Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2
मृत्युञ्जय-विद्या-प्रादुर्भावः
The Manifestation/Transmission of the Mṛtyuñjaya Vidyā
पुरासौ भृगुदायादो गत्वा वाराणसीं पुरीम् । बहुकालं तपस्तेपे ध्यायन्विश्वेश्वरं प्रभुम्
purāsau bhṛgudāyādo gatvā vārāṇasīṃ purīm | bahukālaṃ tapastepe dhyāyanviśveśvaraṃ prabhum
Autrefois, un descendant de Bhṛgu se rendit dans la cité sacrée de Vārāṇasī et, durant longtemps, accomplit des austérités, méditant sur Viśveśvara, le Souverain de l’univers.
Sūta Gosvāmin
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: A Bhṛgu-lineage ascetic comes to Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) and undertakes prolonged tapas with Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha as the meditation-object, establishing the paradigm that liberation in Kāśī is secured by Śiva’s special grace (anugraha) rather than by merit alone.
Significance: Dhyāna and tapas in Kāśī oriented to Viśvanātha is held to accelerate pāśa-kṣaya (weakening of bonds) and stabilize bhakti; Kāśī is famed as a kṣetra where Śiva’s anugraha is especially accessible.
FAQs
It presents Kashi (Vārāṇasī) as a preeminent Shaiva kṣetra where sustained tapas and dhyāna on Viśveśvara ripen the soul toward Shiva’s grace, the decisive factor for liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta.
By naming Viśveśvara—the well-known Kashi form of Shiva commonly worshipped as a Liṅga—the verse emphasizes Saguna upāsanā: concentrating the mind on Shiva with form and name as a direct means to receive his anugraha (saving grace).
The practice indicated is long-term tapas with dhyāna—steady meditation on Viśveśvara—supported in Shaiva practice by mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined observances.