Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22
षडध्ववेदनम् (Ṣaḍadhva-vedanam) — The Sixfold Path: Sound, Meaning, and Tattva-Distribution
निवृत्त्या रुद्रपर्यन्तं स्थितिरण्डस्य शोध्यते । प्रतिष्ठया तदूर्ध्वं तु यावदव्यक्तगोचरम्
nivṛttyā rudraparyantaṃ sthitiraṇḍasya śodhyate | pratiṣṭhayā tadūrdhvaṃ tu yāvadavyaktagocaram
निवृत्ती-तत्त्वाने ब्रह्मांडाची स्थिती रुद्रपर्यंत शुद्ध होते. आणि प्रतिष्ठा-तत्त्वाने त्याच्या वरचा भाग—अव्यक्ताच्या गोचरापर्यंत—विशुद्ध होतो.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Rudra
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: purification of brahmāṇḍa strata: up to Rudra via Nivṛtti; beyond via Pratiṣṭhā toward Avyakta
FAQs
It maps inner purification as an ascent: through Nivṛtti (withdrawal from bondage) one becomes fit up to Rudra-tattva, and through Pratiṣṭhā (stable establishment in the higher ground) one reaches toward the Avyakta, indicating progressive refinement from manifested limitation to subtler, transcendent awareness under Shiva’s grace.
Linga-worship trains the devotee in both devotion and interiorization: Nivṛtti corresponds to turning the mind away from worldly pasha (bondage), while Pratiṣṭhā corresponds to firmly establishing consciousness in Shiva (Pati) through steady worship—so Saguna practice becomes a ladder toward subtler realization.
A practical takeaway is mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with pratyāhāra-like withdrawal (nivṛtti) and daily worship with disciplined steadiness (pratiṣṭhā); applying bhasma and Rudraksha can support this as Shaiva aids to remembrance and restraint.