Shloka 1
गौतमस्य शिवदर्शनं पापक्षयवचनं च | Gautama’s Vision of Śiva and the Teaching on Sin and Purification
सूत उवाच । एवं कृते तु ऋषिणा सस्त्रीकेन द्विजाश्शिवः । आविर्बभूव स शिवः प्रसन्नस्सगणस्तदा
sūta uvāca | evaṃ kṛte tu ṛṣiṇā sastrīkena dvijāśśivaḥ | āvirbabhūva sa śivaḥ prasannassagaṇastadā
苏多曰：当那位仙人携其妻如是成就仪轨之后，主湿婆便在诸“二生者”（dvija）之前显现。其时，慈悦欢喜的湿婆与其侍从众（gaṇa）一同出现。
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse narrates Śiva’s direct āvirbhāva (manifestation) in response to completed rite by the ṛṣi with his wife, emphasizing grace rather than a fixed sthala-liṅga origin.
Significance: General tīrtha-logic: completion of prescribed Śaiva rite with conjugal dharma and devotion culminates in darśana of Śiva with gaṇas—model for pilgrims seeking anugraha through disciplined worship.
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse highlights Śiva’s anugraha (grace): when worship is performed with sincerity and dharmic completeness (here, the sage with his wife), the Lord becomes directly manifest, showing that devotion and right observance invite the living presence of Pati (the Lord) to uplift the paśu (the bound soul).
Śiva ‘appearing’ indicates Saguna revelation—Śiva making Himself approachable to devotees. In the Shiva Purana, Linga-worship often culminates in such grace: the formless (Nirguna) is worshipped through the Linga, and the same Supreme responds in a manifest, personal way as Saguna Śiva.
The takeaway is disciplined, family-supported dharmic worship: perform Śiva-pūjā with purity and devotion (often accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī, and traditional observances like bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa where prescribed), trusting that sincere practice leads to Śiva’s prasāda (pleased grace).