Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 34
षडध्व-शुद्धिः
Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path
शिष्यस्तद्गुरुणा दत्तं सत्कृत्य शिवपूर्वकम् । भुक्त्वा पश्चाद्द्विराचम्य शिवमन्त्रमुदीरयेत्
śiṣyastadguruṇā dattaṃ satkṛtya śivapūrvakam | bhuktvā paścāddvirācamya śivamantramudīrayet
The disciple should respectfully accept what has been given by his guru, first offering it to Śiva. After eating, he should perform ācamana twice and then recite the mantra of Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: नमः शिवाय (namaḥ śivāya)
Type: panchakshara
Role: liberating
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that even ordinary acts like eating become sacred when performed as Śiva-arpana (offering to the Lord) and followed by purification and mantra—training the disciple toward steady Śiva-consciousness and inner purity.
By offering the guru-given food to Śiva first, the disciple treats nourishment as Śiva-prasāda, aligning daily life with Saguna worship (devotional offering to the Lord as Pati), which supports deeper contemplation of Śiva beyond form.
Perform Śiva-pūrvaka (mentally offering the food to Śiva), eat as prasāda, do ācamana twice for ritual purity, and then recite a Śiva-mantra—commonly the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”