SHIVA MAHAPURANA: INTRODUCTION
First of all, Sage Shaunak expressed his desire to Suta about knowing the means, which could help a man in this era of Kali to attainment lord Shiva, by cleansing all the impurities of his mind and rectifying his inherent demonic tendencies. Suta then described about Shiva Mahapurana – the supreme of all the Puranas, which was narrated by Lord Shiva himself and which was later on retold by Sage Vyasa with the permission of Maharshi Sanatkumar, for the benediction of common man. Suta said, “By understanding the mysteries of ShivmahaPurana and singing its praises, a man attains greater virtues than that which could be attained by being charitable or by the performance of all the `yagyas’. Contemplating on the subject matters of Shiva Mahapurana give auspicious fruits just like a ‘Kalpa-taru’ (A mythological tree which fulfills all the wishes). Shiv Mahapurana contains twenty-four thousand shlokas and seven Samhitas which are Vidyeshwar, Rudra, Shatrudra, Koti Rudra, Uma, Kailash, and Vayviya. Shiva Mahapurana is the best means for man’s liberation.