Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

द्वयोर् मासस्य पञ्चम्योर् द्वयोः प्रतिपदोर्नरः क्षीरधाराव्रतं कुर्यात् सो ऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

dvayor māsasya pañcamyor dvayoḥ pratipadornaraḥ kṣīradhārāvrataṃ kuryāt so 'śvamedhaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

Pada dua tithi Pañcamī dari dua bulan, dan juga pada dua tithi Pratipadā, hendaknya seseorang menjalankan vrata Kṣīra-dhārā—mempersembahkan aliran susu yang tak terputus kepada Śiva-liṅga; dengan itu ia meraih buah Aśvamedha.

Word by Word

• dvayoḥ: of two

• māsasya: of months

• pañcamyoḥ: on the fifth lunar days

• dvayoḥ: on two

• pratipadoḥ: first lunar days

• naraḥ: a man (devotee)

• kṣīra-dhārā-vratam: the vow/observance of a milk-stream offering

• kuryāt: should perform

• saḥ: he

• aśvamedha-phalam: the merit/fruition of the Aśvamedha

• labhet: obtains

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates liṅga-abhiṣeka with an unbroken milk-stream (kṣīra-dhārā) to the status of a supreme Vedic merit, declaring it equal in fruit to the Aśvamedha—showing that devoted Śiva-pūjā can surpass or equal grand śrauta rites.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the Lord who grants liberation and merit directly through devotion; the liṅga becomes the accessible locus of Śiva-tattva where the bound pashu approaches the Lord and loosens pāśa through disciplined worship.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A vrata-based practice of continuous milk abhiṣeka (kṣīradhārā) to the Śiva-liṅga on specified tithis (pañcamī and pratipadā), emphasizing niyama (vowed discipline) as a Shaiva means for great puṇya.