[Advaita-l] Siva Purana says why only Siva is Brahman

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Some Rishis asked why only Siva is worshipped in both statue and linga
forms. The answer is only Siva is the Niraakaara Brahman and Saakaara
Saguna Brahman both. Therefore He is worshipped in Linga form to show
he is Niraakaara and He is worshipped in statue form to show He is
Saguna Brahma also. Other gods are only Saakaara and they are
worshipped in Idols that is Vigraha only but not Linga.

Vidyeswara Samhita Chapter 5
मुनय ऊचुः ॥

The Rishis said -

बेरमात्रे तु सर्वत्र पूज्यन्ते देवतागणाः ।
लिंगे बेरे च सर्वत्र कथं संपूज्यते शिवः ॥

The other gods are worshipped in Idols only. How is Siva worshipped in
Linga and Idol both?

सूत उवच ॥
Suta said -
अहो मुनीश्वराः पुण्यं प्रश्नमेतन्महाद्भुतम् ।
अत्र वक्ता महादेवो नान्योऽस्ति पुरुषो क्वचित् ॥
O Rishis. This question is meritorious and wonderful. Only Mahadeva
can answer this but not another person.


शिवेनोक्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि क्रमाद्गुरुमुखाच्छ्रुतम् ।
शिवैको ब्रह्मरूपत्वान्निष्कलः परिकीर्तितः ॥

I will tell Siva's answer I heard from Guru's mouth. Siva alone is
Formless like the Space because He is Brahman.


रूपित्वात् सकलस्तद्वत् तस्मात् सकलनिष्कलः ।
सकलत्वात्तथा बेरं साकारं तस्य संगतम् ॥
He also has forms of many gods and therefore He is with Form and
Formless both. His statue is possible because He has a form.

निष्कलात्वान्निराकारं लिंगं तस्य समागतम् ।
सकलाकलरूपत्वाद् ब्रह्मशब्दाभिधः परः ॥
Linga is also possible because He is Formless and without parts the
Undivided Brahman. He is Para Brahman because He is both with and
without form.
अपि लिंगे च बेरे च नित्यमध्यर्च्यते जनैः ।
अब्रह्मत्वात् तदन्येषां निष्कलत्वं न हि क्वचित् ॥
Therefore He is always worshipped in Linga and Vigraha by the people.
Other gods are not Formless and therefore they are not Brahman. They
are not worshipped in Linga but only in Vigraha.

तस्मात् ते निष्कले लिंगे नाराध्यन्ते सुरेश्वराः ।
अब्रह्मत्वाच्च जीवत्वात् तथान्ये देवतागणाः ॥
Therefore the other gods are not worshipped in Linga because they are
not Brahman and they are Jeevas.
तूष्णीम् सकलमात्रत्वादर्च्यन्ते बेरमात्रके ।
जीवत्वं शंकरान्येषां ब्रह्मत्वं शंकरस्य च ॥
The other gods are only Saakaara or with Form and they are worshipped
in Vigrahas. Except Shiva the gods are all Jeevas. Siva is Brahman.


-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh