Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21
विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्
Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu
सा शक्तिरम्बिका प्रोक्ता प्रकृतिस्सकलेश्वरी । त्रिदेवजननी नित्या मूलकारणमित्युत
sā śaktirambikā proktā prakṛtissakaleśvarī | tridevajananī nityā mūlakāraṇamityuta
അവൾ ശക്തി, ‘അംബിക’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധ; അവൾ തന്നെയാണ് പ്രകൃതി, സർവേശ്വരി. അവൾ ത്രിദേവന്മാരുടെ നിത്യജനനി; സൃഷ്ടിയുടെ മൂലകാരണമെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Umā
Role: creative
Offering: pushpa
Cosmic Event: origin of the trimūrti as functional deities from the eternal Ambikā as root-cause
FAQs
It establishes Ambikā (Śakti) as the eternal, all-governing power behind manifestation—honoring the Shiva–Shakti principle where the Lord’s power is the basis for creation, sustenance, and dissolution.
Linga worship points to Shiva as the supreme Pati; this verse clarifies that the Lord’s manifest activity is inseparable from Śakti (Ambikā). Thus, Saguna worship reveres Shiva together with his dynamic power that unfolds the cosmos.
A practical takeaway is Shiva–Shakti dhyāna: meditate on the Linga as Shiva (conscious Lord) and on Ambikā as Śakti (divine power), while japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” is performed with steady devotion.