Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12
त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam
Description of the Burning of Tripura
पंचदेवात्मकः पंचदेवोपास्यः परः प्रभुः । तस्योपास्यो न कोप्यस्ति स एवोपास्य आलयम्
paṃcadevātmakaḥ paṃcadevopāsyaḥ paraḥ prabhuḥ | tasyopāsyo na kopyasti sa evopāsya ālayam
Der höchste Herr ist wesensgleich mit den fünf Gottheiten und wird durch die fünf Gottheiten verehrt. Für ihn gibt es keine andere Gottheit, die zu verehren wäre; er allein ist die eigentliche Wohnstatt und die letzte Zuflucht aller Verehrung.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Sthala Purana: ‘Pañcadevātmaka’ is read as Śiva’s lordship over and indwelling of the pañcadevatā framework (Śiva, Viṣṇu, Devī, Sūrya, Gaṇeśa) while remaining the ultimate upāsya—often used in later Smārta-Śaiva harmonizations without compromising Śiva’s supremacy in this text.
Significance: Encourages inclusive worship while directing the devotee to the single highest refuge (ālaya) in Śiva; supports temple practice where multiple shrines culminate in the main Śiva-sanctum.
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that all divine functions and revered forms culminate in Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord): worship through many forms is valid, yet the final resting-place of devotion and liberation is Shiva alone.
It supports Saguna worship as legitimate approaches (through the “five deities”), while affirming Shiva’s supremacy; the Shiva-Linga functions as a unifying, all-form symbol where diverse worship resolves into one ultimate Lord.
Maintain one-pointed upasana of Shiva—such as japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga worship—seeing all revered divine forms as leading the mind into Shiva, the final ālaya (refuge).