Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29
शिवदूतस्य शङ्खचूडकुलप्रवेशः — The Śiva-Envoy’s Entry into Śaṅkhacūḍa’s City
किं बहूक्तेन राजेन्द्र मनसा संविचार्य च । रुद्रं विद्धि महेशानं परं ब्रह्म चिदात्मकम्
kiṃ bahūktena rājendra manasā saṃvicārya ca | rudraṃ viddhi maheśānaṃ paraṃ brahma cidātmakam
لِمَ الإكثار من القول، أيها الملك؟ تأمّل في قلبك حقّ التأمّل، واعرف رُدرا بوصفه ماهيشانا—البراهمان الأعلى، الذي ماهيّتُه وعيٌ محضٌ صافٍ.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teaching; the verse addresses a king within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa dialogue)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s Viśvanātha is celebrated as the locus where Śiva grants jñāna and liberation; the verse’s identification of Rudra with para-brahman (cidātmaka) matches Kāśī’s mokṣa-kṣetra theology.
Significance: Contemplation of Rudra as cidātmaka para-brahman supports jñāna-bhakti and liberation; Kāśī is famed for ‘tāraka’ upadeśa (liberating instruction) associated with Śiva’s grace.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
FAQs
It compresses the teaching into a single conclusion: Rudra (Shiva) is not merely a deity among many but the Supreme Reality—pure Consciousness—realized through inner reflection, leading toward liberation.
It supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-puja) as a doorway to the highest insight: the worshipped Rudra is ultimately the transcendent Brahman, cid-ātmakam, beyond form while also graciously present in form.
The direct instruction is manasā saṁvicārya—steady contemplation: meditate on Shiva as cit (pure awareness), ideally supported by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and focused Linga-dhyāna.