Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 32
लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः
Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi
प्रथमं च गणाधीशं द्वारपालांस्तथैव च । दिक्पालांश्च सुसंपूज्य पश्चात्पीठं प्रकल्पयेत्
prathamaṃ ca gaṇādhīśaṃ dvārapālāṃstathaiva ca | dikpālāṃśca susaṃpūjya paścātpīṭhaṃ prakalpayet
أولًا يُعبَد غَنادهيشا (السيد غانيشا) وكذلك حُرّاسُ الباب؛ وبعد أن تُؤدَّى العبادة على وجهها لحُماة الجهات، يُعَدّ بعد ذلك الـ«بيثا» (pīṭha)، أي المقعد المقدّس لعبادة شيفا ويُثبَّت.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Śiva-pūjā procedure to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, within Rudra Saṃhitā context)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that Śiva-worship begins with establishing order and protection: honoring Gaṇeśa (remover of obstacles) and the guardians (threshold and directional powers) so the devotee’s mind and the ritual-space become fit to receive Śiva’s grace on the pīṭha.
The pīṭha is the consecrated base where the Liṅga or Śiva’s worship-form is installed and honored. By first worshipping Gaṇeśa and the protective deities, the sādhaka approaches Saguna Śiva with proper auspiciousness, purity, and unobstructed devotion.
Perform a brief pūrva-pūjā: invoke and offer worship to Gaṇeśa, then to the dvārapālas and dikpālas, and only afterward set up the pīṭha/altar for Śiva-pūjā—ideally while maintaining japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as steady inner orientation.