Shloka 42
प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्
Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om
अथोर्ध्वच्छदनम्पीठपादे स्कन्दं समर्चयेत् । लिंगे मूर्तिं समाकल्प्य मान्त्वया सह पूजयेत्
athordhvacchadanampīṭhapāde skandaṃ samarcayet | liṃge mūrtiṃ samākalpya māntvayā saha pūjayet
Then, at the foot of the pedestal—beneath the upper canopy—one should duly worship Skanda. Having envisioned and established his form upon the Liṅga, one should worship him there together with the attendant divine energies (Śakti).
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s prescribed mode of worship as taught in the Kailasa context)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Umāpati
FAQs
It teaches that devotion to Śiva’s Liṅga can include reverent honoring of Śiva’s divine family and powers, with Skanda worship placed in an ordered, sanctified location—supporting disciplined bhakti that leads the soul (paśu) toward Pati (Śiva).
The verse explicitly prescribes worship in relation to the Liṅga: one contemplates (samākalpya) a mūrti-form in the Liṅga and performs pūjā, showing Saguna upāsanā as a means to approach the transcendent Śiva through a consecrated symbol.
It suggests a pūjā-krama: place/visualize Skanda at the pedestal-base region and perform worship after establishing his presence upon the Liṅga through dhyāna (inner installation), optionally accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) within a Shaiva pūjā framework.