Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17
प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा
The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga
पौरुषं च तथैश्वर्यमित्थं साम्ना ततं जगत् । अथाथर्वाह नैर्गुण्यमर्थं प्रथममात्मनः
pauruṣaṃ ca tathaiśvaryamitthaṃ sāmnā tataṃ jagat | athātharvāha nairguṇyamarthaṃ prathamamātmanaḥ
Ainsi, par le Sāman sacré, l’univers entier est pénétré—à la fois par la présence personnelle (pauruṣa) du Seigneur et par Sa puissance souveraine (aiśvarya). Puis Atharvan exposa d’abord le sens du Soi dans sa vérité nirguṇa, sans attributs.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara
Sthala Purana: The liṅga is revered as the embodiment of praṇava and Vedic sound; the verse’s emphasis on Sāman-pervasion and nirguṇa purport aligns with Oṃkāra-centered contemplation where sound leads to the attributeless reality.
Significance: Pilgrims seek purification through nāda (sacred sound), steadiness of mind, and insight into Śiva beyond guṇas (nirguṇa).
Mantra: ॐ तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि । तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Type: gayatri
Role: liberating
FAQs
It teaches a twofold vision of Shiva: He pervades the cosmos through manifest presence and lordly power, yet He is ultimately realized as nirguṇa—beyond all limiting attributes—pointing the seeker toward liberation through inner knowledge.
Saguna worship (such as Linga-pūjā) approaches Shiva through His aiśvarya and gracious presence in form; this verse affirms that such pervasion is real, while also directing the devotee to the higher contemplation of Shiva’s nirguṇa essence as the final purport.
A practical takeaway is to combine reverent chant (Vedic hymn/mantra-japa, including Panchakshara) with meditation that withdraws from attributes—contemplating Shiva as the inner Self (Ātman) beyond form, qualities, and conceptual limits.