Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2
शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice
वायुरुवाच । शैवो हि परमो धर्मः श्रेष्ठानुष्ठानशब्दितः । यत्रापरोक्षो लक्ष्येत साक्षान्मोक्षप्रदः शिवः
vāyuruvāca | śaivo hi paramo dharmaḥ śreṣṭhānuṣṭhānaśabditaḥ | yatrāparokṣo lakṣyeta sākṣānmokṣapradaḥ śivaḥ
Vāyu sprach: „Wahrlich, der śaivische Weg ist der höchste Dharma, als die erhabenste aller heiligen Observanzen bekannt; denn in ihm wird Śiva unmittelbar geschaut, und eben dieser Śiva, als gegenwärtige Wirklichkeit, verleiht mokṣa.“
Vayu
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Affirms Śaiva-dharma as the path where Śiva becomes aparokṣa (immediately intuited/realized), the hallmark of true tīrtha: darśana culminating in mokṣa through Śiva’s grace.
Role: liberating
FAQs
It declares Śaiva Dharma as supreme because it culminates in aparokṣa-anubhava—direct realization of Śiva as Pati—through which bondage is cut and mokṣa is granted.
Śaiva observance commonly begins with saguna upāsanā such as Liṅga worship to purify mind and devotion, and matures into direct recognition of Śiva’s presence—moving from symbol and form toward immediate realization.
It points to disciplined Śaiva anuṣṭhāna—regular worship, japa, and contemplation—aimed at direct experience of Śiva; practical takeaways include Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady dhyāna on Śiva as the giver of mokṣa.