Maṇḍala–Pūjā–Homa Krama
Maṇḍala Worship and Homa Sequence for the Disciple
सेव्या वित्तानुसारेण सदस्याश्च सहर्त्विजः । वित्तशाठ्यं न कुर्वीत यदीच्छेच्छिवमात्मनः
sevyā vittānusāreṇa sadasyāśca sahartvijaḥ | vittaśāṭhyaṃ na kurvīta yadīcchecchivamātmanaḥ
Let the attendants and the officiating priests be duly served according to one’s means. One should not practice deceit with respect to wealth; if one truly desires Śiva as one’s own Self, one must be straightforward and fair.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Offering: naivedya
It teaches that devotion to Śiva must be aligned with dharma: sincerity, fairness, and freedom from greed. Seeking Śiva (Pati) while practicing deceit (a form of pāśa/bondage) contradicts the goal of inner purification and liberation.
In Liṅga/Saguṇa worship, outer offerings are meant to express inner integrity. Properly honouring the ṛtviks and assistants according to one’s capacity protects the rite from hypocrisy and makes the worship a genuine act of bhakti rather than a display.
A practical discipline of śauca and satya in worship: offer dakṣiṇā and service honestly according to means, avoiding vitta-śāṭhya. This ethical restraint supports mantra-japa (e.g., pañcākṣarī) and pūjā by keeping the mind free from guilt and grasping.