Shloka 59
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
महोत्सवश्च कर्तव्यो यावद्यामो भवेदिह । ततः पूजाफलं तस्मै निवेद्य च विसर्जयेत्
mahotsavaśca kartavyo yāvadyāmo bhavediha | tataḥ pūjāphalaṃ tasmai nivedya ca visarjayet
A great festival should be observed here for as long as the appointed watch of time lasts. Thereafter, having offered to Him the fruit of the worship, one should respectfully conclude the rite and take leave.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Naṭarāja
Significance: Frames pūjā as a time-bounded sacred ‘festival’ (mahotsava) sustaining devotional attention (sthiti) until proper closure; dedicating pūjā-phala to Śiva reduces egoic appropriation and aligns with grace.
FAQs
It teaches that worship culminates in dedication: the devotee offers the entire puja-phala to Lord Shiva, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s spirit of surrender where merit is not hoarded but placed at the feet of Pati (Shiva).
In Linga/Saguna worship, the rite is time-bound (yāma) and must be concluded with a formal offering of results and a respectful visarjana, affirming that the Linga is the accessible, grace-bestowing form through which the devotee dedicates all outcomes to Shiva.
Perform a mahotsava-style celebration during the prescribed period, then conclude by offering the worship’s merit to Shiva and formally ending the ceremony (visarjana), ideally with calm remembrance of Shiva and a final dedication of intention.