Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46
मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence
Tapas-abode
विहारोप्यावयोरस्य जगतस्त्राणकारणात् । ततस्तदर्थं त्वय्यद्य क्रीडोक्तिं कृतवाहनम्
vihāropyāvayorasya jagatastrāṇakāraṇāt | tatastadarthaṃ tvayyadya krīḍoktiṃ kṛtavāhanam
Même notre jeu, en apparence léger, devient cause de sauvegarde pour ce monde. C’est pourquoi, pour ce dessein même, aujourd’hui j’ai ordonné cette entreprise ludique par ton entremise, te prenant pour moyen et véhicule.
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
FAQs
It presents Shiva’s līlā as purposeful: even what appears as divine “play” serves jagat-trāṇa (the safeguarding of the cosmos). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the Pati (Shiva) acts out of grace to protect and guide bound souls toward liberation.
By showing Shiva’s intentional, compassionate action in the world, the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā—worship of Shiva with attributes and activity. Linga worship similarly trains the devotee to see Shiva as both transcendent and actively bestowing protection and grace.
A key takeaway is śaraṇāgati (surrender): meditate while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering one’s agency to Shiva as the true doer, and performing worship (with bhasma and rudrākṣa if customary) with the intent of aligning with Shiva’s protective will.