अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति
यतो बिभर्षि सकलं विभज्य तनुमष्टधा अतो ऽस्मान् पाहि भगवन् सुरान् दानैर् अभीप्सितैः
yato bibharṣi sakalaṃ vibhajya tanumaṣṭadhā ato 'smān pāhi bhagavan surān dānair abhīpsitaiḥ
汝は御身を八相(アシュタダー)に分かちて一切を支え給う。ゆえに、おおバガヴァンよ、我らデーヴァを護り、我らの願う施与と恩寵の賜物を授け給え。
Devas (as a collective supplication within Suta’s narration)
It frames Shiva as the cosmic support (Pati) whose aṣṭamūrti pervades all reality; Linga worship thus becomes worship of the all-sustaining Lord who can also bestow protective grace and boons.
Shiva-tattva is presented as the transcendent Lord who freely manifests as the eightfold cosmos while remaining the sustaining ground of all; protection and boon-giving flow from His sovereign, compassionate lordship.
The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (devotional surrender) expressed as stuti and yācñā (prayer for grace/boons), a core orientation supporting Pāśupata discipline where the pashu seeks refuge in Pati to overcome pāśa.