Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46
पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels
कलशेनाथ शंखेन वर्धन्या पाणिना तथा । सकुशेन सपुष्पेण स्नापयेन्मंत्रपूर्वकम्
kalaśenātha śaṃkhena vardhanyā pāṇinā tathā | sakuśena sapuṣpeṇa snāpayenmaṃtrapūrvakam
Dann verwende man den Kalaśa (Wasserkrug), die Muschel (Śaṅkha) und auch die in der Hand gehaltene ‘Vardhanī’-Schöpfkelle/Weihsprenkel; zusammen mit Kuśa-Gras und Blumen bade man (den Herrn—insbesondere den Śiva-Liṅga), wobei man zuvor die entsprechenden Mantras rezitiert.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Codifies orthodox abhiṣeka instruments (kalaśa, śaṅkha, vardhanī) and mantra-priority, aligning household/temple practice with āgamic standards for accruing puṇya and Śiva’s grace.
Mantra: (implied) Rudra-mantras / pañcākṣarī recited ‘mantrapūrvakam’ during snāpana
Type: rudram
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that external worship becomes spiritually efficacious when it is mantra-led—devotion and right invocation (mantra) transform the act of bathing the liṅga into a conscious offering to Pati (Śiva), purifying the paśu (the bound soul) and loosening pāśa (bondage).
The verse directly describes liṅga-abhiṣeka as a Saguna mode of worship: Śiva is approached through a sanctified form, and the ritual implements (kalaśa, śaṅkha, kuśa, flowers) become vehicles for bhakti and mantra, aligning the worshipper with Śiva’s grace.
Perform mantra-pūrvaka abhiṣeka—bathing the liṅga with water poured via kalaśa/śaṅkha while reciting Śiva-mantras (commonly the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), using kuśa and flowers as sacred accompaniments.