क्षुपदधीचिसंवादः — शिलादतपः, वरसीमा, मेघवाहनकल्पे त्रिदेवसमागमः
तपतस्तस्य तपसा संतुष्टो वज्रधृक् प्रभुः शिलादमाह तुष्टो ऽस्मि वरयस्व वरानिति
tapatastasya tapasā saṃtuṣṭo vajradhṛk prabhuḥ śilādamāha tuṣṭo 'smi varayasva varāniti
Được làm hài lòng bởi ngọn lửa khổ hạnh của ông, vị Chúa tể cầm lôi chùy (Indra) đến gần Śilāda và nói: “Ta đã mãn nguyện. Hãy chọn những ân phúc ngươi muốn.”
Suta Goswami (narrating); in-verse speech by Indra to Śilāda
It establishes tapas (disciplined austerity) as a preparatory purifier that makes a devotee fit for divine grace; in Linga-worship narratives, such grace ultimately points beyond boons toward devotion to Pati (Śiva).
Indirectly, it contrasts limited deity-granted boons with the higher Shaiva principle: worldly lords can reward effort, but Shiva-tattva as Pati is the final giver of liberation that cuts Pāśa (bondage) for the Pashu (soul).
Tapas—steady ascetic discipline (a limb aligned with Pāśupata-oriented purification)—is highlighted as the practice that ripens merit and draws down divine favor.