Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35
शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”
सुवर्णस्य तथैकस्य वस्तुत्वं नैव गच्छति । अलंकृतिकृते देव नामभेदो न वस्तुतः
suvarṇasya tathaikasya vastutvaṃ naiva gacchati | alaṃkṛtikṛte deva nāmabhedo na vastutaḥ
De même que l’or, bien qu’un, ne devient pas une autre réalité lorsqu’il est façonné en parures, de même, ô Deva, les différences de noms ne naissent que de la forme et de l’ornement, non de la vérité de la Réalité elle-même.
Brahma (in the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa narration, explaining non-difference of essence despite name and form)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
FAQs
It teaches that the One Supreme Reality remains unchanged in essence; apparent differences arise from names and forms, guiding the seeker to look beyond outer distinctions to the truth of Shiva as the underlying Reality.
The Linga and other sacred forms are like ‘ornaments’—valid supports for devotion and concentration—yet they point to the same Shiva-tattva. Form-based worship (saguna) leads the mind toward realization of the formless essence (nirguna) without contradiction.
Practice japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while contemplating that all sacred names and forms resolve into one Shiva Reality; let outer worship mature into inner absorption (dhyāna) on the one essence.