Shloka 58
शिवयोः कृपया सर्वे विस्तारं बहुधा गताः । तेषां च प्रथमा पूजा महापूजा महात्मनः
śivayoḥ kṛpayā sarve vistāraṃ bahudhā gatāḥ | teṣāṃ ca prathamā pūjā mahāpūjā mahātmanaḥ
By the gracious compassion of Śiva and Gaurī, the Divine Consort, all these sacred manifestations became widely established in many ways. Among them, the foremost worship is the Great Worship (Mahāpūjā) of that great-souled Lord.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: General purāṇic framing: the many manifestations/establishments of Śiva-worship (liṅga, mūrti, kṣetra, vrata, pūjā-vidhi) are said to spread in the world through the compassionate grace (kṛpā/anugraha) of Śiva together with His Consort; among all rites, Mahāpūjā is declared foremost.
Significance: Establishes hierarchy of worship: prioritizing Śiva’s principal pūjā is taught as the most efficacious entry-point to auspiciousness and spiritual fruition (śiva-anugraha).
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Gaurī
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse emphasizes that the spread and accessibility of Shiva’s sacred forms and worship arise from divine grace (anugraha). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it is Pati’s compassion—along with Shakti—that makes the path of devotion and liberation practicable for bound souls (paśu).
In the Kotirudra context (Jyotirlinga-centered pilgrimage and worship), “expansion in many ways” points to Shiva’s saguna accessibility through consecrated forms such as the Linga. The verse ranks the Lord’s worship as supreme, supporting Linga-puja as a primary, grace-bestowing means to approach the transcendent (nirguna) Shiva.
The takeaway is to prioritize Mahāpūjā—formal, wholehearted Shiva worship—supported by core Shaiva observances: chanting the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering water/bilva to the Linga, and maintaining purity with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to devotion and remembrance.