Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38
गणेश-षण्मुखयोः विवाहविचारः / Deliberation on the Marriages of Gaṇeśa and Ṣaṇmukha
इत्येवं वचनं देवे शास्त्रे वा धर्मसञ्चये । वर्त्तते किं च तत्तथ्यं नहि किं तथ्यमेव वा
ityevaṃ vacanaṃ deve śāstre vā dharmasañcaye | varttate kiṃ ca tattathyaṃ nahi kiṃ tathyameva vā
ഇത്തരമൊരു വചനം ദേവന്റെ വാണിയിലോ ധർമ്മസഞ്ചയ ശാസ്ത്രങ്ങളിലോ കാണപ്പെടുന്നു; എന്നാൽ അത് യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ സത്യമോ, അല്ലയോ—അഥവാ അതേ ഏകസത്യമോ?
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages, presenting a deliberative question on scriptural certainty)
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It highlights discernment (viveka): even when a claim appears in divine speech or dharma-śāstra, the seeker should test it against truth-oriented dharma that leads toward Shiva (Pati) and liberation, not mere argument or custom.
Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is grounded in śāstra and the Lord’s instruction; this verse frames the need to establish what is genuinely authoritative so devotion to Saguna Shiva is aligned with true dharma and not based on doubtful interpretations.
A practical takeaway is śāstra-yukti with bhakti: study the Shaiva teachings, verify them by their capacity to purify and steady the mind, and then commit to consistent Shiva-upāsanā such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a truthful, disciplined life.