Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14
देव्याः क्रोधः शक्तिनिर्माणं च
Devī’s Wrath and the Manifestation of the Śaktis
गणपो वाथ विष्णुर्वा ब्रह्मा वा शंकरस्तथा । इन्द्रो वा यक्षराजो वा स्कंदो वा सूर्य एव वा
gaṇapo vātha viṣṇurvā brahmā vā śaṃkarastathā | indro vā yakṣarājo vā skaṃdo vā sūrya eva vā
មិនថា គណបតិ ឬ វិស្ណុ ឬ ព្រហ្មា ឬ សង្ករ; មិនថា ឥន្ទ្រ ឬ ព្រះអម្ចាស់យក្ស ឬ ស្កន្ទ ឬ សូរ្យ—គ្មានអ្នកណាម្នាក់អាចចាត់ទុកថា ឯករាជ្យពីព្រះអម្ចាស់អធិបតីដ៏ខ្ពង់ខ្ពស់បានឡើយ។
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
FAQs
It lists major deities to emphasize that all cosmic powers—creation, preservation, rule, wealth, valor, and illumination—operate by the Supreme Lord’s ordinance; in Shaiva Siddhanta this points to Shiva as Pati, the ultimate source and governor.
By placing even the highest gods within the Supreme Lord’s domain, the verse supports exclusive refuge in Shiva; Linga worship honors Shiva as the all-pervading Saguna focus through which devotees approach the transcendent Nirguna reality.
Adopt single-minded Shiva-bhakti: worship the Shiva-Linga with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, "Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and cultivate humility by seeing all powers as dependent on Shiva’s grace.