शिवार्चनविधिः — देवतानां पाशुपतव्रतप्राप्तिः तथा पशुपाशविमोक्षणम् (अध्याय ८०)
इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे शिवार्चनविधिर् नामैकोनाशीतितमो ऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः कथं पशुपतिं दृष्ट्वा पशुपाशविमोक्षणम् पशुत्वं तत्यजुर्देवास् तन्नो वक्तुमिहार्हसि
iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge śivārcanavidhir nāmaikonāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kathaṃ paśupatiṃ dṛṣṭvā paśupāśavimokṣaṇam paśutvaṃ tatyajurdevās tanno vaktumihārhasi
یوں شری لِنگ مہاپُران کے پُروَ بھاگ میں ‘شیوارچن وِدھی’ نامی نواسیواں باب شروع ہوتا ہے۔ رِشیوں نے کہا—پشوپتی کے درشن سے دیوتاؤں نے پشو-پاش سے کیسے نجات پائی اور ‘پشوتو’ کی حالت کیسے چھوڑ دی؟ مہربانی فرما کر ہمیں بتائیے۔
Ṛṣis (sages of Naimiṣāraṇya), within Sūta’s narration framework
It frames Śivārcana-vidhi as not merely ritual, but a liberation-teaching: beholding and worshipping Paśupati is presented as the means to loosen pāśa (bondage) and transcend paśutva (the bound state).
Śiva is invoked as Paśupati—Pati, the sovereign Lord—whose very darśana (vision/presence) is capable of granting paśu-pāśa-vimokṣaṇa, distinguishing Him from bound beings (paśu) and their fetters (pāśa).
The chapter heading signals Śiva-arcana (Linga/Śiva worship) as the practical path; the verse also points to darśana of Paśupati as a key salvific act aligned with Pāśupata-oriented liberation from pāśa.