Adhyaya 23: श्वेत-लोहित-पीत-कृष्ण-विश्व-कल्पेषु रुद्रस्वरूप-गायत्री-तत्त्ववर्णनम्
तत्र तत्पुरुषत्वेन विज्ञातो ऽहं त्वया पुनः तस्मात्तत्पुरुषत्वं वै ममैतत्कनकाण्डज
tatra tatpuruṣatvena vijñāto 'haṃ tvayā punaḥ tasmāttatpuruṣatvaṃ vai mamaitatkanakāṇḍaja
तत्र तत्पुरुषत्वेन विज्ञातोऽहं त्वया पुनः। तस्मात् तत्पुरुषत्वं वै ममैतत् कनकाण्डज॥
Shiva (as Tatpuruṣa) addressing Brahma (Hiraṇyagarbha)
It frames Linga-upāsanā as recognition (pratyabhijñā) of Shiva as Pati through His manifest aspects—here, Tatpuruṣa—so worship is not merely ritual but right knowledge of the Lord’s presence.
Shiva affirms His Tatpuruṣa-bhāva as truly His own, emphasizing that the Supreme Pati can be known through defined aspects while remaining the transcendent ground of all manifestations.
The verse points primarily to jñāna-oriented upāsanā—discernment and recognition of Shiva’s aspect (Tatpuruṣa)—which supports Pāśupata sādhanā by weakening pasha through correct understanding of Pati.