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
برہما نے کہا—اُن کے کلمات سن کر ہمالیہ پر مقیم شنکر فوراً سُموخا سے رُخ موڑ گئے؛ جو فطرتاً غم سے ماورا ہیں، وہ بھی اسی لمحے قابلِ ترحم حالت میں، گویا غمگین، ہو گئے۔
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.