Shloka 52
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
चन्दनेन विचित्रेण तण्डुलैश्चाप्यखण्डितैः । कृष्णैश्चैव तिलैः पूजा कार्या शंभोः परात्मनः
candanena vicitreṇa taṇḍulaiścāpyakhaṇḍitaiḥ | kṛṣṇaiścaiva tilaiḥ pūjā kāryā śaṃbhoḥ parātmanaḥ
Mit duftender, vielfarbiger Sandelpaste, mit unversehrten, ungebrochenen Reiskörnern und auch mit schwarzem Sesam soll die Verehrung Śambhus vollzogen werden—des höchsten Selbst, des im Innern wohnenden Herrn.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: General liṅga-pūjā with pure substances is said to purify mala (impurity) and steady the mind toward Śambhu as Paramātman.
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse teaches that simple, sattvic offerings—sandal paste, unbroken rice, and black sesame—become vehicles of bhakti when directed to Śambhu as the Paramātman, emphasizing Shiva as both the worshiped form (saguṇa) and the indwelling Supreme Reality.
These are standard upacāras used in Śiva-liṅga pūjā: sandal paste for auspiciousness and cooling grace, akṣata (unbroken rice) for wholeness and sanctity, and tilas for purification—honoring Saguna Shiva while remembering Him as the Supreme Self.
Perform Śiva pūjā using sandal paste, akṣata (whole rice), and black sesame; while offering, contemplate Shiva as the inner Lord and support the act with japa such as the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”