Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15
देव्याः क्रोधः शक्तिनिर्माणं च
Devī’s Wrath and the Manifestation of the Śaktis
सर्वेषां चैव संहारं कुर्वंति स्म निरंतरम् । यत्रयत्र तु दृश्येत तत्रतत्रापि शक्तयः
sarveṣāṃ caiva saṃhāraṃ kurvaṃti sma niraṃtaram | yatrayatra tu dṛśyeta tatratatrāpi śaktayaḥ
त्या शक्ती निरंतर सर्वांचा संहार करीत होत्या; जिथे जिथे त्या दिसत, तिथे तिथेच त्या शक्ती उपस्थित होऊन कार्यरत असत।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time presides over dissolution; the verse’s motif of ceaseless saṃhāra resonates with the Mahākāla-tattva celebrated in Ujjayinī traditions (time-consuming, world-withdrawing aspect).
Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is sought for fearlessness before death/time, removal of dread, and steadiness in dharma amid change.
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
Cosmic Event: Pralaya-imagery: continuous withdrawal/dissolution enacted by Śaktis
FAQs
It teaches that dissolution (saṃhāra) is not random destruction but the orderly, uninterrupted working of Śiva’s Śakti—an expression of divine governance that withdraws the manifest world back toward its source, aiding the soul’s detachment and readiness for grace.
In Linga worship, devotees approach Saguna Śiva as the visible support of the Invisible; this verse highlights that the same Lord’s Śakti operates everywhere. Thus, the Linga becomes a focused point for recognizing the all-pervading Śiva-Śakti behind every change, including dissolution.
A practical takeaway is to meditate on impermanence through japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), offering the sense of doership into Śiva; optionally, apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of saṃhāra and the return of all forms to their source.