Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9
राहोः शिरच्छेदन-कारणकथनम् / The Account of Rāhu’s Beheading
Cause and Background
शुक्र उवाच । जलंधर महावीर सर्वासुरसहायक । शृणु वृत्तांतमखिलं यथावत्कथयामि ते
śukra uvāca | jalaṃdhara mahāvīra sarvāsurasahāyaka | śṛṇu vṛttāṃtamakhilaṃ yathāvatkathayāmi te
ศุกระกล่าวว่า “โอ้ชลันธระ มหาวีร ผู้เกื้อหนุนอสูรทั้งปวง จงฟังเถิด เราจักเล่าเหตุการณ์ทั้งหมดให้ท่านตามที่เกิดขึ้นจริง”
Śukra (Shukracharya)
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It frames the moment of instruction: even in a war narrative, the Purana emphasizes right understanding (yathāvat) and truthful narration as the basis for dharma—contrasting guidance with the Asura tendency toward ego-driven action, which in Shaiva Siddhanta veils the soul from Shiva’s grace.
Though it does not mention the Linga directly, it sets the narrative causality that later points to Shiva as the supreme Saguna Lord who governs outcomes; the ‘true account’ ultimately reveals that power without alignment to Shiva-bhakti and dharma cannot prevail against the Lord.
The implied takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and satya-minded reflection—practically done by hearing Shiva Purana kathā, mentally repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and cultivating yathārtha-jñāna (accurate understanding) before action.