Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38
दक्षयज्ञे मुनिदेवसमागमः / The Gathering of Sages and Gods at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice
यस्मिन्वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च कर्माणि विविधानि च । प्रतिष्ठितानि सर्वाणि सोऽसौ विष्णुरिहागतः
yasminvedāśca yajñāśca karmāṇi vividhāni ca | pratiṣṭhitāni sarvāṇi so'sau viṣṇurihāgataḥ
«Celui en qui sont solidement établis les Veda, les sacrifices (yajña) et les multiples formes d’actes prescrits : ce Viṣṇu même est venu ici. (Cependant, selon la vision śaiva, ces rites védiques ne trouvent leur stabilité et leur accomplissement ultime que lorsqu’ils s’accordent avec le Seigneur suprême Śiva, souverain intérieur de tout.)»
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: By locating Veda, yajña, and karma in Viṣṇu, the narrative sets a theological ladder: scriptural and ritual orders are real but derivative; their ‘pratiṣṭhā’ ultimately requires alignment with Śiva (Pati) for liberation, otherwise they remain within pāśa (bondage).
Significance: Encourages pilgrims to integrate Vedic orthopraxy with Śiva-centered devotion and right view, avoiding sectarian contempt and ritual absolutism.
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights Viṣṇu as the cosmic support of Vedic order—Vedas, yajñas, and karmas—while the Shiva Purana’s Śaiva lens implies that all such dharmic structures reach their highest purpose when oriented toward Śiva, the supreme inner Lord who grants liberation beyond ritual merit.
By affirming the foundation of Vedic rites, the verse prepares the reader to see external yajña as incomplete without devotion (bhakti) and right orientation; in Śaiva practice, Linga worship becomes the concentrated, Saguna form through which the fruits of Vedic discipline are offered back to the Supreme (Śiva) for purification and grace.
A practical takeaway is to perform one’s prescribed duties as an offering (ārpaṇa-bhāva) and add daily Śiva-upāsanā—such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga-archana—so that karma and ritual become inwardly consecrated.