Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama
पद्माश्रितो महादेवः सर्वदेवपतिः शिवः तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन श्रीपत्त्रं न त्यजेद्बुधः
padmāśrito mahādevaḥ sarvadevapatiḥ śivaḥ tasmātsarvaprayatnena śrīpattraṃ na tyajedbudhaḥ
Mahādeva—Śiva, el Pati (Señor) de todos los dioses—mora sobre el loto. Por ello, con todo empeño, el sabio no debe abandonar jamás la ofrenda sagrada de la hoja de bilva, pues es amada por Śiva y sostiene el acercamiento del alma al Pati mediante la adoración.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)
It elevates the bilva leaf (śrīpatra) as a non-negotiable, Śiva-pleasing offering in liṅga-pūjā, urging sustained discipline in ritual devotion as a means for the pashu (individual soul) to draw near to Pati (Śiva).
Śiva is presented as Mahādeva and sarvadevapati—the sovereign Lord beyond and above the devas—indicating Pati-tattva: the supreme ruler who receives worship and grants grace for release from pāśa (bondage).
It highlights pūjā-vidhi centered on bilva-leaf offering to the liṅga—an act of disciplined devotion that supports inner purification and steadiness aligned with Pāśupata-oriented practice.