Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च
विनाधिपत्यं समतां गते ऽन्ते ब्रह्मणो मम शुष्के च स्थावरे सर्वे त्व् अनावृष्ट्या च सर्वशः
vinādhipatyaṃ samatāṃ gate 'nte brahmaṇo mama śuṣke ca sthāvare sarve tv anāvṛṣṭyā ca sarvaśaḥ
Ketika kedaulatanku sebagai Brahmā berakhir dan jagat masuk ke keadaan serba sama, karena tiada hujan sama sekali semua makhluk diam maupun bergerak mengering di segala penjuru. Dalam runtuhnya tatanan demikian, tanpa anugraha Pati Śiva, para paśu (jiwa terikat) menjadi tak berdaya.
Brahma (within Suta’s narration)
It frames creation’s instability when Brahmā’s governance fails, implying that only Śiva—the Pati revealed through the Linga—restores order and sustains life; thus Linga-worship is presented as taking refuge in the ultimate Lord beyond cosmic roles.
By highlighting the collapse of rain, vitality, and hierarchy at the end of Brahmā’s adhipatya, it indirectly points to Śiva-tattva as the transcendent regulator and compassionate refuge, the Pati who can release Pashus from the pasha of cosmic distress.
The verse implies śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in the Pati during anāvṛṣṭi and disorder—an inner Pāśupata orientation that later expresses outwardly as Linga-pūjā and disciplined practice to overcome pasha (bondage).