देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च
तेजोमयो द्युतिधरो लोकमायो ऽग्रणीर् अणुः शुचिस्मितः प्रसन्नात्मा दुर्जयो दुरतिक्रमः
tejomayo dyutidharo lokamāyo 'graṇīr aṇuḥ śucismitaḥ prasannātmā durjayo duratikramaḥ
He is formed of pure splendor, the bearer of radiant brilliance; through His world-enchanting māyā He leads all. Subtler than the subtlest, His smile is stainless and auspicious; His very being is serene. He is unconquerable and impossible to overstep—Pati, beyond all pāśa and beyond the reach of bound paśus.
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It frames the Linga’s object of worship as Shiva Himself—pure tejas and the supreme Pati—so the devotee approaches the Linga not as a mere symbol but as the radiant, transcendent Lord who guides the worlds through māyā.
Shiva is portrayed as luminous consciousness (tejas), both immanent (world-māyā and guidance) and transcendent (subtler than the subtlest, beyond conquest and beyond being crossed), indicating the Lord’s supremacy over bondage (pāśa) and the bound soul (paśu).
A contemplative practice is implied: dhyāna on Shiva as inner serenity (prasannātmā) and radiant splendor (dyutidhara), strengthening Pashupata-oriented detachment from māyā while taking refuge in the unconquerable Pati.