Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama
पद्माश्रितो महादेवः सर्वदेवपतिः शिवः तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन श्रीपत्त्रं न त्यजेद्बुधः
padmāśrito mahādevaḥ sarvadevapatiḥ śivaḥ tasmātsarvaprayatnena śrīpattraṃ na tyajedbudhaḥ
Mahādeva—Śiva, bậc Pati (Chúa tể) của muôn thần—an trụ trên hoa sen. Vì thế, người trí phải dốc mọi nỗ lực, chớ bao giờ bỏ lễ dâng lá bilva thiêng, bởi đó là vật được Śiva yêu quý và nâng đỡ linh hồn tiến gần Pati qua sự thờ phụng.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)
It elevates the bilva leaf (śrīpatra) as a non-negotiable, Śiva-pleasing offering in liṅga-pūjā, urging sustained discipline in ritual devotion as a means for the pashu (individual soul) to draw near to Pati (Śiva).
Śiva is presented as Mahādeva and sarvadevapati—the sovereign Lord beyond and above the devas—indicating Pati-tattva: the supreme ruler who receives worship and grants grace for release from pāśa (bondage).
It highlights pūjā-vidhi centered on bilva-leaf offering to the liṅga—an act of disciplined devotion that supports inner purification and steadiness aligned with Pāśupata-oriented practice.