Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 22
Brahmā–Viṣṇu Garva-vādaḥ
The Dispute of Pride Between Brahmā and Viṣṇu
अशक्यमन्यैर्यदनुग्रहं विना तृणक्षयोप्यत्र यदृच्छया क्वचित् । इति देवाभयं कृत्वा विचिन्वंतः शिवक्षयम् । जग्मुः कैलासशिखरं यत्रास्ते चंद्र शेखरः
aśakyamanyairyadanugrahaṃ vinā tṛṇakṣayopyatra yadṛcchayā kvacit | iti devābhayaṃ kṛtvā vicinvaṃtaḥ śivakṣayam | jagmuḥ kailāsaśikharaṃ yatrāste caṃdra śekharaḥ
“若无祂的恩典，他者绝不可能成就；即便此处一叶草芒之毁，也只是偶然。”诸天如是思惟，令自身无畏，寻求湿婆（Śiva）的“尽头/界限”；遂往迦罗娑（Kailāsa）之巅，月冠者旃陀罗舍迦罗（Candraśekhara）所居之处。
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha
Sthala Purana: The gods proceed to Kailāsa, Śiva’s Himalayan seat; Kedāra is revered as a Himalayan manifestation of Śiva’s abiding presence and grace in the highlands.
Significance: Pilgrimage to the Himalayan Śiva-kṣetra is sought for removal of fear and for anugraha; the verse emphasizes that all accomplishment depends on Śiva’s grace.
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse teaches that Śiva is not reached by mere capability or effort; realization depends on anugraha (divine grace). Even small outcomes are portrayed as contingent, emphasizing humility, surrender, and devotion as the Shaiva path to liberation.
By naming Candraśekhara dwelling on Kailāsa, the text points to Saguna Śiva—approachable through form, name, and sacred abode—while simultaneously implying His transcendence (the ‘limit of Śiva’ cannot be grasped without grace), a key balance in Linga worship: form as a doorway to the formless.
The takeaway is surrender to Śiva’s grace through steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), coupled with fearlessness (abhaya) and remembrance of Kailāsa/Candraśekhara during meditation—approaching the Lord not by pride of effort, but by bhakti.