Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

व्यपोहनस्तवनिरूपण-प्रसङ्गे नक्तभोजन-शिवव्रतविधिः (वार्षिक-प्रतिमास-क्रमः)

Devanagari script

क्षीरषष्टिकभक्तेन सम्पूज्य वृषभध्वजम् पौर्णमास्यां घृताद्यैस्तु स्नाप्य पूज्य यथाविधि

Transliteration

kṣīraṣaṣṭikabhaktena sampūjya vṛṣabhadhvajam paurṇamāsyāṃ ghṛtādyaistu snāpya pūjya yathāvidhi

Translation

पौर्णिमा के दिन क्षीर-षष्टिक अर्पण से वृषभध्वज भगवान् शिव की विधिपूर्वक पूजा करे। फिर घृत आदि से स्नान कराकर, नियमानुसार पुनः पूजन करे।

Word by Word

• क्षीर-षष्टिक-भक्तेन: with an offering of śaṣṭika rice prepared with milk

• सम्पूज्य: having fully/duly worshipped

• वृषभ-ध्वजम्: the One whose banner bears the bull (Śiva)

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon day

• घृत-आद्यैः: with ghee and the like (other auspicious substances)

• तु: indeed/then

• स्नाप्य: having bathed/abluted

• पूज्य: to be worshipped

• यथा-विदि: according to rule/ritual injunction.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Śiva-pūjā-vidhi to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It specifies a Paurṇamāsī (full-moon) procedure: offering milk-cooked śaṣṭika rice, performing abhiṣeka with ghee and related substances, and completing worship strictly by vidhi—presenting Linga/Śiva-pūjā as a regulated means to approach Pati.

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

By naming Him Vṛṣabhadhvaja, it points to Śiva as Pati—the sovereign Lord who is approached through sacred acts; ritual purity and devotion become instruments for the pashu to move away from pāśa toward Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Paurṇamāsī-vrata aligned Śiva-pūjā with abhiṣeka (snāna) using ghee and auspicious substances, plus a specific naivedya (kṣīra-ṣaṣṭika)—a discipline supportive of Pāśupata orientation through regulated worship.