Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22
गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं
Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time
लिंगाकृतेर्महेशस्य केन दृष्टं न मस्तकम् । विष्णुर्गत्वा हि पातालं तदेनं नापविस्मितः
liṃgākṛtermaheśasya kena dṛṣṭaṃ na mastakam | viṣṇurgatvā hi pātālaṃ tadenaṃ nāpavismitaḥ
Ai đã từng thấy đỉnh đầu, tức giới hạn tối thượng, của Mahādeva khi Ngài hiện thân thành Liṅga? Ngay cả Viṣṇu, xuống tận Pātāla để tìm kiếm, cũng không thể dò thấu Thực Tại ấy và không tìm ra điểm tận cùng.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava
Sthala Purana: Echoes the Liṅgodbhava motif: the infinite fiery Liṅga whose summit and base cannot be found even by Brahmā and Viṣṇu, establishing Śiva’s ananta-svarūpa (limitless reality).
Significance: Meditation on the anādi-ananta Liṅga is said to dissolve egoic ‘measuring’ and grant humility and Śiva-jñāna by grace.
FAQs
It declares Shiva as the limitless Pati (Supreme Lord) whose true extent cannot be measured by any being; liberation arises through humility, devotion, and recognition of His infinite nature rather than egoic conquest of knowledge.
The Liṅga here signifies Shiva’s accessible Saguna symbol that points to His Nirguna infinitude—worship of the Liṅga trains the mind to revere the Form while contemplating the Formless, endless Reality it represents.
Liṅga-pūjā with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditation on the endless “pillar of consciousness/light,” cultivating surrender and awe rather than argumentative seeking.