Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 97
वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)
निमित्तस्थो निमित्तं च नन्दिर् नन्दिकरो हरः नन्दीश्वरः सुनन्दी च नन्दनो विषमर्दनः
nimittastho nimittaṃ ca nandir nandikaro haraḥ nandīśvaraḥ sunandī ca nandano viṣamardanaḥ
He abides within the instrumental cause, and He Himself is the Cause. He is Nandi, the Giver of ānanda; He is Hara, Lord of Nandi—Sunanndi, Nandana, the Auspiciously Joyful—Bestower of delight and Destroyer of viṣa, the poison.
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s names to the sages of Naimisharanya)
FAQs
It presents Shiva as both the inner governor of all ritual instruments (nimitta-stha) and the very efficient cause (nimitta) of grace; in Linga-puja this supports the view that the Linga is not merely a symbol but the presence of Pati who empowers worship and grants ānanda.
Shiva is affirmed as Pati: the efficient cause behind cosmic functions and the remover (Hara) of pasha; He is also the source of auspicious bliss (Nandi, Sunandi) and the one who neutralizes the ‘poison’—both literal and the inner विष of ignorance and karmic affliction.
Nama-japa and stotra-recitation (Sahasranama) are implied as a Pashupata-aligned sadhana: remembering Shiva as Hara and Vishamardana is a contemplative practice to burn impurities and loosen bondage while performing Linga-puja with Nandi-bhakti (devotion through the Shiva-ganas).