Shloka 8
गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं
Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time
ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य हिमाद्रेश्शङ्करस्तदा । सुमुखाविमुखः सद्योऽप्यशोच्यः शोच्यतां गतः
brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya himādreśśaṅkarastadā | sumukhāvimukhaḥ sadyo'pyaśocyaḥ śocyatāṃ gataḥ
พรหมาตรัสว่า—ครั้นสดับถ้อยคำนั้นแล้ว ศังกรผู้ประทับ ณ หิมาลัยก็พลันผินพระพักตร์จากสุมุขา; แม้โดยสภาวะทรงพ้นจากความโศก ก็กลับปรากฏเป็นผู้ควรเมตตา ประหนึ่งทรงเศร้าโศก
Brahma
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not a shrine account; it depicts Śiva’s deliberate assumption of a ‘grieved/compassion-inviting’ demeanor—an enacted concealment that prepares a didactic or revelatory turn.
Significance: Teaches that Śiva’s apparent emotions can be līlā (pedagogical concealment), prompting devotees to move from surface perception to tattva-understanding.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
FAQs
It shows that Śiva, though transcendent and untouched by sorrow (Pati), can adopt a humanlike mood in līlā to guide beings—revealing compassionate engagement without losing his supreme nature.
The verse highlights Saguna Śiva: the Lord who responds within the world of names and forms. Devotees worship the Liṅga as that accessible presence, even while knowing he is ultimately beyond all afflictions.
A takeaway is to meditate on Śiva as both compassionate and transcendent while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); this steadies devotion when worldly emotions arise.