Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2
मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्
Description of the Sages’ Questions
वन्दे शिवन्तम्प्रकृतेरनादिम्प्रशान्तमेकम्पुरुषोत्तमं हि । स्वमायया कृत्स्नमिदं हि सृष्ट्वा नभोवदन्तर्बहिरास्थितो यः
vande śivantamprakṛteranādimpraśāntamekampuruṣottamaṃ hi | svamāyayā kṛtsnamidaṃ hi sṛṣṭvā nabhovadantarbahirāsthito yaḥ
我礼敬吉祥的湿婆：在原质（Prakṛti）之前亦无始，寂然圆满，独一的至上神人（Purushottama）。祂以自有的幻力（Māyā）化生此一切宇宙，而仍如遍虚空般，安住于万有之内与之外。
Suta Goswami (invocatory narration to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: vande śivantam prakṛter anādim praśāntam ekam puruṣottamaṃ hi | sva-māyayā kṛtsnam idaṃ hi sṛṣṭvā nabho-vad antar-bahir āsthito yaḥ ||
Type: stotra
Role: creative
Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic framing: creation through sva-māyā with Śiva’s transcendence and immanence (antar-bahiḥ).
FAQs
The verse establishes Shiva as Pati—the beginningless Supreme Lord beyond Prakṛti—who manifests the cosmos through His Māyā yet remains untouched, pervading all as the indwelling Self and the transcendent Reality, leading the devotee toward peace (praśānti) and moksha.
By describing Shiva as both beyond Prakṛti and present within and without, the verse supports Saguna worship (such as the Śiva-liṅga) as a concrete focus for devotion while affirming that the worshipped form points to the formless, all-pervading Shiva.
A practical takeaway is japa with the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while meditating on Shiva as space-like—present in the heart and everywhere—supported by simple devotion such as offering water to the liṅga and cultivating inner tranquility (praśānta-bhāva).