Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48
पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels
ऋग्भिश्च सामभिः शैवैर्ब्रह्मभिश्चापि पञ्चभिः । स्नापयेद्देवदेवेशं शिवेन प्रणवेन च
ṛgbhiśca sāmabhiḥ śaivairbrahmabhiścāpi pañcabhiḥ | snāpayeddevadeveśaṃ śivena praṇavena ca
Avec les hymnes du Ṛg et du Sāma, avec des hymnes śaiva, et aussi avec les cinq Brahma-mantra, on doit baigner le Seigneur des seigneurs, Dieu des dieux—Śiva—tout en récitant le mantra « Śiva » et le Pranava sacré, « Oṁ ».
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Frames abhiṣeka as a śruti-sanctioned act: bathing Śiva with Vedic hymns and praṇava aligns the paśu with Pati through mantra and ritual purity, culminating in grace.
Mantra: ...शिवेन प्रणवेन च
Type: panchakshara
FAQs
It teaches that Śiva-abhiṣeka is not merely external bathing but a consecration of awareness through mantra—uniting Vedic revelation (Ṛg, Sāma) with Śaiva devotion, culminating in remembrance of Pati (Śiva) through Oṁ and the name “Śiva.”
The instruction “snāpayet” directly points to abhiṣeka, a central method of worshiping Saguna Śiva as the Liṅga—approaching the transcendent Nirguṇa reality through a sanctified form and sound (mantra) for grace and purification.
Perform Śiva-liṅga abhiṣeka while reciting Vedic/Śaiva hymns, especially chanting Oṁ (Pranava) together with the name “Śiva”; the takeaway is mantra-led worship where sound and devotion guide the offering.