Vaiśyanātha-avatāra-kathā
The Account of Śiva’s Manifestation as Vaiśyanātha
नन्दीश्वर उवाच । एवमस्त्विति सा प्रोच्य लिंगमादाय रत्नजम् । नाट्यमण्डपिका मध्ये निधाय प्राविशद्गृहम्
nandīśvara uvāca | evamastviti sā procya liṃgamādāya ratnajam | nāṭyamaṇḍapikā madhye nidhāya prāviśadgṛham
Nandīśvara bersabda: “Demikianlah.” Setelah berkata begitu, dia mengambil Liṅga permata itu, meletakkannya di tengah-tengah balai tari, lalu masuk ke dalam rumah.
Nandīśvara (Nandi)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Naṭarāja
Sthala Purana: The placement of the liṅga in a nāṭya-maṇḍapikā evokes Śiva as Lord of Dance; not a Jyotirliṅga but a domestic ‘kṣetra’ created by devotion.
Significance: Teaches that any space— even a performance hall—can become sanctified when Śiva’s liṅga is स्थापित and revered.
Role: creative
Offering: dipa
The verse highlights reverent “pratiṣṭhā-like” placement of the Liṅga at the center, symbolizing Śiva as the spiritual axis (Pati) around whom devotion, discipline, and sacred activity are harmonized—an outer act that supports inner centering of consciousness.
A jewel-made Liṅga is treated as a tangible focus for Saguna upāsanā—devotees approach the formless Supreme (Nirguṇa) through a consecrated form (Liṅga), offering attention and worship with order, purity, and honor.
It suggests establishing the Liṅga in a clean central space (mandapa) as a worship-focus, then proceeding with pūjā and japa—especially Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—as a steady contemplative practice around the Liṅga.