Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29
Śiva’s Freedom from Bondage and His Cosmic Support (शिवस्य अबन्धत्वं तथा सर्वाधिष्ठानत्वम्)
मकारः पुरुषो बीजं तमः संहारको हरः । नादः परः पुमानीशो निर्गुणो निष्क्रियः शिवः
makāraḥ puruṣo bījaṃ tamaḥ saṃhārako haraḥ | nādaḥ paraḥ pumānīśo nirguṇo niṣkriyaḥ śivaḥ
‘മ’ അക്ഷരമാണ് പുരുഷ-ബീജം; തമോഗുണത്താൽ സംഹാരകനായ ഹരൻ അവൻ തന്നെ. അവൻ പരനാദം, പരമേശ്വരൻ, ഉത്തമപുരുഷൻ—നിർഗുണൻ, നിഷ്ക്രിയൻ ശിവൻ.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Mantra: makāraḥ puruṣo bījaṃ tamaḥ saṃhārako haraḥ | nādaḥ paraḥ pumānīśo nirguṇo niṣkriyaḥ śivaḥ
Role: liberating
Cosmic Event: pralaya (implied through saṃhāra and tamas)
FAQs
It identifies Shiva as the causal seed and the inner reality of mantra-sound (nāda), teaching that the same Lord who dissolves the cosmos as Hara is, in truth, nirguṇa and niṣkriya—beyond the guṇas and worldly action—thus pointing the seeker toward liberation through right knowledge and mantra.
While Shiva is declared nirguṇa and actionless in essence, devotees approach Him through saguna supports—especially the Śiva-liṅga and the Pañcākṣarī—where mantra (sound/nāda) and form (liṅga) become compassionate means to realize the formless Lord.
Japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Namaḥ Śivāya), with inward contemplation on nāda (subtle sound) and Shiva as the seed-cause, is implied; it can be paired with traditional Shaiva observances like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and remembrance.