Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15
शिवस्य विश्वव्याप्तिः—अष्टमूर्तिः पञ्चब्रह्म च | Śiva’s Cosmic Pervasion: Aṣṭamūrti and the Pañcabrahma Forms
घ्राणस्य चैवोपस्थस्य गंधस्य च भुवस्तथा । सद्यो जाताह्वयां मूर्तिमीश्वरीं संप्रचक्षते । मूर्तयः पञ्च देवस्य वंदनीयाः प्रयत्नतः । श्रेयोर्थिभिर्नरैर्नित्यं श्रेयसामेकहेतवः
ghrāṇasya caivopasthasya gaṃdhasya ca bhuvastathā | sadyo jātāhvayāṃ mūrtimīśvarīṃ saṃpracakṣate | mūrtayaḥ pañca devasya vaṃdanīyāḥ prayatnataḥ | śreyorthibhirnarairnityaṃ śreyasāmekahetavaḥ
They declare the Sovereign Goddess-form—called Sadyojātā—presiding over the sense of smell, the generative organ, fragrance, and the earth. The five forms of the Lord are to be worshipped with effort by men who seek the Highest Good, for they are the single cause of all true auspiciousness.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadyojāta
Shakti Form: Gaurī
Role: creative
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that Shiva’s fivefold manifestation (Pañcamūrti/Pañcabrahma) governs the cosmos and the individual faculties; worship of these forms leads to śreyas—true auspiciousness culminating in liberation—because Shiva as Pati is the single ultimate cause and refuge.
The verse supports Saguna worship by identifying specific divine forms presiding over elements and senses; in Linga worship, devotees contemplate these five aspects as present in the Linga, honoring Shiva’s immanent governance while remembering his transcendence beyond all forms.
Daily worship and meditation on Shiva’s five forms—especially contemplating Sadyojāta with the earth element and offering gandha (fragrant substances) in pūjā—performed with disciplined effort (prayatna) as a steady sādhanā for śreyas.