Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21
पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः
Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge
मुनय ऊचुः । आवृणोति कथं माया व्यापिनं केन हेतुना । किमर्थं चावृतिः पुंसः केन वा विनिवर्तते
munaya ūcuḥ | āvṛṇoti kathaṃ māyā vyāpinaṃ kena hetunā | kimarthaṃ cāvṛtiḥ puṃsaḥ kena vā vinivartate
മുനിമാർ പറഞ്ഞു—മായ സർവ്വവ്യാപിയായ തത്ത്വത്തെ എങ്ങനെ മൂടുന്നു, ഏതു കാരണത്താൽ? മനുഷ്യനിൽ ഈ ആവരണം എന്തിനാണ് ഉണ്ടാകുന്നത്, ഏതു മാർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ അത് നീങ്ങുന്നു?
The sages (Munis) of Naimisharanya
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: liberating
FAQs
It frames the central Shaiva problem of bondage: the soul (paśu) experiences obscuration (āvṛti) by Māyā and seeks the cause and the liberating means—pointing toward Shiva (Pati) as the revealer of knowledge and giver of grace that removes ignorance.
Since Māyā veils direct recognition of the all-pervading Shiva, Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—becomes a practical support for the bound soul, focusing the mind, purifying karma, and preparing it for Shiva’s revelation beyond veiling.
The implied remedy is Shiva-upāsanā that dispels āvaraṇa: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), steady meditation on Shiva, and purificatory observances such as Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa as aids to discipline and devotion.