Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 47
प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च
The Great Assembly at Prayāga: Śiva’s Appearance and Dakṣa’s Arrival
यज्ञोहं यज्ञकर्माहं यज्ञांगानि च सर्वशः । यतात्मा यज्ञनिरतो यज्ञबाह्योहमेव वै
yajñohaṃ yajñakarmāhaṃ yajñāṃgāni ca sarvaśaḥ | yatātmā yajñanirato yajñabāhyohameva vai
我はヤジュニャ（祭祀）そのもの、我は祭祀の行為そのもの、またあらゆる仕方において祭祀の肢分・要素のすべてである。我は自制し、常に祭祀に専念する者—しかも我ひとり、祭祀をも超えて立つ超越の主である。
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: यज्ञोहं यज्ञकर्माहं यज्ञांगानि च सर्वशः । यतात्मा यज्ञनिरतो यज्ञबाह्योहमेव वै
Type: stotra
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
The verse teaches that Shiva is both the immanent presence within all sacred action (the yajña and its components) and the transcendent Pati who surpasses ritual. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, outer rites become liberating when they are offered to Shiva as the inner Lord and culminate in self-restraint and God-centered awareness.
Linga worship embodies this principle: the devotee performs visible offerings (saguna upachara) while recognizing Shiva as the formless reality (nirguna) beyond all acts. The Linga becomes the focal point where ritual is internalized—Shiva is understood as the very power receiving the worship and the reality beyond it.
The takeaway is to unite outer worship with inner discipline: perform puja or homa as an offering to Shiva, while cultivating yatātmatā (self-control) and steady remembrance through japa—especially the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so the ritual becomes an inner yajña leading toward freedom.