Adhyaya 8: Yogasthanas, Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama-Siddhi, and Shiva-Dhyana leading to Samadhi
नागः कूर्मस्तु कृकलो देवदत्तो धनंजयः एतेषां यः प्रसादस्तु मरुतामिति संस्मृतः
nāgaḥ kūrmastu kṛkalo devadatto dhanaṃjayaḥ eteṣāṃ yaḥ prasādastu marutāmiti saṃsmṛtaḥ
Nāga, Kūrma, Kṛkala, Devadatta dan Dhanaṃjaya—itulah hembusan nafas-hayat. Rahmat penyelaras (prasāda) yang meneguhkan dan mengawal mereka diingati sebagai “Maruts”, yakni angin-angin kehidupan.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya)
It links inner discipline to worship: steadiness of the life-winds (Maruts) supports mental purity and one-pointedness, making Linga-puja a true offering of the pashu’s (soul’s) inner life to Pati (Shiva).
By implication, Shiva-tattva is the regulating, pacifying principle (prasāda) that harmonizes the pranic forces; He is Pati who orders the pashu’s inner functions and loosens pasha through yogic steadiness.
Prāṇa-samyama (regulated breath and inner-wind balance) as a Pashupata-oriented yogic support for mantra-japa and Linga-dhyana, where calming the upa-prāṇas stabilizes attention.