Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 48
सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनम् / Description of the Sequence of Creation
परं ब्रह्म शिवः प्रोक्तस्तस्य रूपास्त्रयः सुराः । अहं विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च गुणभेदानुरूपतः
paraṃ brahma śivaḥ proktastasya rūpāstrayaḥ surāḥ | ahaṃ viṣṇuśca rudraśca guṇabhedānurūpataḥ
ശിവനെയാണ് പരബ്രഹ്മം എന്നു പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. അവന്റെ തന്നെ മൂന്നു ദിവ്യരൂപങ്ങൾ—ഞാൻ (ബ്രഹ്മാ), വിഷ്ണു, രുദ്രൻ—ഗുണഭേദങ്ങൾക്കനുസരിച്ച് പ്രത്യക്ഷമാകുന്നു.
Brahmā (speaking within the creation narrative, as transmitted by Sūta to the sages)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Doctrinal declaration: Śiva is Paraṃ Brahma; Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra are his three guṇa-correlated functional forms (rajas/sattva/tamas).
Significance: Establishes correct theological orientation for worship: devotion to Trimūrti culminates in recognition of Śiva as the transcendent source beyond guṇas; supports Siddhānta Pati doctrine.
Mantra: paraṃ brahma śivaḥ proktas tasya rūpās trayaḥ surāḥ | ahaṃ viṣṇuś ca rudraś ca guṇabhedānurūpataḥ
FAQs
It establishes Śiva as Para Brahman (the highest Reality) and explains the Trimūrti as functional manifestations, indicating that liberation is ultimately oriented to Śiva as the supreme Pati, not merely to the guṇa-bound cosmic roles.
By teaching that Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra are forms of Śiva adapted to guṇa-differences, the verse supports Linga-worship as worship of the one Lord who appears with attributes (saguṇa) for devotion while remaining transcendent (nirguṇa) as Para Brahman.
Meditate on Śiva as the one Reality behind the three cosmic functions, and steady the mind with Śiva-mantra japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to move beyond guṇa-identification toward Śiva-consciousness.