Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17
मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence
Tapas-abode
परीतः सर्वतो दिक्षु भ्रमन्निव विहायसि । पश्यन्निव जगत्सर्वं नृत्यन्निव निरन्तरम्
parītaḥ sarvato dikṣu bhramanniva vihāyasi | paśyanniva jagatsarvaṃ nṛtyanniva nirantaram
彼は四方八方に囲まれ、あたかも虚空を巡るかのように、あたかも全宇宙を見渡すかのように、そしてあたかも絶え間なく舞うかのように—万有に遍満し、万有を統べ見守る主として、常に活動している。
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, describing Lord Shiva)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Naṭarāja
Sthala Purana: The verse depicts Śiva as omnidirectional, sky-moving, all-seeing, and ceaselessly dancing—iconically aligning with Naṭarāja’s cosmic dance (ānanda-tāṇḍava) rather than a specific Jyotirliṅga episode.
Significance: Meditation on Śiva’s sarvavyāpitva (all-pervasion) and sarvajñatva (all-seeing) cultivates surrender of the paśu to Pati; supports contemplative worship of Naṭarāja as the regulator of cosmic order.
Type: stotra
Offering: dipa
Cosmic Event: Implied perpetual cosmic motion—Śiva’s continuous governance of the universe (nitya-kṛtya), not tied to a specific calendrical marker.
FAQs
It portrays Shiva as the all-pervading Pati—unceasingly present, witnessing the whole cosmos, and dynamically sustaining, dissolving, and blessing beings; realizing Him as the ever-aware Lord loosens the bonds (pāśa) that bind the soul (paśu).
Though Shiva is beyond form, the verse points to His immanence and activity; Linga worship stabilizes the mind on Saguna Shiva as the cosmic witness and dancer, making the formless reality approachable through a sacred symbol.
Meditate on Shiva as the continuous inner witness (sākṣin) while repeating the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and contemplate His ceaseless Tandava as the rhythm of breath and awareness, supporting steadiness in yoga and devotion.