Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16
शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice
ते च पाशुपता ज्ञेयास्संहितानां प्रवर्तकाः । तत्संततीया गुरवः शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः
te ca pāśupatā jñeyāssaṃhitānāṃ pravartakāḥ | tatsaṃtatīyā guravaḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
వారిని పాశుపతులని తెలుసుకొనుడి—సంహితల ప్రవర్తకులు వారే. వారి పరంపరలో వందలుగా, వేలలుగా గురువులు ఉద్భవించిరి.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
FAQs
It establishes the authority of the Pāśupata lineage as transmitters of Shaiva revelation, emphasizing that true understanding of Shiva’s path is preserved and expanded through an unbroken guru-paramparā.
By pointing to the Saṃhitā-propounders, it implies that Linga-worship and Saguna Shiva upāsanā are not merely personal inventions but taught, systematized, and handed down through authorized Shaiva teachers.
The practical takeaway is reliance on initiation and instruction from a competent Shaiva guru—through whom disciplines like mantra-japa (including the Panchakshara), bhasma-dhāraṇa (Tripuṇḍra), and Shaiva yoga are properly learned and practiced.