Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 45
त्रिमूर्तिसाम्यं तथा महेश्वरस्य परमार्थकारणत्वम् | Equality of the Trimūrti and Maheśvara as the Supreme Cause
अबुद्धिपूर्वः कथितो मयैष प्रधानसर्गः प्रथमः प्रवृतः । आत्यंतिकश्च प्रलयोन्तकाले लीलाकृतः केवलमीश्वरस्य
abuddhipūrvaḥ kathito mayaiṣa pradhānasargaḥ prathamaḥ pravṛtaḥ | ātyaṃtikaśca pralayontakāle līlākṛtaḥ kevalamīśvarasya
Demikianlah telah aku jelaskan pancaran asal (pengembangan pertama daripada Pradhāna) yang berlangsung tanpa perhitungan yang disengajakan. Dan peleburan mutlak pada penghujung kitaran kosmos itu, sesungguhnya hanyalah līlā—permainan suci—Īśvara semata-mata.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Role: liberating
Cosmic Event: pralaya and ātyantika-pralaya framed as Īśvara’s līlā
FAQs
It frames both creation and dissolution as dependent on Pati (Īśvara/Shiva): the world-process is not ultimate reality but a movement under Shiva’s sovereignty, encouraging detachment and turning the seeker toward liberation (moksha) through Shiva-realization.
By declaring pralaya and sarga as Īśvara’s līlā, it supports Saguna worship (such as the Shiva-Linga) as a concrete means to approach the transcendent Lord who stands beyond Pradhāna and the cycles of manifestation and withdrawal.
Meditate on Shiva as the sole Īśvara behind arising and dissolving thoughts—pairing japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with inward witnessing to cultivate vairagya (dispassion) and steadiness toward moksha.