Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 21
महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः
Mahākāla Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya: The Episode of King Candrasena and the Cintāmaṇi
तत्सर्वमशेषेण स दृष्ट्वा बल्लवीसुतः । कुतूहलेन तां कर्त्तुं शिवपूजां मनोदधे
tatsarvamaśeṣeṇa sa dṛṣṭvā ballavīsutaḥ | kutūhalena tāṃ karttuṃ śivapūjāṃ manodadhe
那牧女之子将这一切尽皆看得分明，因强烈的好奇心，心中生起决意，要奉行对主湿婆的礼拜供养。
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The child’s ‘kutūhala’ becomes the narrative hinge: the jyotirliṅga’s public worship plants a seed that matures into personal pūjā, illustrating how kṣetra and saṅga catalyze devotion leading to grace.
Significance: Shows the pedagogical power of temple culture: seeing proper worship inspires imitation; such bhakti-saṃskāra is treated as a pathway from pashu toward Pati.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights the first inner movement toward grace: when the mind turns toward Śiva-pūjā, even from simple curiosity, it becomes the seed of bhakti that can mature into steadfast devotion and liberation by Śiva’s favor (anugraha).
The verse shows an entry point into Saguna worship—Śiva approached through ritual devotion (often centered on the Liṅga in Kotirudra narratives). Such worship disciplines the mind and gradually leads the devotee toward understanding Śiva as the supreme Pati beyond forms.
The takeaway is saṅkalpa (firm resolve) to perform Śiva-pūjā—practically expressed through Liṅga-abhiṣeka, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and a focused mind offered to Śiva.