Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च
आवयोश्चाभवद्युद्धं सुघोरं रोमहर्षणम् प्रलयार्णवमध्ये तु रजसा बद्धवैरयोः
āvayoścābhavadyuddhaṃ sughoraṃ romaharṣaṇam pralayārṇavamadhye tu rajasā baddhavairayoḥ
પછી અમારા બંને વચ્ચે અતિ ઘોર, રોમાંચક યુદ્ધ થયું—પ્રલયારણવના મધ્યમાં—કારણ રજોગુણથી અમારી વૈર-ગાંઠ દૃઢ બંધાઈ હતી.
Suta Goswami (narrating an internal account of the Brahma–Vishnu conflict around the Linga’s manifestation)
It frames the Brahma–Vishnu rivalry as a rājasic bondage; the Linga’s manifestation functions as the Shaiva axis that dissolves such ego-born conflict and reorients worship toward Pati (Shiva), the supreme stabilizing reality.
By highlighting that the combat is driven by rajas even amid pralaya, the verse implies Shiva-tattva as that which is beyond the guṇas—Pati who reveals Himself (as Linga) to end guṇa-driven delusion and establish true knowledge.
The key takeaway is guṇa-śuddhi: Pāśupata discipline aims to pacify rajas (and tamas), so the pashu (soul) is freed from pasha (bondage) and becomes fit for Linga-upāsanā rooted in steadiness, not rivalry.