Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 37
अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace
तस्माद्दुःखात्मिकां हिंसां कुर्वाणो यः सनिर्घृणः । इति निर्बंधयंत्येके नियमो नेति चापरे
tasmādduḥkhātmikāṃ hiṃsāṃ kurvāṇo yaḥ sanirghṛṇaḥ | iti nirbaṃdhayaṃtyeke niyamo neti cāpare
لذلك فإنّ من يرتكب العنف بلا رحمة—وقد صار إيقاع الألم طبيعته—يُصرّ بعضهم على أنّه مُقيَّد حقًّا بعاقبة الكارما وبالانضباط؛ بينما يقول آخرون: «لا، ليس هذا نِيَما (niyama)؛ أيْ ليس من المراقبات الروحية».
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Bhairava
Shakti Form: Durgā
Role: destructive
FAQs
The verse frames violence (hiṁsā) as inherently productive of suffering and spiritually degrading; from a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, cruelty tightens pāśa (bondage) and veils the soul from Shiva’s grace, whereas compassion supports purification and liberation.
Linga worship is not merely ritual but inner alignment: approaching Saguna Shiva with devotion requires śuddhi (purity) and dayā (compassion). Merciless harm contradicts the devotional and ethical ground that makes Linga-pūjā spiritually fruitful.
Adopt ahimsa and compassion as a daily niyama while doing japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); accompany it with simple Shiva-upāsanā such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and mindful restraint of speech and action.