Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54
शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice
नाभौ चाष्टाहुतीर्हुत्वा पूर्णाहुत्या नमस्ततः । अष्टपुष्पप्रदानेन कृत्वाभ्यर्चनमंतिमम्
nābhau cāṣṭāhutīrhutvā pūrṇāhutyā namastataḥ | aṣṭapuṣpapradānena kṛtvābhyarcanamaṃtimam
Nachdem man acht Opfergaben in den Nabel (als inneren Altar) dargebracht hat und dann mit der abschließenden vollen Opfergabe in ehrfürchtigem Namaskāra sich verneigt, soll man die letzte Verehrung vollenden, indem man acht Blumen darbringt—so wird das Ritual der Anbetung des Herrn Śiva besiegelt.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that Śiva-worship is both ritual and inward: the “navel” functions as an inner altar, and the structured offerings culminate in a complete surrender (namas) that seals devotion and steadies the mind toward Śiva, the Pati.
The sequence mirrors Linga-pūjā’s completion rites (final oblation and flower offering), while also pointing to Saguna worship internalized through yogic concentration—seeing Śiva’s presence both in the icon/linga and within the subtle centers.
Offer a measured set of oblations (symbolically eight) with a concluding pūrṇāhuti, then complete worship with eight flowers—paired with a final namas; meditative takeaway: focus awareness at the navel-center while repeating Śiva-mantra (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī).