Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 55
गणसमागमः (Śiva Summons the Gaṇas for the Great Festival)
तमारूढो महादेवो वृषभं धर्मवत्सलः । शुशुभेतीव देवर्षिसेवितस्सकलैर्व्रजन्
tamārūḍho mahādevo vṛṣabhaṃ dharmavatsalaḥ | śuśubhetīva devarṣisevitassakalairvrajan
大天（Mahādeva）爱护达摩，乘上那圣牛而前行；众皆随从，天仙圣者（deva-ṛṣi）侍奉左右，他仿佛以无上光荣而灿然辉耀。
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: dhupa
FAQs
The verse highlights Śiva as dharma-vatsala—one who cherishes and safeguards righteousness—showing that when the Lord moves in the world in His saguna form, it is to uphold dharma and guide beings toward grace (anugraha) and liberation.
Śiva here is envisioned in a personal, worshipful form—Mahādeva mounted on Vṛṣabha (Nandin). This supports saguna upāsanā (devotional contemplation of form), which in Śaiva Siddhānta leads the devotee toward realizing Śiva’s transcendent nature, often approached through Liṅga worship and mantra.
A practical takeaway is Nandi-sevā and Śiva-bhakti: begin Śiva worship by offering reverence to Nandi, then japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while meditating on Śiva as the protector of dharma; on Mahāśivarātri, this is commonly paired with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and simple abhiṣeka.