Shloka 96
सर्वभूतभवं ज्ञात्वा लिड्रमर्चति यः प्रभो: । तस्मिन्नभ्यधिकां प्रीतिं करोति वृषभध्वज:,जो भगवान् शिवके लिंगको सम्पूर्ण भूतोंकी उत्पत्तिका स्थान जानकर उसकी पूजा करता है, उसपर भगवान् शंकर अधिक प्रेम करते हैं
sarvabhūtabhavaṁ jñātvā liṅgam arcati yaḥ prabhoḥ | tasminn abhyadhikāṁ prītiṁ karoti vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ ||
Vyāsa said: Whoever, understanding the liṅga of the Lord to be the very source from which all beings arise, worships it—upon that devotee Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Śiva, whose banner bears the bull) bestows an even greater love and favor. The passage frames devotion as deepest when joined with right knowledge of the divine as the ground of all existence.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worship becomes especially fruitful when it is grounded in insight: recognizing Śiva’s liṅga as the source of all beings, the devotee worships with understanding, and Śiva responds with greater affection and grace.
Vyāsa states a doctrinal point within the Drona Parva context: he describes the merit of liṅga-worship performed with the knowledge that the divine is the origin of all existence, emphasizing Śiva’s special favor toward such a worshipper.