Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35
सर्गविभागवर्णनम्
Classification of Creation: the Nine Sargas and the Streams of Beings
तथा प्रत्यागतप्राणः स्निग्धगम्भीरया गिरा । उवाच वचनं ब्रह्मा तमुद्दिश्य कृताञ्जलिः । त्वं हि दर्शनमात्रेण चानन्दयसि मे मनः । को भवान् विश्वमूर्त्या वा स्थित एकादशात्मकः
tathā pratyāgataprāṇaḥ snigdhagambhīrayā girā | uvāca vacanaṃ brahmā tamuddiśya kṛtāñjaliḥ | tvaṃ hi darśanamātreṇa cānandayasi me manaḥ | ko bhavān viśvamūrtyā vā sthita ekādaśātmakaḥ
Da sprach Brahmā, als seien ihm die Lebenshauche zurückgekehrt, mit sanfter und zugleich tiefer Stimme, die Hände ehrfürchtig gefaltet: «Schon durch Deinen bloßen Anblick wird mein Geist von Ānanda erfüllt. Wer bist Du—der Du als Gestalt des ganzen Universums verweilst, gegründet in der Natur der Elf?»
Brahma
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Rudra
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; Brahmā’s question frames the revelation of Śiva as viśvamūrti and as the source/ground of the eleven Rudras.
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse highlights how Shiva’s darśana (direct vision) restores inner life and clarity: Brahmā’s “revived breath” signifies grace that dissolves fear and ignorance, revealing bliss (ānanda) and prompting inquiry into the Supreme Pati who pervades the cosmos yet transcends it.
Brahmā recognizes Shiva as viśvamūrti (cosmic, saguna manifestation) while still asking “Who are You?”, implying that the visible form points beyond itself. In Linga worship, the Linga similarly serves as a sacred, saguna focus through which the devotee intuits the nirguṇa, all-transcending Shiva.
The verse suggests a practice of reverent darśana and namaskāra (kṛtāñjali), paired with contemplative inquiry into Shiva’s nature. As a Shaiva takeaway, one may perform daily Shiva-darśana (Linga or image), offer salutations with Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and Rudrākṣa if observant, and silently repeat “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while contemplating Shiva as both immanent (viśvamūrti) and transcendent (Pati).