Lord Shiva gets very pleased by devotion

व्यास उवाच |

Sage Vyasa said (to the Pandavas)

सर्वेषां चैव सेव्योऽसौ शङ्करः सर्वदुःखहा |

शिवः स्वल्पेन कालेन सम्प्रसीदति भक्तितः || 57 || 

सुप्रसन्नो महेशो हि भक्तेभ्यः सकलप्रदः |

भुक्तिं मुक्तिमिहामुत्र यच्छतीति सुनिश्चितम् || 58 ||

तस्मात्सेव्यः सदा शम्भुर्भुक्तिमुक्तिफलेप्सुभिः |

पुरुषः शङ्करः साक्षाद्दुष्टहन्ता सतां गतिः || 59 ||

This Lord Shiva, worshiped by everybody (is the) destroyer of all sorrow. Lord Shiva, in a short time gets very pleased by devotion. When very pleased, the great God really gives everything to the devotees – definitely gives enjoyments, liberation, here (on the earth) or in the other worlds. Therefore, Lord Shiva should be worshiped by those who desire enjoyments or liberation. Lord Shiva is the God (Purusha, not Prakriti), directly the killer of evil people and uplifter of good people.

********** Our wishes to all readers of Shiva Maha Purana Saar Shreni blog, of the blissful festival night: Maha Shiv Ratri **********

Om Namah Shivaya

नन्दीश्वर उवाच |

Nandishwara said (to Sanatkumara)

पञ्चाक्षरं जपन्मन्त्रं शिवप्रेमसमाकुलः |
तेजसां च स्वयं राशिः साक्षाद्धर्म इवापरः || 23 ||

Tormented by the love for Lord Shiva, chanting the five-lettered
mantra (Om Namah Shivaya), (Sage Vyasa) himself being a symbol of
brilliance, like another Dharma in visible form.

Sage Vyasa's advice description during tribal incarnation

किरातावतारवर्णनप्रसङ्गेऽर्जुनाय व्यासोपदेशवर्णनं नाम सप्तत्रिम्शोऽध्यायः

Sage Vyasa's advice description during tribal incarnation description Chapter 37

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच |

Lord Krishna said (to Pandavas)

इदानीं सेव्यते देवो भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदः |
यूयं सेवत तं शंभुमपि सर्वसुखावाहम् || 16 ||

Now God, the giver of enjoyments and liberation as fruits, should be
served/worshipped. You all serve/worship that Lord Shambhu, (who
makes) everything comfortable.

Lord Rudra took birth as Ashwatthama, son of Dronacharya

अश्वत्थामशिवावतारवर्णनं नाम षट्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Ashwatthama incarnation of Lord Shiva Chapter 36

नन्दीश्वर उवाच |

Nandishwara said (to Sanatkumara)

अथावसरमासाद्य रुद्रः सर्वान्तकः प्रभुः |
स्वांशेन तनयो जज्ञे द्रोणस्य स महाबलः || 13 ||
अश्वत्थामेति विख्यातः स बभूव क्षितौ मुने | 14

At the proper moment, Lord Rudra, the destroyer of everything (in
Mahapralaya), with a small part of himself took birth as a son of
Dronacharya, of great strength. He became famous as Ashwatthama on the
earth.

Who bears sin on the earth?

गिरिजोवाच |

Parvati said (to her friend Vijayaa)

न केवलं भवेत्पापं निन्दाकर्तुः शिवस्य हि |
यो वै शृणोति तन्निन्दां पापभाक्स भवेदिह || 49 ||
शिवनिन्दाकरो वध्यः सर्वथा शिवकिङ्करैः |
ब्राह्मणश्चेत्स वै त्याज्यो गन्तव्यं तत्स्थालाद्द्रुतम् || 50 ||

Not only the one who criticises Lord Shiva commits a sin, those who
listen to that criticism also bear the sin on the earth.

These two shlokas also appeared as shlokas 37 and 38 in Chapter 28 of
Parvati block of Rudra Samhita. Chapters 26 to 28 of Parvati block of
Rudra Samhita have several common shlokas with this chapter.

Merit annihilated when a man criticises Lord Shiva

ब्रह्मचारिशिवावतारवर्णनं नाम त्रयत्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Brahmachari Shiva avatara description Chapter 33

गिरिजोवाच |

Parvati said (to Brahmachari incarnation of Lord Shiva)

ब्रह्मचारिस्वरूपेण कश्चित्त्वं धूर्त आगतः |
शिवनिन्दा कृता मूढ त्वया मन्युरभून्मम || 39 ||

Some rogue, you have come in the form of a Brahmachari (a celibate).
Fool, criticism of Lord Shiva done by you caused my anger/sorrow.

शिवनिन्दां करोतीह तत्त्वमज्ञाय यः पुमान् |
आजन्मसञ्चितं पुण्यं तस्य भस्मीभवत्युत || 41 ||

Of a man who criticises Lord Shiva on the earth, (even if) not knowing
the element, all the punya (merit) collected by him during his
(present) life turns to ash (gets destroyed).

Give your highest devotion, divine and pure

उपमन्युरुवाच |

Upamanyu said (to God)

प्रसीद देवदेवेश प्रसीद परमेश्वर |
स्वभक्तिं देहि परमां दिव्यामव्यभिचारिणीम् || 65 ||

Be pleased, God of the Devas, be pleased, Supreme God. Give your
highest devotion, divine and pure.

Lord Shiva to Upamanyu

शिव उवाच |
Lord Shiva said (to Upamanyu)
पिताऽहं ते महादेवो माता ते जगदम्बिका |
वरान्वरय सुप्रीत्या मनोभिलषितान्परान् || 55 ||
I am your father, the Great God, your mother is the Mother of the
world (Parvati). Ask for a boon with good love, above what (your) mind
desires.

Upamanyu to Sureshwara avatara – Lord Shiva posing as Indra

उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Sureshwara avatara – Lord Shiva posing as Indra)
त्वं न जानासि वै रुद्रं सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वरम् |
ब्रह्माविष्णुमहेशानां जनकं प्रकृते परम् || 30 ||
You do not know the Lord Rudra, the God of all Devas and Gods, father
of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha, above Prakriti (Maya).
नास्ति शंभोः परं तत्त्वं सर्वकारणकारणं |
ब्रह्मविष्ण्वादिदेवानां श्रेष्ठो गुणपराद्विभोः || 33 ||
There is no element superior to Lord Shiva, the cause of all causes,
the best of Brahma, Vishnu, etc., and all Devas, the Lord (who is)
above characteristics (of nature: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas).

Sureshwara named Shiva incarnation character description Chapter 32

सुरेश्वराख्य शिवावतारचरितवर्णनं नाम द्वात्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Sureshwara named Shiva incarnation character description Chapter 32

मातोवाच |

(Upamanyu's) mother said (to him who wanted genuine milk)

पूर्वजन्मनि यत्कृत्यं शिवमुद्दिश्य हे सुत |
तदेव लभ्यते नूनं नात्र कार्या विचारणा || 10 ||

Son, in the previous life, whatever was done for Lord Shiva, only that
(fruits of that) one gets now; there is nothing to think about it (it
is certain).

Jalandhara, from the sea

अथो शिवस्य तत्तेजो भालनेत्रसमुद्भवम् |

क्षिप्तं च लवणांभोधौ सद्य बालो बभूव ह || 37 ||

Then that brilliance (fire) of Lord Shiva which emerged from the eye on the forehead, and (when) thrown into the salty sea, immediately became a child (called Jalandhara). 

This shloka is very similar to the shloka 4 of chapter 14 of the war block in Rudra Samhita. While few other shlokas from this chapter 30, are similar to some shlokas in chapters 13 and 14 of the war block in Rudra Samhita.

God takes the fire in his hand and throws it into the sea

अवधूतेश्वरशिवावतारचरित्रवर्णनं नाम त्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Avadhuteshwara Shiva incarnation character description Chapter 30

नन्दीश्वर उवाच |

Nandishwara said (to Sanatkumara)

इत्युक्त्वा स करे धृत्वा स्वतेजोऽनलमद्भुतम् |
भालनेत्रसमुद्भूतं प्राक्षिपल्लवणांभसि || 36 ||

Having said so (that I will throw away this fire from my eye on the forehead far away so that it does not trouble Indra/Devas), he took the amazing fire from his own brilliance which had emerged from the eye on his forehead, in his hand, and threw it in the salty sea.

This shloka is very similar to the shloka 50 of Chapter 13 of the war block in Rudra Samhita.

Mahananda's desire

महानन्दोवाच |

Mahananda (the prostitute) said (to Lord Shiva)

न मे वाञ्छास्ति भोगेषु भूमौ स्वर्गे रसातले |
तव पादाम्बुजस्पर्शादन्यत्किञ्चिन्न कामये || 59 ||

I have no desire for enjoyments on earth, in heaven or in the nether world Rasatala. Other than touching your lotus feet, I do not desire anything.

In truth is everything respectable

वैश्यनाथाह्वय शिवावतारवर्णनं नाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः

Vaishyanath named Shiva incarnation description Chapter 26

महानन्दोवाच |

Mahananda (the prostitute) said (to all the people there)

सत्याश्रयः परो धर्मः सत्येन परमा गतिः |
सत्येन स्वर्गमोक्षौ च सत्ये सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् || 48 ||

The high Dharma is to rest on truth. The highest state (is reached by) truth. With truth (one gets) heaven as well as liberation. In truth is everything respectable.

Remedy for suffering caused by Saturn

पिप्पलादावतारचरितवर्णनं नाम पञ्चविम्शोऽध्यायः

Pippalada incarnation's character description Chapter 25

नन्दीश्वर उवाच |

Nandishwara said (to Sanatkumara)

पिप्पलादस्य चरितं पद्माचरितसंयुतम् |
यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि सुभक्त्या भुवि मानवः || 21 ||
शनिपीडाविनाशार्थमेतच्चरितमुत्तमम् | 22

A human who reads or even listens to the character of Lord Pippalada along with the character of Padma with good devotion on the earth, this best character (remedy) for destroying the suffering caused by Saturn (like the seven and a half year periods).

Pippalada practised penance under a peepal tree

अथ रुद्र पिप्पलादोऽश्वत्थमूले महाप्रभुः |

तताप सुचिरं कालं लोकानां हितकाम्यया || 63 ||

The great Lord Rudra, Pippalada, under a peepal tree practised penance for a very long time, for the purpose of good of the worlds.

Lord Shiva is worshipped not only by humans in the mortal world, but also by demons, and beings in other worlds. God, therefore, continuously works in favour of all the worlds.

Brahma names the child Pippalada

नन्दीश्वर उवाच |

Nandishwara said (to Sanatkumara)

पिप्पलादेति तन्नाम चक्रे ब्रह्मा प्रसन्नधीः |
प्रसन्नो भव देवेश इत्युचे हरिणा सुरैः || 61 ||

Brahma gave him (Rudra incarnation in the form of a child) the name Pippalada, with a highly pleased intellect (mind). Lord Vishnu and the Devas said "Be pleased, God of the Devas" (to that child).

Suvarcha wanted to discard the body

आकाशवाण्युवाच |

 

Voice from the sky said (to Suvarcha)

 

सगर्भा न दहेद्गात्रमिति ब्रह्मनिदेशनम् || 43 ||

 

A pregnant woman shall not burn (her) body – is the instruction from Brahma.

Suvarcha curses the Devas

नन्दीश्वर उवाच |

Nandishwara said (to Sanatkumara)

अहो सुरा दुष्टतराश्च सर्वे स्वकार्यदक्षा ह्यबुधाश्च लुब्धाः |

तस्माच्च सर्वे पशवो भवन्तु सेन्द्राश्च मेऽद्यप्रभृतीत्युवाच || 38 ||

"O Devas, all (of you) highly evil, bothered about own work (selfish), really unwise, greedy, therefore may (you) all become animals and including Indra, right from now" – so (Suvarcha, the great Sadhvi, wife of sage Dadhici) said.

आकाशवाण्युवाच |

Voice from the sky said (to Suvarcha)

सगर्भा न दहेद्गात्रमिति ब्रह्मनिदेशनम् || 43 ||

A pregnant woman shall not burn (her) body – is the instruction from Brahma.

Sage Dadhichi gives up his body

पिप्पलादावतारवर्णनं नाम चतुर्विम्शोऽध्यायः

Pippalada incarnation description Chapter 24

 

नन्दीश्वर उवाच |

Nandishwara said (to Sanatkumara)

इत्युक्तस्तेन स मुनिः परोपकरणे रतः |

ध्यात्वा शिवं स्वनाथं हि विससर्ज कलेवरम् || 25 ||

 

Having been told (asked by Indra to give his bones as hard as diamond, to make weapons) so, the sage (Dadhichi) bent on doing good to others, discarded his body after meditating on Shiva, his Lord.