Umāyāḥ Kriyāyoga-Rahasya
The Esoteric Teaching on Umā’s Kriyāyoga
कृष्णाष्टम्यां नवम्यां वामायां वा पंचदिक्तिथौ । पूजयेज्जगतां धात्रीं गंधपुष्पैर्विशेषतः
kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṃ navamyāṃ vāmāyāṃ vā paṃcadiktithau | pūjayejjagatāṃ dhātrīṃ gaṃdhapuṣpairviśeṣataḥ
ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਪੱਖ ਦੀ ਅੱਠਮੀ, ਨੌਮੀ ਜਾਂ ਵਾਮਾ ਤਿਥੀ—ਅਥਵਾ ਸ਼ੁਭ ਪੰਚਦਿਕ ਤਿਥੀਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ—ਜਗਤ ਦੀ ਧਾਤ੍ਰੀ ਦੇਵੀ ਦੀ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਤੌਰ ਤੇ ਸੁਗੰਧ ਅਤੇ ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਨੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Significance: Observance of specified tithis and offering of gandha-puṣpa is framed as a śāstric upāya for gaining Devī’s prasāda (grace) and purification of the bound soul (paśu).
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
It highlights that devotion expressed through simple, sattvic offerings—fragrance and flowers—on specific tithis becomes a focused act of reverence to Jagad-dhātrī (the world-sustaining Divine Mother), supporting purity of mind and steady bhakti within a Shaiva framework.
In Shaiva Siddhanta, Shiva (Pati) and Shakti are inseparable; honoring the Divine Mother on auspicious tithis complements Saguna worship, just as Linga-puja honors Shiva’s accessible form while recognizing the deeper, transcendent reality.
Perform Devi-puja on Krishna Ashtami or Navami using gandha (fragrant substances) and pushpa (flowers), maintaining devotional focus; optionally accompany the worship with Shaiva remembrance such as japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as an inner support.