Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36
बाणासुरस्य शङ्करस्तुतिः तथा युद्धयाचनम् | Bāṇāsura’s Praise of Śiva and Petition for Battle
चित्रलेखोवाच । त्वया स्वप्ने च यो दृष्टः पुरुषो देवि तं कथम् । अहं संमानयिष्यामि न विज्ञातस्तु यो मम
citralekhovāca | tvayā svapne ca yo dṛṣṭaḥ puruṣo devi taṃ katham | ahaṃ saṃmānayiṣyāmi na vijñātastu yo mama
چترلیکھا نے کہا—“اے دیوی، جس مرد کو تم نے خواب میں دیکھا، میں اس کی تعظیم کیسے کروں؟ وہ تو میرے لیے نامعلوم ہے۔”
Citralekhā
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse highlights discernment (viveka) in devotion: reverence should be grounded in clear recognition and right understanding, not merely in dream-impressions—an attitude aligned with Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on proper knowledge (jñāna) supporting bhakti.
It indirectly supports Saguna worship by implying that honoring the Divine (or the divinely connected beloved) requires a recognizable form, name, or mark—just as the Liṅga and Shiva’s iconography provide a stable focus for devotion and ritual respect.
A practical takeaway is to pair inner experience (dream/feeling) with outer discipline: steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular worship with clear intention, rather than acting impulsively on uncertain visions.