Shloka 5
मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्
Description of the Sages’ Questions
एकदा मुनयस्सर्वे नैमिषारण्य वासिनः । पप्रच्छुर्वरया भक्त्या सूतन्ते शौनकादयः
ekadā munayassarve naimiṣāraṇya vāsinaḥ | papracchurvarayā bhaktyā sūtante śaunakādayaḥ
กาลครั้งหนึ่ง เหล่ามุนีทั้งปวงผู้พำนัก ณ ไนมิษารัณยะ คือ เศานกะและคณะ ได้ทูลถามท่านผู้เป็นสูตะด้วยภักติอันประเสริฐและศรัทธาแน่วแน่
Suta Goswami (narrator describing the sages’ inquiry at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Naimiṣāraṇya as a paradigmatic śravaṇa-kṣetra where sages perform long satras and inquire into dharma and īśvara-tattva; this verse situates the Śiva Purāṇa discourse within that sacred listening-field.
Significance: Merit of śravaṇa and praśna (inquiry) done in a tīrtha; supports anugraha through right questioning and attentive listening.
FAQs
It establishes the ideal Shaiva approach to sacred knowledge: humble inquiry offered with pure bhakti, making the listener fit to receive Shiva-tattva and the path to liberation.
By foregrounding devotion and respectful questioning, it sets the narrative frame in which Saguna Shiva worship—especially reverence to the Linga and Shiva’s līlās—will be taught as an accessible means for seekers.
The practical takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and praśna (reverent inquiry); traditionally this is supported by simple Shaiva disciplines like japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and worship with bhakti.