Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41
बाणासुरस्य क्रोधाज्ञा तथा अन्तःपुरयुद्धारम्भः
Bāṇāsura’s Wrathful Command and the Onset of Battle at the Inner Palace
सर्वस्यांतर्गतः स्वामी प्रेरकस्सर्वतः परः । निर्विकार्यव्ययो नित्यो मायाधीशोपि निर्गुणः
sarvasyāṃtargataḥ svāmī prerakassarvataḥ paraḥ | nirvikāryavyayo nityo māyādhīśopi nirguṇaḥ
તે સર્વના અંતરમાં વસતો સ્વામી, અંતર્યામી પ્રેરક છે; છતાં સર્વથી પર છે. તે નિર્વિકાર, અવ્યય, નિત્ય છે; અને માયાના અધીશ્વર હોવા છતાં નિર્ગુણ છે।
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s supremacy to the sages at Naimisharanya within the Rudrasaṃhitā discourse)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that Shiva is both the indwelling Lord (antaryāmin) who governs all from within and the transcendent Supreme who is untouched by change—pointing the seeker toward liberation by realizing Shiva beyond the guṇas and beyond Māyā.
The Liṅga is worshiped as the visible, saguna support for devotion, while this verse clarifies the ultimate truth: the very same Shiva is nirguṇa—beyond qualities—so saguna worship culminates in realizing His formless, transcendent nature.
Meditate on Shiva as the inner witness and impeller while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); support the practice with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders that the Lord of Māyā is nevertheless nirguṇa and ever-pure.