Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41
भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins
ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानामपि तूलायते पदम् । मत्तोन्यदनपेक्षाणामुद्धृतानां महात्मनाम्
brahmaviṣṇusureśānāmapi tūlāyate padam | mattonyadanapekṣāṇāmuddhṛtānāṃ mahātmanām
Selbst der Rang, den Brahmā, Viṣṇu und die Herren der Götter erlangen, wiegt auf der Waage wie nichts, verglichen mit dem Zustand jener großen Seelen, die von Mir befreit wurden und von nichts anderem als von Mir abhängen.
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga legend; it asserts the supremacy of Śiva’s liberating state over even the highest cosmic offices (Brahmā/Viṣṇu/Devas).
Significance: Frames pilgrimage as secondary to exclusive refuge (ananya-śaraṇatā) in Śiva; the ‘state of the liberated’ is the true tīrtha.
Role: liberating
FAQs
It declares that deva-ranks and cosmic offices (even of Brahma and Vishnu) are inferior to the liberated state granted by Shiva to souls who take Him alone as refuge; liberation is measured by freedom from pasha (bondage) and exclusive reliance on Pati (Shiva).
In Shaiva practice, Saguna Shiva—especially as the Shiva-Linga—is approached as the immediate, gracious Lord who bestows release; the verse emphasizes ananya-śaraṇāgati (exclusive surrender) to Shiva rather than seeking merely worldly or heavenly status.
Cultivate one-pointed devotion (ananya-bhakti) through japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with steady Shiva-upasana (Linga worship) as a practical expression of depending on Shiva alone.