Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15
शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice
संक्षिप्यास्य प्रवक्तारश्चत्वारः परमर्षय । रुरुर्दधीचो ऽगस्त्यश्च उपमन्युर्महायशाः
saṃkṣipyāsya pravaktāraścatvāraḥ paramarṣaya | rururdadhīco 'gastyaśca upamanyurmahāyaśāḥ
Em suma, os exaltados expositores desta tradição são quatro rishis supremos: Ruru, Dadhīci, Agastya e o mui afamado Upamanyu.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It establishes the rishi-paramparā (lineage of transmission) for the teaching, emphasizing that Śiva-knowledge is preserved through realized seers and handed down in a disciplined, authoritative tradition—supporting the Shaiva view that liberating knowledge (jñāna) is received through proper revelation and instruction.
By naming the authoritative teachers, the text implicitly validates the practices and doctrines they transmit—such as devotion to Saguna Śiva and reverence for the Liṅga as a sanctified focus for worship—grounding ritual and bhakti in an authentic Shaiva scriptural lineage.
The verse primarily points to śravaṇa (listening) and adhyayana (study) under a qualified teacher; as a practical takeaway, one may combine disciplined scriptural recitation with Śiva-mantra japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as taught in the Shaiva tradition.