Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26
हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon
त्रैलोक्यमेतद्धि चराचरं वै वशं चकारात्मनि संनियोज्य । स कूलानि सुदर्शनानि नारीसहस्राणि बहूनि गत्वा
trailokyametaddhi carācaraṃ vai vaśaṃ cakārātmani saṃniyojya | sa kūlāni sudarśanāni nārīsahasrāṇi bahūni gatvā
حقًّا، إذ استولى على هذا العالم الثلاثي كلِّه، المتحرّك والساكن، وجعله في قبضته بإثباته في ذاته، أخضعه إخضاعًا. ثم مضى إلى ضفاف أنهارٍ بهيّة كثيرة، وتجول بين آلافٍ مؤلّفة من النساء.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse emphasizes Shiva’s status as Pati—the sovereign Lord—who can inwardly “contain” and govern the entire triad of worlds. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this points to the Lord’s absolute lordship over pasha (bondage) and pashu (the bound soul), reminding devotees that liberation depends on divine grace rather than worldly power.
Shiva’s cosmic mastery described here supports Saguna worship: the devotee approaches the Linga as the tangible seat of the Lord who sustains and regulates the universe. The Linga symbolizes that same all-containing reality—Shiva as the inner ruler—made accessible for devotion, archana, and meditation.
A practical takeaway is to meditate on Shiva as the indwelling controller while chanting the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and to steady the mind (saṃniyojya) by japa with rudraksha and reverent application of tripuṇḍra-bhasma, aligning one’s inner world with the Lord’s sovereignty.