Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2
अग्नीषोमात्मकविश्ववर्णनम् / The Universe as Agni–Soma
Fire and Nectar
आज्ञैकसारमैश्वर्यमाज्ञा त्वमिति चोदितम् । तदिदं श्रोतुमिच्छामो यथावदनुपूर्वशः
ājñaikasāramaiśvaryamājñā tvamiti coditam | tadidaṃ śrotumicchāmo yathāvadanupūrvaśaḥ
നിങ്ങൾ ‘ഐശ്വര്യത്തിന്റെ സാരം ആജ്ഞ മാത്രമാണ്’ എന്നും ‘നീ തന്നെയാണ് ആ ആജ്ഞ’ എന്നും പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു. അതിനാൽ ഇതു യഥാവിധം, വ്യക്തമായി, ക്രമാനുസരിച്ച് കേൾക്കാൻ ഞങ്ങൾ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.
Sages at Naimisharanya (addressing Suta Goswami)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Significance: Frames Śiva’s aiśvarya as ājñā (sovereign ordinance): pilgrims and practitioners interpret temple discipline, vrata, and guru-upadeśa as participation in the Lord’s command leading toward grace (anugraha).
Mantra: ājñā tvam
Role: teaching
FAQs
It frames Shiva’s supreme lordship (aiśvarya) as His sovereign ordinance (ājñā): the divine power by which bondage and liberation are governed, and it asks for a systematic explanation of that principle.
By emphasizing Shiva’s ruling ordinance, it supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-puja) as obedience and alignment with Shiva’s will—devotion becomes living in accord with His ājñā, not merely external ritual.
The takeaway is disciplined śravaṇa (listening) and sequential contemplation: receive the teaching in order, then internalize it as a yogic practice of aligning one’s conduct and mantra-japa with Shiva’s ordinance.