Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21
शिवसंस्कार-दीक्षानिरूपणम् (Śivasaṃskāra and the Typology of Dīkṣā)
यथा शिवस्तथा विद्या यथा विद्या तथा गुरुः । शिवविद्या गुरूणां च पूजया सदृशं फलम्
yathā śivastathā vidyā yathā vidyā tathā guruḥ | śivavidyā gurūṇāṃ ca pūjayā sadṛśaṃ phalam
พระศิวะเป็นเช่นไร วิทยาอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ก็เป็นเช่นนั้น; วิทยาเป็นเช่นไร คุรุก็เป็นเช่นนั้น ผลแห่งการเทิดทูนศิววิทยาและการบูชาคุรุทั้งหลายย่อมเสมอกัน
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches the Shaiva principle that Śiva (Pati), true liberating knowledge (vidyā), and the Guru who transmits it are inseparable in purpose; honoring the Guru and Śiva-knowledge leads to the same spiritual fruit—purification and movement toward liberation.
Linga worship is Saguna devotion that steadies the mind, while Śiva-vidyā clarifies the inner meaning of that worship. The verse states that reverence for the Guru and the teaching that reveals Śiva’s reality is as fruitful as external worship, because it perfects devotion with right understanding.
Practice Guru-pūjā (service, reverence, and obedience), study and recitation of Śaiva teachings, and daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) under guidance—treating the teaching and the teacher as sacred.