Shloka 18

Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama

Devanagari script

महाचरुर्निवेद्यः स्याद् आढकान्नमथापि वा एतद् वः कथितं पुण्यं शिवलिङ्गमहाव्रतम्

Transliteration

mahācarurnivedyaḥ syād āḍhakānnamathāpi vā etad vaḥ kathitaṃ puṇyaṃ śivaliṅgamahāvratam

Translation

Como ofrenda (nivedya), debe presentarse un gran caru, mahā-caru (arroz cocido en abundancia), o incluso una medida (āḍhaka) de grano alimenticio. Así os ha sido declarado este mérito: el Gran Voto del Śiva-Liṅga, observancia que complace a Pati (Śiva) y afloja los lazos del pāśa (atadura) del paśu (el alma encarnada).

Word by Word

• mahācaruḥ: a great cooked-rice oblation

• nivedyaḥ: to be offered/presented

• syāt: should be

• āḍhaka-annam: an āḍhaka-measure of food (grain/meal)

• atha api vā: or even

• etat: this

• vaḥ: to you (all)

• kathitam: has been told/expounded

• puṇyam: meritorious, purifying

• śivaliṅga-mahāvratam: the great vow/observance centered on the Shiva-Linga

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Śaiva vrata-vidhi to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva-Linga

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It specifies acceptable naivedya for Śivaliṅga worship—either a substantial cooked-rice oblation (mahācaru) or even a modest āḍhaka measure of food—showing that sincere observance of the Śivaliṅga Mahāvrata is meritorious regardless of scale.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By framing the vow as “puṇya” and centered on the Liṅga, it implies Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who is pleased through liṅga-upāsanā and who grants inner purification that leads the pashu toward release from pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A vrata-based Śaiva puja practice: offering food (caru/anna) as naivedya to the Liṅga as part of the Śivaliṅga Mahāvrata, supporting the devotional discipline that complements Pāśupata-oriented purification.