[Advaita-l] Presence of Shiva and Vishnu in a single Shivalinga - Skandapurana

[V Subrahmanian]

In this chapter, which describes the story of Nandikeshwara incarnating as
Hanuman, it is said that all the deities and demons are worshipers of
Shiva. It mentions the non-difference of Hari and Shiva and the presence of
Vishnu at the base of the Shivlinga and Shiva at the upper linga-part:
स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः १ (माहेश्वरखण्डः)/केदारखण्डः/अध्यायः ०८
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*यो विष्णुः स शिवो ज्ञेयो यः शिवो विष्णुरेव सः॥ ८.२० ॥*
*पीठिका विष्णुरूपं स्याल्लिंगरूपी महेश्वरः॥*
*तस्माल्लिंगार्चनं श्रेष्ठं सर्वेषामपि वै द्विजाः॥ ८.२१ ॥*

This is why worshiping the Linga, Lingarchane is great for everyone.
And how the other deities revel in the worship of the Linga:
ब्रह्मा मणिमयं लिंगं पूजयत्यनिशं शुभम्॥
इन्द्रो रत्नमयं लिंगं चन्द्रो मुक्तामयं तथा॥ ८.२२ ॥
Brahma is the manimaya linga, Indra the gem-like linga, Chandra the pearly
linga...
भानुस्ताम्रमयं लिंगं पूजयत्यनिशं शुभम्॥
रौक्मं लिंगं कुबेरश्च पाशी चारक्तमेव च॥ ८.२३ ॥
Surya the copper linga, Kubera the golden linga, Varuna is the red linga.
यमो नीलमयं लिंगं राजतं नैर्ऋतस्तथा॥
काश्मीरं पवनो लिंगमर्चयत्यनिशं विभोः॥ ८.२४ ॥
Yama blue linga, Niruriti silver linga. Vayu Kashmira linga..
एवं ते लिंगिताः सर्वे लोकपालाः सवासवाः॥
तथा सर्वेऽपि पाताले गंधर्वाः किंनरैः सह॥ ८.२५ ॥
Vasus were all in lingarchana. Gandharvas and Kinnaras in the underworld
too were into Lingarchana..
दैत्यानां वैष्णवाः केचित्प्रह्लादप्रमुखा द्विजाः॥
तथाहि राक्षसानां च विभीषणपुरोगमाः॥ ८.२६ ॥
Among the Vaishnavas there are demons like Prahlada, among Rakshasas,
Vibhishana...
बलिश्च नमुचिश्चैव हिरण्यकशिपुस्तथा॥
वृषपर्वा वृषश्चैव संह्रादो बाण एव च॥ ८.२७ ॥
Bali, Namuchi, Hiranyakashipu, Vrishaparva, Vrisha, Samhlada, Bana...
एते चान्ये च बहवः शिष्याः शुक्रस्य धीमतः॥
एवं शिवार्चनरताः सर्वे ते दैत्यदानवाः॥ ८.२८ ॥
These were others, the disciples of Indra and all of them were revelling in
Shivarchana.
Some more are said there.
Bhishma addresses Krishna as 'Surasuraguru' before Lord Krishna recites the
Shiva Sahasranama in the Mahabharata to Yudhishthira. In that Sahasranama,
Krishna gave a name to Shiva as 'Devasuraguru'. (sura-asura and deva- asura
are the same) Ishwara, whether Vishnu or Shiva, is looked upon both by gods
and demons.
Om