Shloka 53
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
पुष्पैश्च शतपत्रैश्च करवीरैस्तथा पुनः । अष्टभिर्नाममंत्रैश्चार्पयेत्पुष्पाणि शंकरे
puṣpaiśca śatapatraiśca karavīraistathā punaḥ | aṣṭabhirnāmamaṃtraiścārpayetpuṣpāṇi śaṃkare
പുഷ്പങ്ങളാൽ—പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ശതപത്ര പദ്മവും കരവീര (അരളി) പുഷ്പവുംകൊണ്ട്—അഷ്ട നാമമന്ത്രങ്ങളോടുകൂടി ശങ്കരനു പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ അർപ്പിക്കണം.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: Offering flowers with nāma-mantras is a bhakti-upacāra that cultivates śuddhi and receptivity to Śiva’s grace (anugraha).
Mantra: bhavaḥ śarvaḥ rudraḥ paśupatiḥ ugraḥ mahān bhīmaḥ īśānaḥ (aṣṭa-nāma)
Type: stotra
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that devotion becomes complete when external offerings (flowers) are united with inner remembrance through Shiva’s name-mantras, directing the mind toward Śaṅkara as Pati (the Lord) who grants grace and liberation.
The verse reflects Saguna worship—honoring Shiva through tangible offerings and sacred names—commonly performed before the Shiva-Linga, where the devotee’s bhakti is expressed through upacāras (ritual services) and mantra.
Offer flowers such as lotus and karavīra to Shiva while reciting eight Shiva nāma-mantras; as a meditative takeaway, synchronize each flower offering with one divine name to steady attention and deepen devotion.