Shloka 77
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
शंकराय नमस्कृत्य पुष्पाञ्जलिमथाचरेत् । प्रार्थयेत्सुस्तुतिं कृत्वा मन्त्रैरेतैर्विचक्षणः
śaṃkarāya namaskṛtya puṣpāñjalimathācaret | prārthayetsustutiṃ kṛtvā mantrairetairvicakṣaṇaḥ
Having bowed to Śaṅkara, one should then offer a handful of flowers. The discerning devotee should pray, first uttering a fitting hymn of praise, using these very mantras.
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Namaskāra and puṣpāñjali are core acts of bhakti-caryā; they dispose the paśu toward receptivity to Śiva’s grace, especially when joined with stuti and mantra.
Type: stotra
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that devotion becomes complete when humility (namaskāra), offering (puṣpāñjali), and conscious prayer are united with stuti and mantra—directing the mind toward Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who grants grace and liberation.
The verse outlines a standard upacāra of Saguna worship—bowing, offering flowers, and reciting praise-mantras—commonly performed before the Liṅga or a consecrated form of Śiva, where mantra and bhakti make the offering spiritually potent.
Perform namaskāra to Śiva, offer a flower-anjali, then recite the prescribed mantras as stuti and pray with focused discernment—an approach that can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") where appropriate.