Praṇava-Māhātmya and the Twofold Mantra (Sūkṣma–Sthūla) in Śaiva Sādhanā
पूजयेद्भोजनाद्यैश्च पंच वा दश वा शतम् । धने देहे च मंत्रे च भावनायामवंचकः
pūjayedbhojanādyaiśca paṃca vā daśa vā śatam | dhane dehe ca maṃtre ca bhāvanāyāmavaṃcakaḥ
ഭോജനാദി അർപ്പണങ്ങളാൽ—അഞ്ചോ പത്തോ നൂറോ ആയാലും—പൂജ ചെയ്യണം. ധനത്തിൽ, ദേഹാചരണത്തിൽ, മന്ത്രജപത്തിൽ, അന്തർഭാവനയിൽ അവൻ കപടരഹിതനായിരിക്കണം।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: General tīrtha/temple ethic: sincerity (avañcakatā) in offerings and mantra is itself an offering that makes worship efficacious.
Offering: naivedya
It teaches that Śiva-pūjā is validated by integrity: offerings may be few or many, but liberation-oriented devotion requires non-deceit in one’s resources, conduct, mantra-japa, and inner intention.
In Linga/Saguṇa worship, external upacāras like naivedya are meaningful only when matched by truthful bhāva; the verse links ritual offering to inner sincerity, making the Linga-pūjā a complete act of devotion.
Offer naivedya (food and related items) in measured sets (five/ten/hundred as capacity allows) and perform mantra-japa with honest intention, maintaining purity in bodily discipline and steady bhāvanā (contemplative focus on Śiva).