Shloka 23
अग्नियज्ञ-देवयज्ञ-ब्रह्मयज्ञ-गुरुपूजा-क्रमनिरूपणम् / Ordering and Definitions of Agniyajña, Devayajña, Brahmayajña, and Guru-Pūjā
देवानां प्रीतये पूजापंचधैव प्रकल्पिता । तत्तन्मंत्रजपो होमो दानं चैव तपस्तथा
devānāṃ prītaye pūjāpaṃcadhaiva prakalpitā | tattanmaṃtrajapo homo dānaṃ caiva tapastathā
देवताओं की प्रसन्नता हेतु पूजा पाँच प्रकार की ठहराई गई है—उचित मंत्रों का जप, होम, दान और तप भी (उसमें सम्मिलित हैं)।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Sthala Purana: General ritual-theological instruction: devatā-prīti is pursued through a structured fivefold pūjā, aligning household and temple religion with dharma and karmic purification.
Significance: Defines practical modes of worship used at tīrthas and temples—japa, homa, dāna, tapas (and the implied fifth mode as ‘pūjā’ itself/arcana-upacāra), orienting pilgrims toward disciplined devotion.
Role: teaching
Offering: dhupa
FAQs
It presents worship as a disciplined, integrated sādhana—mantra (inner alignment), homa (sacral offering), dāna (purifying generosity), and tapas (self-restraint)—which harmonizes the devotee with divine order and prepares the mind for Shiva-bhakti and liberation.
In the Shiva Purana’s devotional framework, these acts commonly accompany Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-pūjā—where japa supports focused remembrance, homa becomes an offering of one’s actions, and dāna/tapas refine the devotee’s conduct, making worship effective and sattvic.
Regular mantra-japa (such as the Panchākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) combined with simple homa when possible, along with dāna and tapas (like vrata/fasting on auspicious days), is the practical takeaway indicated by this fivefold model.