Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40
पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati
नैनमूर्ध्वं न तिर्यक्च न मध्यं पर्यजिग्रहत् । न तस्य प्रतिमा चास्ति यस्य नाम महद्यशः
nainamūrdhvaṃ na tiryakca na madhyaṃ paryajigrahat | na tasya pratimā cāsti yasya nāma mahadyaśaḥ
Ni en haut, ni de côté, ni au milieu, nul ne put L’embrasser. Pour le Très-Glorieux—dont le seul Nom est renommé—il n’est point d’image qui Le limite, ni de forme arrêtée.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
It declares Shiva as the immeasurable Pati—beyond spatial categories and beyond the mind’s power to fully circumscribe—guiding the seeker from limited concepts toward liberating knowledge and surrender.
Although Shiva is ultimately without a limiting “pratimā,” the Linga functions as a sacred, non-anthropomorphic focus for Saguna worship—pointing the devotee toward the Nirguna reality it signifies rather than confining Shiva to a finite form.
Meditate on Shiva as beyond measure while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), letting the mind release rigid images and rest in reverent awareness of the limitless Lord.