Shloka 5
शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”
निगमं श्वासरूपेण ददौ तस्मै ततो हरः । विष्णवे च प्रसन्नात्मा महेशः करुणाकरः
nigamaṃ śvāsarūpeṇa dadau tasmai tato haraḥ | viṣṇave ca prasannātmā maheśaḥ karuṇākaraḥ
Kemudian Hara—Mahesha, lautan belas kasihan—dengan hati yang berkenan, mengurniakan Nigama (Veda) kepadanya seolah-olah itulah nafas-Nya sendiri; dan demikian juga Dia mengurniakannya kepada Viṣṇu.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: cosmogonic revelation: Veda issued as Śiva’s ‘breath’ for ordering creation
FAQs
It establishes Shiva (Pati) as the compassionate source of sacred knowledge: the Veda arises from Him like breath, showing that dharma and liberating wisdom ultimately depend on Shiva’s grace.
If the Veda itself is Shiva-born, then Vedic-Agamic worship—especially Saguna devotion such as Linga-upasana—rests on Shiva’s own revelation and compassion, not on merely human invention.
Contemplate Shiva as the inner life-breath (prāṇa) and source of mantra; recite Shiva-mantras (notably the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with breath-awareness as a devotional meditation rooted in nigama.