Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च
वाराहमहमप्याशु हंसत्वं प्राप्तवान्सुराः तदाप्रभृति मामाहुर्ह् अंसं हंसो विराडिति
vārāhamahamapyāśu haṃsatvaṃ prāptavānsurāḥ tadāprabhṛti māmāhurh aṃsaṃ haṃso virāḍiti
“我亦然:我化作野猪(瓦拉哈)后,迅速证得天鹅(哈ṃ萨)之境。自那时起,诸天称我为阿ṃ萨、哈ṃ萨与毗罗吒(Virāṭ)。”
Brahma (within Suta’s narration to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It frames divine names (Aṃsa, Haṃsa, Virāṭ) as pointers to the One Reality revealed through the Linga—formless yet capable of manifesting all forms—guiding worship from external symbol to inner realization of Pati (Shiva) as the supreme ground.
By invoking Haṃsa (the transcendent inner Self) and Virāṭ (the cosmic totality), the verse suggests Shiva-tattva as both beyond manifestation and as the universal presence pervading it—Pati who contains and exceeds all names and forms.
The Haṃsa motif supports contemplative Pashupata-oriented practice: turning Linga-puja into inward worship through breath-witnessing and japa of the Haṃsa principle (the ever-present ‘so’ham’ insight), dissolving pasha (bondage) in awareness of Pati.