Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4
रुद्रस्य परमात्मत्वे ब्रह्मपुत्रत्वादिसंशयप्रश्नः — Questions on Rudra’s Supremacy and His ‘Sonship’ to Brahmā
यस्य ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च प्रणामं कुरुतो भयात् । लोकसंकोचकस्यास्य यस्य तौ वशवर्तिनौ
yasya brahmā ca viṣṇuśca praṇāmaṃ kuruto bhayāt | lokasaṃkocakasyāsya yasya tau vaśavartinau
Aus ehrfürchtigem Staunen verneigen sich Brahmā und Viṣṇu vor Ihm. Er ist der, der die Welten zusammenziehen (zurücknehmen) kann, und selbst jene beiden stehen unter seiner Herrschaft.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Type: stotra
Cosmic Event: loka-saṃkoca (cosmic contraction)
FAQs
It declares Shiva as Pati—the Supreme Lord who governs even Brahma and Vishnu—teaching that liberation arises from surrender to the highest reality beyond all delegated cosmic powers.
By affirming Shiva’s lordship over creation and withdrawal, it supports Linga-worship as devotion to the supreme source in a tangible form (Saguna) that points to the transcendent (Nirguna) Lord.
Cultivate humility and surrender through daily Shiva-puja: offer water to the Linga and repeat the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” meditating on Shiva as the inner ruler of all worlds.