Shloka 21
पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi
Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship
घृटं स्नाने खलु घृतं घृतं यावेति मंत्रतः । मधुवाता मधुनक्तं मधुमान्न इति त्र् यृचा
ghṛṭaṃ snāne khalu ghṛtaṃ ghṛtaṃ yāveti maṃtrataḥ | madhuvātā madhunaktaṃ madhumānna iti tr yṛcā
स्नानकाळी ‘घृतं—घृतं’ असे म्हणत ‘घृतं यावे’ या मंत्राने आवाहन करावे; आणि ‘मधुवाता’, ‘मधुनक्तम्’, ‘मधुमान्नः’ या तीन ऋचांनी स्नान संस्कारित करावे, ज्यायोगे वैदिक मधुरता व शुद्धतेने देह शिवपूजेस योग्य होतो।
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-worship procedures to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific Jyotirliṅga passage; it teaches Vaidika śauca (purificatory bathing) as immediate preparation for Śiva-pūjā.
Significance: Frames bodily and mental purification as eligibility (adhikāra) for liṅga-arcana; ‘madhurya’ (honey-sweetness) signifies sattva and auspiciousness before approaching the Lord.
Mantra: घृतं घृतं… ‘घृतं याव’ इति मन्त्रतः । ‘मधुवाता’ ‘मधुनक्तम्’ ‘मधुमान्नः’ इति त्र्यृचा
Type: rudram
FAQs
It teaches that outer cleansing (snāna) becomes spiritually effective when sanctified by mantra; purity, sweetness (madhu), and sattva prepare the devotee to approach Śiva—the Pati who grants liberation when worship is done with discipline.
Before Linga-pūjā, the body and mind are ritually refined; the mantras function as consecration (saṃskāra), making the devotee fit to offer water, ghee, and other auspicious substances to Saguna Śiva in the Linga.
Perform a mantra-consecrated bath (mantra-snānā): bathe while reciting the ‘ghṛta’ invocation and the three ‘madhu’ ṛks, holding the intention of inner sweetness—calm mind, restrained senses—prior to Shiva-pūjā.