Shloka 10
पुराणश्रवणप्रस्तावः
Prologue to the Recitation of the Śaiva Purāṇa
कः पुमान्सर्वतत्त्वेभ्यः पुराणः परतः परः । ब्रह्मोवाच । यतो वाचो निवर्तंते अप्राप्य मनसा सह
kaḥ pumānsarvatattvebhyaḥ purāṇaḥ parataḥ paraḥ | brahmovāca | yato vāco nivartaṃte aprāpya manasā saha
梵天说道：“那位是谁——比一切诸‘真理要素’（tattva）更古老，且超越一切超越者——言语与心念皆不能及，因不能抵达祂而退回的那位至上之人？”
Brahma
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific verse; it functions as a doctrinal hinge: Brahmā articulates the apophatic transcendence of the Supreme, a common prelude to Śiva’s self-manifestation in Purāṇic theophanies.
Significance: Encourages jñāna-humility: even Brahmā admits the Supreme exceeds speech and mind; pilgrims are directed from mere conceptual knowing to grace-born realization.
Mantra: yato vāco nivartante aprāpya manasā saha
Role: teaching
FAQs
It points to Shiva as Pati—the Supreme Reality older than all manifested principles (tattvas)—who cannot be fully grasped by thought or described by speech, indicating that liberation arises through divine grace and direct realization rather than mere intellectual reach.
Though Shiva is ultimately beyond mind and words (nirguna), the Shiva Purana upholds the Linga as a compassionate, accessible saguna support for devotion and meditation—guiding the devotee from form to the formless truth it signifies.
Meditate on Shiva with the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” using Linga-dhyāna and inner silence (mauna) to move beyond discursive thought; external supports like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrāksha may be adopted as aids to steady devotion and remembrance.