Shloka 27
Pañcatattva-Pūjā: The Fivefold Vyuha of Hari, Mantras, Nyāsa, Maṇḍala, and Stotra
अधो नाग तदूद्ध्व तु ब्रह्माणं पूजयेत्सुधीः / इति स्थानक्रमो ज्ञेयो मण्डले शङ्कर त्वया
adho nāga tadūddhva tu brahmāṇaṃ pūjayetsudhīḥ / iti sthānakramo jñeyo maṇḍale śaṅkara tvayā
ਹੇਠਾਂ ਨਾਗ ਨੂੰ ਸਥਾਪਿਤ ਕਰਕੇ, ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਉੱਪਰ ਬੁੱਧਿਮਾਨ ਸਾਧਕ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਦੀ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰੇ। ਹੇ ਸ਼ੰਕਰ, ਮੰਡਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਥਾਨਾਂ ਦਾ ਇਹੀ ਕ੍ਰਮ ਜਾਣਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ।
Instructional narration (addressing Śaṅkara); speaker not explicitly identifiable from this single verse alone
Concept: Ritual order (sthāna-krama) as a means to align worship with cosmic structure.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-upāsanā through ordered symbolism; the many as placements within the One sacred field.
Application: In pūjā/yantra/maṇḍala work, place deities in prescribed vertical sequence to avoid doṣa and to stabilize attention.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: ritual_space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.32.28-31 (āvāhana, nyāsa, mudrā, upacāra, stotra)
FAQs
This verse stresses that worship is not only about devotion but also correct ritual geometry: the Nāga is placed below and Brahmā above, establishing an ordered sacred layout (sthāna-krama) for the maṇḍala.
This specific verse is not about the soul’s journey; it focuses on ritual procedure—how to arrange and worship deities within a maṇḍala.
When performing traditional pūjā with a maṇḍala or yantra-like layout, follow a consistent, text-based placement order rather than improvising—maintaining ritual clarity, focus, and continuity of practice.