Shloka 59
मेना-हिमालयसंवादः
Menā’s Counsel to Himālaya; Response to Slander of Śiva
कृतांजलिर्नतस्कन्धः सप्तर्षीन्सुप्रणम्य सः । पूजां चकार तेषां वै बहुमानपुरस्सरम्
kṛtāṃjalirnataskandhaḥ saptarṣīnsupraṇamya saḥ | pūjāṃ cakāra teṣāṃ vai bahumānapurassaram
Mit gefalteten Händen in Ehrfurcht und gesenkten Schultern verneigte er sich tief vor den Sieben Ṛṣi. Dann, die Ehrerbietung voranstellend, vollzog er für sie die Pūjā mit großer Hochachtung.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Sthala Purana: No Jyotirliṅga setting; the verse exemplifies the Siddhāntic principle that humility and honoring the wise (ācārya/mahātma) prepares the soul for Śiva’s grace (anugraha) by attenuating ego (āṇava).
Significance: Merit of praṇāma and pūjā to realized sages; considered a purifier that leads to right knowledge and devotion, akin to tīrtha-phala in Purāṇic valuation.
Role: teaching
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse highlights humility (vinaya) and honoring realized sages as a dharmic prerequisite for receiving Shaiva wisdom; reverence purifies the seeker’s mind and makes it fit for devotion to Pati (Shiva) and for grace to arise.
In Shaiva practice, worship is not only toward the Linga but also toward Shiva’s devotees and enlightened rishis; honoring them is treated as honoring Saguna Shiva’s presence in the guru-parampara and the living carriers of sacred knowledge.
The practical takeaway is añjali (joined palms), praṇāma (bowing/prostration), and pūjā offered with bahumāna (genuine inner respect); as a Shaiva discipline, one may begin worship with respectful salutations to gurus and sages before mantra-japa such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”