Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18
दिव्यरथारोहणम् — Śiva’s Ascent on the Divine Chariot
Pre-battle Portents
यौ वै पाशुपतं दिव्यं चरिष्यति स मोक्ष्यति । पशुत्वादिति सत्यं वः प्रतिज्ञातं समाहिताः
yau vai pāśupataṃ divyaṃ cariṣyati sa mokṣyati | paśutvāditi satyaṃ vaḥ pratijñātaṃ samāhitāḥ
ผู้ใดปฏิบัติวัตรปาศุปตะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ด้วยใจจริง ผู้นั้นย่อมบรรลุโมกษะ ‘ย่อมพ้นจากภาวะปศุ—ดวงจิตที่ถูกผูกมัด’ ข้าพเจ้าได้ปฏิญาณแก่ท่านทั้งหลายโดยสัตย์จริง; จงมั่นคงและมีสติเถิด.
Lord Shiva (as Paśupati), instructing/assuring in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa narrative
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse declares Śiva’s assurance that sincere practice of the Pāśupata discipline leads to mokṣa by removing paśutva—the bound condition of the soul under pasha (bondage). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, grace (anugraha) arises through Śiva-oriented observance, ripening the soul toward liberation.
Pāśupata practice is devotion to Paśupati—Saguna Śiva as the accessible Lord. Such worship commonly centers on Liṅga-upāsanā (abhisheka, mantra-japa, and disciplined conduct), through which the devotee’s bondages are purified and Śiva’s liberating grace is invoked.
It points to undertaking a Shaiva vrata: steady observance with concentration (samāhita), typically including mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Liṅga-pūjā/abhisheka, and Shaiva marks such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where appropriate—performed with sincerity and restraint.