Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25
पञ्चाक्षरमाहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of the Pañcākṣarī (Five-Syllable) Mantra
नित्योत्सवं च कुर्वीत प्रसादे यदि पूजयेत् । हविर्निवेदनादूर्ध्वं स्वयं चानुचरो ऽपि वा
nityotsavaṃ ca kurvīta prasāde yadi pūjayet | havirnivedanādūrdhvaṃ svayaṃ cānucaro 'pi vā
ആരെങ്കിലും ഭക്തിയോടെ പൂജിച്ച് പ്രസാദം ആദരത്തോടെ സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, നിത്യോത്സവവും നടത്തണം. ഹവിസ് നിവേദിച്ചതിന് ശേഷം, പൂജകൻ തന്നെയോ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ അവന്റെ അനുചരനും ക്രമപ്രകാരം സേവനം തുടരണം.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Emphasizes nityotsava and prasāda-sevā as daily disciplines; in pilgrimage idiom, regular worship and prasāda reception are framed as accruing puṇya and preparing the soul (paśu) for Śiva’s anugraha.
Role: nurturing
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that true devotion is not only the act of offering, but sustained, disciplined service—celebrating Shiva daily, receiving prasāda with reverence, and continuing worship with humility, which purifies the soul (paśu) and orients it toward Pati, Lord Shiva.
The instruction aligns with Saguna Shiva worship through ritual sequence: offering havis, honoring prasāda, and maintaining ongoing service—typical of Linga-pūjā where devotion is expressed through orderly upacāras and continued attendance.
A practical takeaway is daily Shiva-pūjā as a “nityotsava,” with a proper offering (naivedya/havis) followed by respectful prasāda and continued sevā; this can be supported by Panchākṣara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) during and after the offering.