Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1
राहोर्विमोचनानन्तरं जलन्धरस्य सैन्योद्योगः — Rahu’s Aftermath and Jalandhara’s Mobilization
व्यास उवाच । सनत्कुमार सर्वज्ञ कथा ते श्राविताद्भुता । महाप्रभोश्शंकरस्य यत्र लीला च पावनी
vyāsa uvāca | sanatkumāra sarvajña kathā te śrāvitādbhutā | mahāprabhośśaṃkarasya yatra līlā ca pāvanī
Vyāsa thưa: “Ôi Sanatkumāra, bậc toàn tri, ngài đã kể cho tôi một câu chuyện kỳ diệu—nơi hiển lộ cuộc thần hí thanh tịnh, tẩy trừ của Đại Chúa Śaṅkara.”
Vyāsa
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadashiva
FAQs
The verse highlights śravaṇa (devotional hearing) of Śiva-kathā as inherently pāvanī—purifying the mind and orienting the soul (paśu) toward Pati (Śiva), supporting liberation through devotion and right understanding.
By praising Śaṅkara’s līlā as purifying, the verse affirms Saguna Śiva—Śiva known through divine acts and narratives—as a valid and elevating focus for bhakti, which naturally supports Linga-worship as a concrete, sacred locus of that devotion.
The implied practice is regular śravaṇa and smaraṇa—hearing and contemplative remembrance of Śiva’s deeds—ideally accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a steady meditative support.