวาดกลัวแม้บาปหนักที่สุดเสีย สำหรับผู้ภักดีที่เข้าพึ่งพระศิวะ ผู้เป็นครูและผู้ปกครองทิพย์ ผู้แสวงที่พึ่งจะมีความกลัวอยู่ที่ไหนเล่า?”
Sage Gautama
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Sthala Purana: Doctrinally anticipates kṣetra-māhātmya: fear of mahāpātaka is dispelled by refuge in Śiva as Śāstar (divine teacher).
Significance: Assures the pilgrim/devotee that śaraṇāgati in Śiva removes existential fear and moral dread, orienting the seeker toward grace rather than despair.
Mantra: शिवे शास्तरि भक्तानां क्व भयं शरणैषिणाम्
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Śiva: when the soul turns to Śiva as Pati (Lord) and Śāstṛ (Teacher), fear born of pāpa and karmic bondage loses its power, and devotion becomes the path to inner safety and liberation.
Refuge in Śiva is commonly expressed through Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—where the devotee approaches Śiva as the accessible Guru-Lord. The verse affirms that such devotion, grounded in surrender, dispels fear and purifies even heavy wrongdoing.
Practice surrender through daily Shiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Linga worship with bhakti; the key takeaway is to abandon fear by consciously taking Śiva as one’s sole refuge.