अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य — काशी-वाराणसी में मोक्ष, लिङ्ग-तीर्थ-मानचित्र, और उपासना-विधि
तस्थुरात्मानमास्थाय लीयमाना इवेश्वरे स्थितानां स तदा तेषां देवदेव उमापतिः
tasthurātmānamāsthāya līyamānā iveśvare sthitānāṃ sa tadā teṣāṃ devadeva umāpatiḥ
Berpijak pada Diri batin mereka sendiri, mereka berdiri seolah-olah melebur ke dalam Īśvara. Lalu, bagi mereka yang telah teguh bernaung dalam-Nya, Tuhan para dewa—Umāpati, Pati Yang Tertinggi—menampakkan diri dalam keadaan penyerapan itu.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It presents the core inner meaning behind Linga-upāsanā: the worshipper (pashu) becomes steady in the Self and, through devotion and concentration on Īśvara, experiences a state of ‘dissolution’ where Shiva (Pati) is directly realized.
Shiva is shown as Īśvara and Devadeva—transcendent yet immediately accessible—revealing Himself to those who abide in Him. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, Pati is the sovereign Reality who grants anugraha (grace) when the pashu turns inward and rests in Ishvara-bhāva.
A yogic emphasis is primary: ātmā-āsthā (establishment in the Self) and īśvara-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in the Lord), akin to Pāśupata-oriented contemplation where the bonds (pāśa) loosen as the mind ‘melts’ into Shiva-awareness.