Śravaṇa–Kīrtana–Manana: Definitions and Hierarchy of Śaiva Sādhanā (श्रवणकीर्तनमनन-निरूपणम्)
सूत उवाच । अस्मिन्साधनमाहत्म्ये पुरा वृत्तं मुनीश्वराः । युष्मदर्थं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वमवधानतः
sūta uvāca | asminsādhanamāhatmye purā vṛttaṃ munīśvarāḥ | yuṣmadarthaṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇudhvamavadhānataḥ
سوت نے کہا—اے مُنی اِشوروں! اس سادھن-ماہاتمیہ میں ایک قدیم واقعہ ہے؛ تمہارے فائدے کے لیے میں اسے بیان کرتا ہوں—توجہ سے سنو۔
Suta Goswami (Sūta)
Tattva Level: pashu
It establishes śravaṇa (devout listening) as a form of sādhana: by hearing the ancient account with attention, the listener becomes fit to receive Shiva-oriented knowledge and devotional inspiration.
Before describing concrete forms of worship (often centered on the Liṅga as Saguna Shiva), the text frames the teaching as “sādhana-māhātmya,” indicating that disciplined practice and receptive listening are prerequisites to fruitful Liṅga-bhakti.
The immediate practice is avadhāna-yukta śravaṇa—listening with focused attention; as a takeaway, one should hear Shiva-kathā in a calm, reverent state as preparation for mantra-japa and pūjā.