Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च
वर्णाः षडधिकाः षष्टिर् अस्य मन्त्रवरस्य तु पञ्च मन्त्रांस् तथा लब्ध्वा जजाप भगवान् हरिः
varṇāḥ ṣaḍadhikāḥ ṣaṣṭir asya mantravarasya tu pañca mantrāṃs tathā labdhvā jajāpa bhagavān hariḥ
Mantra utama ini terdiri dari enam puluh enam suku kata. Setelah memperoleh pula lima mantra, Bhagavān Hari melantunkannya dalam japa.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana’s account to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It frames Liṅga-oriented worship as mantra-centered: the efficacy lies in receiving the proper mantras and performing steady japa, even by Hari, showing that devotion and mantra-discipline are central to approaching Pati (Śiva) as the Liṅga.
By implying that even Viṣṇu engages in japa of Liṅga-related mantras, the verse points to Śiva as Pati—the supreme reality accessible through mantra (śabda) and disciplined practice, beyond sectarian limitation.
Mantra-japa after mantra-dīkṣā/receipt: obtaining the (five) mantras and repeating them with concentration—an essential Pāśupata-aligned discipline for loosening pāśa (bondage) upon the paśu (individual soul).