Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17
मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्
Description of the Sages’ Questions
ब्रह्माविष्णुर्महेशश्च त्रयो देवाश्शिवांगजाः । महेशस्तत्र पूर्णांशस्स्वयमेव शिवोऽपरः
brahmāviṣṇurmaheśaśca trayo devāśśivāṃgajāḥ | maheśastatra pūrṇāṃśassvayameva śivo'paraḥ
Brahmā, Viṣṇu et Maheśa : ces trois dieux naissent de l’Être même de Śiva. Pourtant, parmi eux, Maheśa est la manifestation totale ; en vérité, il n’est autre que Śiva Lui-même, sans aucune différence.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Cosmic Event: cosmogonic emanation of deities from Śiva
FAQs
It establishes Śiva as the ultimate source (Pati) from whom the cosmic functions arise, while affirming that Maheśa is the complete, direct manifestation of Śiva—guiding the devotee to worship the supreme Lord beyond mere functional deities.
By declaring Maheśa as Śiva Himself, the verse supports Saguna worship—such as Śiva-liṅga pūjā—as worship of the Supreme, not merely a subsidiary form, and it frames the Liṅga as the accessible sign of the transcendent Śiva.
Meditate on Śiva as the source of all divine powers and chant the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with the understanding that worship offered to Maheśa/Śiva reaches the Supreme directly.