Shloka 5
ततस्स आगतो विन्ध्यं नगेशं मुनिसत्तमः । तत्रैव पूजितस्तेन बहुमानपुरस्सरम्
tatassa āgato vindhyaṃ nageśaṃ munisattamaḥ | tatraiva pūjitastena bahumānapurassaram
Thereafter, that foremost of sages arrived at Vindhya, the lord of mountains. There itself he was duly honoured and worshipped by him, with great esteem and reverence.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: The verse is a narrative transition: a foremost sage reaches the Vindhya range and is received with honor by the mountain-personality. No Jyotirliṅga origin episode is stated here.
Significance: Frames the setting for a didactic encounter on pride, limitation, and right orientation toward the Lord; encourages humility as a prerequisite for Śiva-bhakti and grace.
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It highlights the Shaiva ethic of reverence: holy places and exalted devotees are approached with humility, and honoring a sage is treated as a sacred act that supports inner purity and devotion.
In the Kotirudra context of Jyotirlinga pilgrimage, proper reception and respectful worship reflect Saguna Shiva-bhakti—devotion expressed through tangible acts of honor at sacred sites associated with Shiva.
The practical takeaway is “pūjā with bahumāna” (worship with sincere respect): receive saints and pilgrims with hospitality, and perform Shiva-pūjā with a disciplined, reverent mind—an attitude central to mantra-japa and temple worship.