Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 53
Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Māyā, Cosmic Dissolution, Guru-Śaraṇāgati, Bhakti, and Deity Worship
साङ्गोपाङ्गां सपार्षदां तां तां मूर्तिं स्वमन्त्रत: । पाद्यार्घ्याचमनीयाद्यै: स्नानवासोविभूषणै: ॥ ५२ ॥ गन्धमाल्याक्षतस्रग्भिर्धूपदीपोपहारकै: । साङ्गंसम्पूज्य विधिवत् स्तवै: स्तुत्वा नमेद्धरिम् ॥ ५३ ॥
sāṅgopāṅgāṁ sa-pārṣadāṁ tāṁ tāṁ mūrtiṁ sva-mantrataḥ pādyārghyācamanīyādyaiḥ snāna-vāso-vibhūṣaṇaiḥ
One should worship the Deity of Lord Hari together with His limbs and subsidiary features, His weapons, and His personal associates, honoring each by its own mantra. Offer water for the feet, arghya, water for sipping, bathing water, fine garments and ornaments, fragrances, necklaces and garlands, unbroken grains, incense and lamps. Having thus completed the worship in all respects according to rule, one should praise Him with hymns and bow down in obeisance to Hari.
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has mentioned that akṣata, or unbroken barleycorns (mentioned in verse 53), are to be used in decorating the Deity with tilaka, and not in the actual pūjā. Nākṣatair arcayed viṣṇuṁ na ketakyā maheśvaram: “Lord Viṣṇu should not be worshiped with unbroken barleycorns, and Lord Śiva should not be worshiped with ketakī flowers.”
FAQs
This verse describes worshiping the Lord’s form invoked by mantra, offering traditional upacharas like pādya, arghya, ācamanīya, bath, garments, ornaments, fragrance, flowers, incense, lamp, and then praising and bowing to Hari.
In the opening of the Uddhava-gītā section, Śukadeva conveys practical bhakti principles, including orderly worship (vidhivat arcana), as part of the Bhagavatam’s guidance for devotion in the world.
Keep a simple, consistent daily worship: offer clean water, a small flower, incense or a lamp if possible, recite prayers, and bow with sincerity—maintaining reverence, cleanliness, and gratitude.