Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31
शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman
वाच्यमित्यपरे प्राहुरवाच्यमिति चापरे । शब्दात्मकं परे प्राहुश्शब्दातीतमथापरे
vācyamityapare prāhuravācyamiti cāpare | śabdātmakaṃ pare prāhuśśabdātītamathāpare
Some declare Him to be expressible by speech, while others say He is inexpressible. Some describe Him as of the nature of sound (Śabda), and others as transcending all sound.
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s supreme nature to the sages of Naimisharanya in the Vayu Samhita’s philosophical discourse)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
FAQs
It reconciles two valid approaches: Shiva can be approached through doctrine and description (saguna for devotion and practice), yet His highest reality ultimately exceeds speech and conceptual grasp (nirguna, realized in direct yogic awareness).
Linga worship and mantra-based devotion operate in the realm of the “expressible” and “sound-nature” (śabda). Through these, the devotee’s mind is purified and led toward the realization of Shiva who is ultimately beyond all names, forms, and words.
Practice mantra-japa (especially Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady contemplation: begin with sound and meaning, then rest the mind in silent absorption where Shiva is intuited as śabdātīta—beyond words.