Shloka 8
Ekādaśāhna-vidhiḥ (The Rite Prescribed for the Eleventh Day): Maṇḍala-racanā, Āvāhana, Mudrā, and Ativāhika-devatā Pūjā
आवाहयामि नम इत्यन्तं सर्वत्र भावयेत् । दर्शयेत्स्थापनाद्यास्तु मुद्राः प्रत्येकमादरात्
āvāhayāmi nama ityantaṃ sarvatra bhāvayet | darśayetsthāpanādyāstu mudrāḥ pratyekamādarāt
At every step one should inwardly contemplate (the Lord), beginning with “I invoke (You)” and concluding with “namaḥ.” And with reverence, one should display each prescribed hand-gesture—starting from the mudrā of establishing (the deity) and the others—one by one.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Mantra: āvāhayāmi … namaḥ
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that Shiva-pūjā is not mere outward action: from invocation to the final “namaḥ,” the sādhaka must maintain continuous bhāva (inner contemplative devotion), making the ritual a living communion with Pati (Lord Shiva).
It supports Saguna upāsanā by prescribing orderly pūjā steps—āvāhana, sthāpana, and other mudrās—so the devotee respectfully establishes Shiva’s presence in the Linga while sustaining inward remembrance.
Perform the pūjā sequence with mantra-awareness—mentally holding Shiva through each utterance up to “namaḥ”—and execute the mudrās (starting with sthāpana) carefully, treating each gesture as a focused act of devotion.