Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9
पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः
Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge
मुनय ऊचुः । किं तज्ज्ञानं त्वया लब्धं तथ्यात्तथ्यंतरं शुभम् । यत्र कृत्वा परां निष्ठां पुरुषस्सुखमृच्छति
munaya ūcuḥ | kiṃ tajjñānaṃ tvayā labdhaṃ tathyāttathyaṃtaraṃ śubham | yatra kṛtvā parāṃ niṣṭhāṃ puruṣassukhamṛcchati
മുനിമാർ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ വായുവേ! നീ നേടിയ ആ ശുഭജ്ഞാനം ഏതാണ്—സത്യത്തോടു യഥാർത്ഥമായി ഒത്തതും ലൗകിക സത്യത്തെ അതിക്രമിച്ചതുമായത്; അതിൽ (ശിവനിൽ) പരമനിഷ്ഠ സ്ഥാപിച്ചാൽ മനുഷ്യൻ യഥാർത്ഥ സുഖശാന്തി പ്രാപിക്കും?
The sages of Naimisharanya (Munis), questioning Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Naimiṣāraṇya as a śravaṇa-kṣetra: hearing purāṇic Śiva-jñāna is itself a merit-yielding pilgrimage.
Role: liberating
FAQs
It frames the central Shaiva inquiry: the liberating knowledge that is both true and auspicious, culminating in parā niṣṭhā—unshakable abidance in Śiva—which yields lasting peace rather than temporary pleasure.
The verse points to knowledge that ripens into steadfastness; in Shaiva practice, such niṣṭhā is commonly stabilized through saguna upāsanā—Linga worship, mantra, and devotion—leading the mind toward the supreme reality of Śiva.
The takeaway is to cultivate parā niṣṭhā through regular Śiva-upāsanā—especially japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditative steadiness—so that knowledge becomes lived realization and inner peace.