Shloka 85
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
प्रतिमासं व्रतं चैव कर्तव्यं भक्तितो नरैः । उद्यापनविधिं पश्चात्कृत्वा सांगफलं लभेत्
pratimāsaṃ vrataṃ caiva kartavyaṃ bhaktito naraiḥ | udyāpanavidhiṃ paścātkṛtvā sāṃgaphalaṃ labhet
Die Menschen sollen dieses Gelübde wahrlich jeden Monat in Hingabe vollziehen. Danach, wenn sie den abschließenden Ritus (udyāpana) regelgemäß ausgeführt haben, erlangen sie die volle Frucht der Observanz, in all ihren Teilen.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: Establishes disciplined periodic practice (monthly vrata) and udyāpana (proper completion), reflecting sustained sādhana that stabilizes devotion and ripens full phala.
Role: nurturing
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that devotion (bhakti) must be joined with disciplined, regular observance, and that spiritual merit becomes “complete” when a vow is properly concluded through udyāpana—reflecting the Shaiva emphasis on sincere practice carried through to fulfillment.
Monthly vrata practice commonly centers on Saguna Shiva worship—often through Linga-pūjā, mantra, and offerings—and the verse stresses that such worship yields its full promised fruit when the prescribed concluding rites are performed.
A monthly Shiva-vrata performed with bhakti, followed by udyāpana (formal completion), typically supported by Shiva-pūjā, japa (e.g., Panchakshara), and other vow-auxiliaries as prescribed in the vrata tradition.