Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 61
दीक्षितपुत्रस्य दैन्यचिन्ता तथा शिवरात्र्युपासनाप्रसङ्गः / The Initiate’s Son in Distress and the Occasion of Śivarātri Worship
स दीपवासनायोगाद्बहून्दीपान्प्रदीप्य वै । अलकायाः पतिरभूद्रत्नदीपशिखाश्रयः
sa dīpavāsanāyogādbahūndīpānpradīpya vai | alakāyāḥ patirabhūdratnadīpaśikhāśrayaḥ
Durch die Kraft seiner Lampenopfergabe und den daraus entstandenen Abdruck der Hingabe entzündete er wahrlich viele Lichter; und er wurde der Herr von Alakā, wohnend inmitten der strahlenden Flammen von Juwelenlampen.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga; it states the karmic-phala of dīpa-dāna: through dīpa-vāsanā (residual devotional impression), the donor attains a luminous celestial sovereignty (Alakā), imagery resonant with Kubera’s city.
Significance: Promises tangible phala (prosperity, higher worlds) from simple temple service; also hints that repeated luminous offerings cultivate inner saṃskāra toward higher states.
Role: nurturing
Offering: dipa
Cosmic Event: post-mortem ascent to a deva-like realm (svarga/Alakā imagery)
FAQs
It teaches that even a simple act of devotion like offering or lighting lamps creates a powerful vāsanā (spiritual-karma impression) that ripens into luminous prosperity and elevated status, reflecting the Shaiva view that bhakti joined to righteous action bears tangible and subtle fruit.
Lamp-offering is a classic upacāra in Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga pūjā). The verse highlights how honoring Shiva with light symbolizes offering one’s awareness to the Lord, and the merit mirrors that inner illumination.
Perform dīpadāna or dīpa-sevā (lighting lamps) with Shiva-bhakti—especially during evening worship—while mentally offering the light to Shiva and remembering him with mantra (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to deepen the devotional impression.