Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35
तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode
Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall
ये वदंति दयासिन्धुं त्वां भ्रांतास्ते न संशयः । भक्तो विनापराधेन परार्थे च कथं हतः
ye vadaṃti dayāsindhuṃ tvāṃ bhrāṃtāste na saṃśayaḥ | bhakto vināparādhena parārthe ca kathaṃ hataḥ
Những kẻ nói rằng Ngài—đại dương từ bi—đã mê lầm, chính họ mới là kẻ lầm lạc, không nghi ngờ gì. Làm sao một người sùng kính, không hề có lỗi, lại có thể bị đánh gục—nhất là khi đang hành động vì lợi ích của kẻ khác?
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā account to the sages; the verse reflects the speaker within the battle narrative defending Śiva’s unfailing grace toward devotees)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
FAQs
It asserts Śiva’s anugraha (saving grace): the truly faultless devotee is not ultimately “destroyed,” even amid conflict. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the Lord’s compassion is never delusion; misunderstanding lies in the limited human view of events.
Saguna Śiva—worshipped as the Liṅga and as the compassionate Lord—protects the sincere bhakta. The verse supports trusting the visible, personal form of Śiva as dayāsindhu (ocean of mercy), whose grace safeguards those devoted without offense.
Cultivate faultless bhakti and selfless intent (parārtha) while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and worship with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and/or Rudrākṣa as reminders to act without malice or blame, relying on Śiva’s compassion.