Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5
शक्त्यादिसृष्टिनिरूपणम् / The Account of Creation Beginning with Śakti
निवृत्तिपदमुत्पन्नं प्रतिष्ठापदतः क्रमात् । एवमुक्ता समासेन सृष्टिरीश्वरचोदिता
nivṛttipadamutpannaṃ pratiṣṭhāpadataḥ kramāt | evamuktā samāsena sṛṣṭirīśvaracoditā
In due sequence, the state called “Nivṛtti” arose from the state called “Pratiṣṭhā.” Thus, in brief, this creation is declared to proceed under the impulse and governance of the Lord (Īśvara).
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: liberating
Cosmic Event: completion of emanation ladder; creation affirmed as īśvara-codita (governed by the Lord)
FAQs
It frames creation as an ordered unfolding of states culminating toward nivṛtti—spiritual withdrawal—showing that liberation-oriented return is built into the cosmos and is ultimately governed by Pati (Īśvara/Shiva).
By stating that sṛṣṭi is īśvara-coditā, it supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga-upāsanā) as devotion to the Lord who establishes, sustains, and turns beings toward nivṛtti (release).
A practical takeaway is nivṛtti-oriented sādhana: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditative withdrawal from sense-objects, offered to Shiva as the inner governor of the cosmic order.