Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 52
पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels
कृत्वा ऽभिषेकं लिंगस्य शुचिना च सुगंधिना । संमृज्य वाससा दद्यादंबरं चोपवीतकम्
kṛtvā 'bhiṣekaṃ liṃgasya śucinā ca sugaṃdhinā | saṃmṛjya vāsasā dadyādaṃbaraṃ copavītakam
Nachdem man den Śiva-Liṅga mit reinen und wohlriechenden Substanzen abhiṣeka-weise gebadet hat, soll man ihn mit einem sauberen Tuch abwischen und dann ein Gewand sowie das Upavīta (heilige Schnur) als ehrfürchtigen Dienst dem Herrn darbringen.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Models the standard liṅga-sevā sequence; purity (śauca) and fragrance (saugandhya) are treated as external supports for inner devotion, leading toward Śiva’s anugraha (grace).
FAQs
It teaches that devotion is expressed through careful, pure service to the Śiva-liṅga—cleansing, fragrance, and respectful offerings—training the worshipper in inner purity (śauca) and loving attentiveness to Pati (Śiva).
The liṅga is Saguna worship’s sacred focus: abhiṣeka, wiping with a clean cloth, and offering garments/upavīta are formal acts of upacāra that honor Śiva’s presence and make the devotee’s reverence tangible.
Perform liṅga-abhiṣeka with pure, pleasantly scented substances, then dry the liṅga with a clean cloth and offer cloth (vastra). While doing so, maintain steady remembrance of Śiva—ideally with the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”