Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2
अग्नीषोमात्मकविश्ववर्णनम् / The Universe as Agni–Soma
Fire and Nectar
आज्ञैकसारमैश्वर्यमाज्ञा त्वमिति चोदितम् । तदिदं श्रोतुमिच्छामो यथावदनुपूर्वशः
ājñaikasāramaiśvaryamājñā tvamiti coditam | tadidaṃ śrotumicchāmo yathāvadanupūrvaśaḥ
તમે કહ્યું કે ઐશ્વર્યનું સાર માત્ર ‘આજ્ઞા’ છે, અને ‘તું જ તે આજ્ઞા છે’ એમ પણ જણાવ્યું. તેથી અમે આ વાત યથાવત્, સ્પષ્ટ રીતે અને ક્રમશઃ સાંભળવા ઇચ્છીએ છીએ.
Sages at Naimisharanya (addressing Suta Goswami)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Significance: Frames Śiva’s aiśvarya as ājñā (sovereign ordinance): pilgrims and practitioners interpret temple discipline, vrata, and guru-upadeśa as participation in the Lord’s command leading toward grace (anugraha).
Mantra: ājñā tvam
Role: teaching
FAQs
It frames Shiva’s supreme lordship (aiśvarya) as His sovereign ordinance (ājñā): the divine power by which bondage and liberation are governed, and it asks for a systematic explanation of that principle.
By emphasizing Shiva’s ruling ordinance, it supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-puja) as obedience and alignment with Shiva’s will—devotion becomes living in accord with His ājñā, not merely external ritual.
The takeaway is disciplined śravaṇa (listening) and sequential contemplation: receive the teaching in order, then internalize it as a yogic practice of aligning one’s conduct and mantra-japa with Shiva’s ordinance.