अग्नित्रय-पितृवंश-रुद्रसृष्टि-वैराग्योपदेशः
तमसा कालरुद्राख्यं रजसा कनकाण्डजम् सत्त्वेन सर्वगं विष्णुं निर्गुणत्वे महेश्वरम्
tamasā kālarudrākhyaṃ rajasā kanakāṇḍajam sattvena sarvagaṃ viṣṇuṃ nirguṇatve maheśvaram
تمس (تَمَوگُن) میں وہ ‘کالَرُدر’ کہلاتا ہے، رَجَس (رَجوگُن) میں ‘کنکاندج’ (ہِرن्यگربھ-برہما)، سَتْو (سَتْوگُن) میں سراسر پھیلا ہوا ‘وشنو’؛ اور اپنے نِرگُن حقیقت میں وہ ‘مہیشور’ ہے—گُنوں سے ماورا برتر پتی۔
Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana doctrine to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It grounds Liṅga-pūjā in the highest theology: the Liṅga signifies Maheśvara as nirguṇa Pati, while Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra are His guṇa-conditioned modes of cosmic function.
Śiva-tattva is presented as beyond the three guṇas (nirguṇa), yet capable of appearing through them as Time-Rudra (tamas), Hiraṇyagarbha/Brahmā (rajas), and all-pervading Viṣṇu (sattva)—showing Pati’s transcendence and immanence.
The takeaway aligns with Pāśupata orientation: meditate on the guṇa-transcendent Pati (Maheśvara) while recognizing guṇa-driven bondage (pāśa) in the pashu; worship the Liṅga as the nirguṇa support for liberation.