The universe bows to Shamboo, I bow to Shamboo.
The power of Shiv Purana is itself described in the Shiv Purana with the help of the story of Brahmin Devaraja.
The story of Devaraja from Shiv Purana
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| The story of Devaraja from Shiv Purana |
Long ago, In the city of Kirantanagara of Kiratas Kingdom (In the Himalayan region, also mentioned in Mahabharata), there lived a Brahmin called Devaraja, a very unprincipled man. A man with no wisdom, he was averse to worshipping God. He never visited a temple, nor did he ever read a sacred text. Devaraja made his living by selling beverages. Often resorted to deceitful means, he cheated, robbed, and killed others to steal their possessions and wealth.
By ill means, he acquired a lot of wealth and became rich. Once when he was bathing at the pond, he saw a young, very pretty harlot named Shobavati. Mesmerized by her beauty, he asked Shobavati to marry him. Shobavati was more than happy to marry a wealthy Brahmin. They started living together; sitting, lying, eating, drinking, and playing together. His parents and first wife advised him to improve his Karma. Intoxicated by the hunger for wealth, one tragic night he murdered his parents and first wife. In love with his harlot, he named his all wealth to his beloved Shobavati.
After taking all his wealth, the harlot expelled him out of his own house. Now, without any wealth, with just a dhoti covering his body, he started roaming here and there in the city. No food to eat, no house to live. He fell sick. Meandering here and there, he reached the city of Pratiṣṭhāna (now called Paithan). He fell weak with a fever. With no roof above his head, he took shelter in a temple of Shiva near the city gates.Devaraja, enduring a very high fever, laid at a corner of the temple. In the temple, Shiv Purana was being recited. Devaraja listened a verse or two, and while listening Shiv Purana his fever ended his breaths, and he died. The attendants of Yama(the God of death) came to take him to the Yama Loka, to account his Karma and give the due punishment for his Karmas. As the attendants of Yama were taking him, attendants of Shiva, smeared in ash appeared.
They threatened the attendants of Yama (the God of death) and thrashed them. Releasing Devaraja from their clutches they seated him in a wonderful aerial chariot and took him to Shiva and mother Parvati. Shiva, the great forgiver, gave him Moksha.Excepts from: Shiv Purana
A Note on the story of Devaraja
In Bhagvat Geeta, it is mentioned that your consciousness at the time of death decides your next birth.
Sadhuru Jaggi Vasudev has also mentioned the same time and again. The last few seconds of our life has the power to wash out our immense bad karma. Devaraja, who never believed in God, never worshipped him for even a minute in his entire lifetime, attained Moksha by maintaining this simple consciousness accidentally at the time of death.