Shloka 17
शिवं संस्नाप्य पयसा मध्वाज्यदधिभिः पृथक् । तथैव हेमपुष्पं च लिंगमूर्ध्नि विनिक्षिपेत् ॥ १७ ॥
śivaṃ saṃsnāpya payasā madhvājyadadhibhiḥ pṛthak | tathaiva hemapuṣpaṃ ca liṃgamūrdhni vinikṣipet || 17 ||
Nachdem man den Śiva-Liṅga mit Milch gebadet hat und danach getrennt mit Honig, Ghee und Quark, soll man ebenso eine goldene Blume auf die Spitze des Liṅga legen.
Sūta (narrating the Narada Purana’s ritual instruction section; injunctional voice within the narrative)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It presents abhiṣeka as a sanctifying act: bathing the liṅga with pure substances and offering a “golden flower” symbolizes reverence, purity, and the devotee’s best offering to Śiva.
Bhakti here is expressed through careful, sequential service (pṛthak abhiṣeka) and respectful offering—devotion becomes tangible through disciplined worship rather than mere sentiment.
It mainly reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure): the verse emphasizes correct sequencing and prescribed materials for abhiṣeka, which is a core feature of Vedic/Paurāṇic ritual science.