Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10
शिवशिवयोर्जगत्पितृमातृत्व-प्रतिपादनं तथा मेनायाः विमोहः (Śiva–Śivā as Cosmic Father and Mother; Menā’s Delusion and the Sages’ Intervention)
सर्वे सप्तर्षयस्ते हि शिवमायां प्रशस्य वै । प्रेषयामासुरथ तां मेनकां प्रत्यरुन्धतीम्
sarve saptarṣayaste hi śivamāyāṃ praśasya vai | preṣayāmāsuratha tāṃ menakāṃ pratyarundhatīm
Quả thật, cả bảy vị Thất Hiền đều tán thán quyền năng kỳ diệu của Śiva-māyā; rồi họ sai Menakā đến với Arundhatī, để mang lời nhắn của họ mà thưa bày.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse highlights that even great Ṛṣis recognize Śiva’s Māyā as a divine power that governs events in the world; in Shaiva Siddhānta, this points to Śiva as Pati (the Lord) whose śakti can reveal or veil, guiding beings toward their destined spiritual unfoldment.
By praising Śiva’s Māyā, the sages acknowledge Śiva’s active, Saguna governance of the cosmos—precisely the aspect devotees approach through Liṅga worship, where the formless Supreme is reverenced through a sacred, accessible form that channels grace.
A practical takeaway is to cultivate surrender to Śiva’s will through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steady devotion, recognizing that worldly movements unfold under Śiva’s Māyā while liberation comes by His anugraha (grace).