Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31
सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle
मंत्रोच्चारणध्यानाभ्यां मनसा वचसा क्रमात् । यदष्टांगेन भूस्पर्शं तद्वै वंदनमुच्यते
maṃtroccāraṇadhyānābhyāṃ manasā vacasā kramāt | yadaṣṭāṃgena bhūsparśaṃ tadvai vaṃdanamucyate
Lorsque, dans l’ordre prescrit, on récite le mantra et l’on médite—par l’esprit et par la parole—puis que l’on touche la terre avec les huit membres du corps, cet acte est véritablement appelé vandana, la prosternation révérencieuse.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Significance: Defines vandana as embodied surrender: mantra + dhyāna culminating in aṣṭāṅga-namaskāra, training the paśu’s body-speech-mind to align with Pati.
FAQs
It defines true vandana as an integrated act of devotion—mantra and meditation joined with bodily humility—showing that worship must unite inner awareness (dhyāna) and outer reverence (aṣṭāṅga praṇāma) for Shiva’s grace.
In Linga/Saguna Shiva worship, prostration is not merely physical; it is performed after mantra-recitation and focused contemplation, making the devotee’s mind, speech, and body converge upon the Linga as the living presence of Pati (Shiva).
Recite Shiva-mantra (commonly the Panchākṣarī), steady the mind in dhyāna, then perform aṣṭāṅga namaskāra—touching the earth with eight limbs—as a complete act of vandana.