Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36
पूजाविधिः
Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances
कर्तव्यं सर्वथा तत्र नियमास्स्वगृहे स्थितैः । प्राणप्रतिष्ठां कुर्वीत भूतशुद्धिं विधाय च
kartavyaṃ sarvathā tatra niyamāssvagṛhe sthitaiḥ | prāṇapratiṣṭhāṃ kurvīta bhūtaśuddhiṃ vidhāya ca
In dieser Weise der Verehrung sollen die im eigenen Hause Verweilenden die vorgeschriebenen Disziplinen unbedingt einhalten. Nachdem man die bhūta-śuddhi, die Reinigung der Elemente, vollzogen hat, soll man sodann die prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā ausführen und der heiligen Gestalt Leben einhauchen.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Significance: Highlights inner eligibility (niyama, bhūtaśuddhi) for transforming the home into a sanctified space; purification removes pasha-like obscurations prior to consecration.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that Shiva-worship is not merely external; disciplined living (niyama) and inner purification (bhūta-śuddhi) prepare the devotee so the sacred presence can be invoked with integrity through prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā.
For Saguna worship such as the Śiva-liṅga, the verse emphasizes proper preparation: purifying the worshipper’s inner elements and then ritually establishing Shiva’s presence in the icon/linga via prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā, making the worship a true meeting with the Lord.
It points to bhūta-śuddhi (a meditative purification of the five elements within the body) followed by prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā (consecration), ideally supported by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”