Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23
पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः
Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge
मुनय ऊचुः । कलादि कथ्यते किं तत्कर्म वा किमुदाहृतम् । तत्किमादि किमन्तं वा किं फलं वा किमाश्रयम्
munaya ūcuḥ | kalādi kathyate kiṃ tatkarma vā kimudāhṛtam | tatkimādi kimantaṃ vā kiṃ phalaṃ vā kimāśrayam
Die Weisen sprachen: „Was ist das, was man ‘Kalā’ und das Übrige nennt? Ist es eine Handlung (Karma), oder als was wird es bezeichnet? Was ist sein Anfang und was sein Ende? Was ist seine Frucht, und worauf beruht es?“
The sages (Munis) at Naimisharanya
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
FAQs
It frames a Shaiva philosophical inquiry: the sages ask for a precise definition of “Kalā and related principles,” including their origin, limit, result, and underlying support—pointing toward Shiva (Pati) as the ultimate substratum beyond the categories that bind the soul.
By asking the “āśraya” (support) of the principles, the verse prepares the teaching that the manifest (saguṇa) focus of worship—such as the Linga—leads the mind to the unmanifest support, Shiva, who transcends yet sustains all tattvas.
The takeaway is inquiry leading to contemplation: meditate on Shiva as the āśraya (ground) of all experiences while maintaining Shaiva disciplines such as japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to move from conceptual categories toward liberating knowledge.