Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23
गणेशाभिषेक-वरदान-विधानम् | Gaṇeśa’s Consecration, Boons, and Prescribed Worship
एतत्पूजां पुरा कृत्वा पश्चात्पूज्या वयं नरैः । वयं च पूजितास्सर्वे नायं चापूजितो यदा
etatpūjāṃ purā kṛtvā paścātpūjyā vayaṃ naraiḥ | vayaṃ ca pūjitāssarve nāyaṃ cāpūjito yadā
“After first performing worship of Him, only thereafter should we be worshipped by men. For when we all are worshipped, it must never be that He remains unworshipped.”
Sanatkumara (as narrator/instructor within the Kumārakhaṇḍa context)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches the Shaiva principle of primacy: all divine honours become complete only when Lord Shiva (Pati, the supreme Lord) is worshipped first; otherwise worship remains spiritually incomplete.
It supports beginning worship with Shiva—commonly through the Śiva-liṅga—so that subsequent worship of other revered beings proceeds in right order, rooted in devotion to the supreme Lord.
Begin the day’s pūjā with Śiva-pūjā—offer water and bilva, apply bhasma (tripuṇḍra), and repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” before other devotions.