Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 64
लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः
Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi
रथांतरेण पुष्पेण सूक्तेन युक्तेन च । मृत्युंजयेन मंत्रेण तथा पंचाक्षरेण च
rathāṃtareṇa puṣpeṇa sūktena yuktena ca | mṛtyuṃjayena maṃtreṇa tathā paṃcākṣareṇa ca
Man soll Śiva verehren mit Gaben wie Blumen und mit wohlgesprochenen Hymnen; ebenso durch das Mṛtyuñjaya-Mantra und auch durch das fünfsilbige Mantra (Pañcākṣarī). Dies sind machtvolle Mittel, den Herrn zu besänftigen und Fesselung wie Tod zu überwinden.
Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha
Sthala Purana: Śiva as the supreme healer who removes the ‘disease’ of saṃsāra; the Mṛtyuñjaya upāsanā is classically linked with healing and protection from untimely death, resonating with the Vaidyanātha (healer) tīrtha-tradition.
Significance: Prays for ārogya, longevity, and release from fear of death; supports sādhana for overcoming pāśa (bondage).
Mantra: oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ||
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that devotion becomes complete when outer worship (flowers and hymns) is united with inner upāsanā through Śiva-mantras—especially the Mṛtyuñjaya and Pañcākṣarī—leading the soul toward liberation from fear, bondage, and death.
The verse implies standard saguna worship—offering flowers and reciting hymns before Śiva (often as the Liṅga)—while empowering that worship through mantra-japa, which connects the devotee to Śiva’s grace within the ritual form.
Perform pūjā with flowers and recitation of sacred hymns, and practice japa of the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya mantra and the Pañcākṣarī (“namaḥ śivāya”) as the core meditative discipline.