Shloka 1
Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ
Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship
ऋषय ऊचुः । सूतसूत महाभाग ज्ञानवानसि सुव्रत । पुनरेव शिवस्य वै चरितं ब्रूहि विस्तरात्
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | sūtasūta mahābhāga jñānavānasi suvrata | punareva śivasya vai caritaṃ brūhi vistarāt
เหล่าฤๅษีกล่าวว่า “โอ้สุตะ บุตรแห่งสุตะ ผู้มีมหาภาคะ ท่านเป็นผู้รู้และมั่นคงในพรตอันประเสริฐ ขอจงเล่าเรื่องจริยาวัตรอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ของพระศิวะอีกครั้งโดยพิสดารเถิด”
The sages (Ṛṣis) of Naimiṣāraṇya
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: The sages’ request for Śiva-carita is a narrative pivot; no jyotirliṅga is specified here.
Significance: Highlights kathā-śravaṇa as a bhakti-mārga: repeated hearing of Śiva-līlā is itself a sādhana leading to purification and grace.
FAQs
It establishes śravaṇa (devotional listening) as a primary means of awakening bhakti and receiving Śiva’s grace; the sages explicitly ask for Shiva’s charita to be retold in detail, showing that repeated hearing deepens understanding and devotion.
By requesting Śiva’s “carita” (divine deeds), the sages seek accessible, saguna-oriented narration that supports devotion to Śiva’s manifest forms—an approach that naturally complements Linga worship and Jyotirlinga pilgrimage described in the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā.
The implied practice is regular śravaṇa and smaraṇa—listening to and recollecting Shiva-kathā—often supported by japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and disciplined observance (suvrata) as preparation for deeper devotion.