दारुवनलीला—नीललोहितपरीक्षा, ब्रह्मोपदेशः, अतिथिधर्मः, संन्यासक्रमः
तपांसि तेषां सर्वेषां प्रत्याहन्यन्त शङ्करे यथादित्यप्रकाशेन तारका नभसि स्थिताः
tapāṃsi teṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ pratyāhanyanta śaṅkare yathādityaprakāśena tārakā nabhasi sthitāḥ
Ante Śaṅkara, las austeridades de todos ellos quedaron eclipsadas—como las estrellas del cielo son vencidas por el resplandor del sol. Así, sólo el Pati (Señor) permanece como la luz insuperable; ante Él, todo poder limitado de los paśu enmudece.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It establishes Shiva as the unsurpassed prakāśa (luminous reality): all individual tapas becomes secondary before His presence, implying that Linga-puja is fulfilled by aligning one’s austerity with devotion and surrender to Pati.
Shiva is depicted as self-effulgent like the sun—His consciousness eclipses all limited spiritual powers, showing Him as Pati, the supreme light that reveals and transcends the efforts of paśus (bound souls).
Tapas is acknowledged but shown as incomplete without Shiva’s anugraha; the takeaway aligns with Pāśupata orientation—discipline and austerity must culminate in devotion to Shiva as the highest refuge.