Shloka 6
पार्वतीवाक्यं—शिवस्य परब्रह्मत्व-निरूपणम्
Pārvatī’s Discourse: Establishing Śiva as Parabrahman
वस्तुतो निर्गुणो ब्रह्म सगुणः कारणेन सः । कुतो जातिर्भवेत्तस्य निर्गुणस्य गुणात्मनः
vastuto nirguṇo brahma saguṇaḥ kāraṇena saḥ | kuto jātirbhavettasya nirguṇasya guṇātmanaḥ
In truth, Brahman—the Supreme Reality—is beyond the guṇas; yet, for the sake of being the causal ground, He is spoken of as possessing attributes. How, then, could there be any “birth” for That Reality—guṇa-transcending, yet appearing as the very basis of all qualities?
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages, conveying the Siddhānta that Pati is unborn and only appears as cause)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
FAQs
It teaches that the Supreme (Shiva as Brahman) is intrinsically beyond all guṇas and therefore unborn; ‘Saguna’ language is a devotional and explanatory way to speak of His grace-filled self-manifestation as the cause of the universe, without implying literal birth or limitation.
Linga-worship approaches the same Supreme through a manifest, approachable form (saguṇa upāsanā). The verse clarifies that this manifestation is not a worldly incarnation produced by karma, but Shiva’s sovereign revelation—so devotion to the manifest leads toward realization of the attributeless truth.
Contemplate Shiva as ajāta (unborn) while performing saguna worship—japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with steady dhyāna on the Linga—holding the insight that the form is a compassionate doorway to the formless, guṇa-transcending Reality.