Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26
शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman
तमाहुर्विगुणं केचिद्गुणवन्तं परे विदुः । केचित्संसारिणं प्राहुस्तमसंसारिणं परे
tamāhurviguṇaṃ kecidguṇavantaṃ pare viduḥ | kecitsaṃsāriṇaṃ prāhustamasaṃsāriṇaṃ pare
ചിലർ അവനെ നിർഗുണനെന്ന് പറയുന്നു; മറ്റുചിലർ സഗുണനെന്ന് അറിയുന്നു. ചിലർ അവനെ സംസാരബന്ധത്തിൽപ്പെട്ടവനെന്ന് പറയുന്നു; മറ്റുചിലർ ശിവനെ സംസാരാതീതനായി നിത്യമുക്തനെന്ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുന്നു.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
FAQs
It highlights the seeming contradictions people project onto Śiva—nirguṇa/saguṇa and saṃsāra-bound/saṃsāra-free—pointing to Śiva as the supreme Pati who transcends limited viewpoints and is ultimately the liberator of the soul.
The Liṅga and other forms support saguṇa devotion for embodied seekers, while the same Śiva is realized as nirguṇa in higher contemplation—one reality approached through form and then known beyond form.
Adopt saguṇa upāsanā—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with reverence for the Liṅga—while meditating on Śiva as asaṃsārī (ever free), letting devotion mature into inner stillness and liberation-oriented insight.