Shloka 65
मुक्तयतिदेहसंस्काररहस्यं — The Esoteric Rites for the Bodies of Liberated Ascetics
प्रणवं द्वादशावृत्त्वा संजप्य प्रणमेत्ततः । दिग्विदिक्क्रमतो दद्याद्ब्रह्माद्यम्प्रणवेन च
praṇavaṃ dvādaśāvṛttvā saṃjapya praṇamettataḥ | digvidikkramato dadyādbrahmādyampraṇavena ca
Having repeated the Praṇava (Oṁ) twelve times and duly performed its japa, one should then bow down. Thereafter, proceeding in order through the directions and the intermediate directions, one should make offerings to Brahmā and the other deities, accompanied by the Praṇava.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasa teachings as Shiva’s prescribed worship-method)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Significance: Directional offerings (dig-vidik) to Brahmā and other deities, preceded by praṇava-japa, ritually acknowledges the cosmic hierarchy under Īśāna; it also symbolically ‘orders’ the field of māyā (pāśa) that conceals, preparing for Śiva-centric worship.
Mantra: oṃ (praṇava)
Type: gayatri
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that Praṇava-japa (Oṁ) followed by humble prostration purifies the worshipper and aligns awareness with Pati (Shiva), while ordered offerings cultivate reverence and inner discipline—key supports for grace (anugraha) in Shaiva practice.
In Linga/Saguna Shiva worship, Oṁ functions as the sanctifying seed that precedes and accompanies acts of devotion. The directional offerings establish a consecrated ritual space around the Linga, expressing that all quarters are pervaded by Shiva’s lordship even while worship is performed through a sacred form.
Repeat Oṁ twelve times as japa, bow in devotion, then offer in sequence to the directions and inter-directions (dik/vidik), invoking Brahmā and other deities with Oṁ—an ordered, mantra-supported worship procedure.