Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 61
अनिरुद्धापहरणानन्तरं कृष्णस्य शोणितपुरगमनम् तथा रुद्रकृष्णयुद्धारम्भः | After Aniruddha’s Abduction: Kṛṣṇa Marches to Śoṇitapura and the Rudra–Kṛṣṇa Battle Begins
सनत्कुमार उवाच । इत्युक्तश्शंकरेणाथ शार्ङ्गपाणिस्तु विस्मितः । स्वरणस्थानमागत्य मुमोद स मुनीश्वरः
sanatkumāra uvāca | ityuktaśśaṃkareṇātha śārṅgapāṇistu vismitaḥ | svaraṇasthānamāgatya mumoda sa munīśvaraḥ
萨那特库玛罗说道：“被商羯罗如此吩咐后，持娑楞伽者（毗湿奴）大为惊异，回到自己的住处而欢喜——他乃诸牟尼之上首。”
Sanatkumara
FAQs
The verse highlights the transformative power of Śiva’s instruction: even Viṣṇu, a supreme deity, becomes inwardly humbled and returns to his abode in reflective joy—signifying that true spiritual clarity arises when the soul (or even the gods) aligns with Pati, Śiva, the highest Lord.
By portraying Viṣṇu as astonished by Śaṅkara’s words, the text reinforces Saguna Śiva’s role as the accessible, instructive Lord who reveals dharma and the path to liberation—supporting devotional worship of Śiva (including Liṅga-upāsanā) as a direct means to grace and right understanding.
The implied takeaway is śravaṇa and manana—listening to Śiva’s teachings and contemplating them—supported in Shaiva practice by japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to internalize Śiva-tattva and stabilize devotion.