Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2
कैलासगमनं कुबेरसख्यं च — Śiva’s Journey to Kailāsa and His Friendship with Kubera
नारद उवाच । कदागतो हि कैलासं शंकरो भक्तवत्सलः । क्व वा सखित्वं तस्यासीत्कुबेरेण महात्मना
nārada uvāca | kadāgato hi kailāsaṃ śaṃkaro bhaktavatsalaḥ | kva vā sakhitvaṃ tasyāsītkubereṇa mahātmanā
那罗陀说道：“对奉爱者慈怜的商羯罗（湿婆）何时来到凯拉萨？他与大心的俱毗罗的友谊又是在何处、以何种方式结成的？”
Narada
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha
Sthala Purana: The question presumes Śaṅkara’s Himalayan residence; Kedāra-kṣetra traditions identify the Himalayas as a privileged locus of Śiva’s presence and tapas, aligning with the Kailāsa motif.
Significance: Pilgrimage to the Himalayan Śiva-seat is associated with purification and strengthening bhakti (bhaktavātsalya) through hardship and surrender.
FAQs
It highlights Shiva as Bhaktavatsala—Pati (the Lord) who responds to devotion—showing that divine intimacy (closeness to Kailasa and friendship with exalted beings) is rooted in grace rather than mere worldly status.
By addressing Shiva as Śaṅkara and Bhaktavatsala, the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā: devotees approach Shiva in a personal, compassionate form (often through the Linga) and receive His accessible grace while He remains the supreme Pati.
A practical takeaway is bhakti-centered japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports, cultivating the devotee-attitude that the epithet Bhaktavatsala emphasizes.