Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7
शिवस्य विश्वव्याप्तिः—अष्टमूर्तिः पञ्चब्रह्म च | Śiva’s Cosmic Pervasion: Aṣṭamūrti and the Pañcabrahma Forms
स्थाणोस्तत्पुरुषाख्या या मूर्तिर्मूर्तिमतः प्रभोः । गुणाश्रयात्मकं भोग्यमव्यक्तमधितिष्ठति । धर्माद्यष्टांगसंयुक्तं बुद्धितत्त्वं पिनाकिनः । अधितिष्ठत्यघोराख्या मूर्तिरत्यंतपूजिता
sthāṇostatpuruṣākhyā yā mūrtirmūrtimataḥ prabhoḥ | guṇāśrayātmakaṃ bhogyamavyaktamadhitiṣṭhati | dharmādyaṣṭāṃgasaṃyuktaṃ buddhitattvaṃ pinākinaḥ | adhitiṣṭhatyaghorākhyā mūrtiratyaṃtapūjitā
Du Seigneur manifesté comme Sthāṇu, la forme nommée Tatpuruṣa préside à l’avyakta, le principe non manifesté, objet de l’expérience et support des guṇa. Et la forme appelée Aghora, souverainement vénérée, préside au buddhi-tattva de Pinākin (Śiva), pourvu des huit membres commençant par le dharma.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that Śiva, though transcendent, also governs the inner principles of experience—such as the unmanifest source of the guṇas and the intellect—so the seeker can purify bondage (pāśa) and move toward liberation under the Lord’s grace (anugraha).
The Liṅga worship addresses Śiva as both nirguṇa (beyond qualities) and saguṇa (with forms). Here, Tatpuruṣa and Aghora are saguṇa revelations through which the devotee contemplates Śiva’s lordship over avyakta and buddhi, integrating ritual devotion with inner meditation.
Meditate on Śiva’s Aghora aspect as the purifier of buddhi (intellect) and on Tatpuruṣa as the Lord of the unmanifest; during Liṅga-pūjā, support this with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and inner offering of one’s thoughts and discernment to Śiva.