Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9
सर्गविभागवर्णनम्
Classification of Creation: the Nine Sargas and the Streams of Beings
ते सुखप्रीतिबहुला बहिरन्तश्च नावृताः । प्रकाशा बहिरन्तश्चस्वभावादेव संज्ञिताः । ततो ऽभिध्यायतोव्यक्तादर्वाक्स्रोतस्तु साधकः । मनुष्यनामा सञ्जातः सर्गो दुःखसमुत्कटः
te sukhaprītibahulā bahirantaśca nāvṛtāḥ | prakāśā bahirantaścasvabhāvādeva saṃjñitāḥ | tato 'bhidhyāyatovyaktādarvāksrotastu sādhakaḥ | manuṣyanāmā sañjātaḥ sargo duḥkhasamutkaṭaḥ
Mereka sarat dengan kebahagiaan dan kegembiraan, dan tidak terselubung sama ada di luar mahupun di dalam. Menurut fitrah mereka, mereka disebut “bercahaya”, luar dan dalam. Kemudian, ketika Yang Tidak Termanifest (Avyakta) direnungi, muncullah aliran yang mengalir ke bawah—aliran yang berusaha; terciptalah ciptaan bernama “manusia”, yang kuat bercampur dengan penderitaan.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: arvāk-srotas (downward-flowing) human creation emerges from avyakta—unique as ‘sādhaka’ yet duḥkha-pradhāna
FAQs
It contrasts luminous, less-veiled states with the human creation that arises in the downward current of manifestation, emphasizing that embodied life is strongly marked by duḥkha due to limitation and bondage (pāśa), and thus calls for turning toward Pati (Shiva) for liberation.
Since the human stream is described as striving amid suffering, the Linga serves as a concrete Saguna support for returning the mind from outward descent (arvāksrotas) toward Shiva—stabilizing devotion, purification, and inward luminosity.
A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with inward contemplation, supported by simple Shaiva observances like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha, to reverse the mind’s outward pull and lessen duḥkha.