Shloka 25
Viśvānara-Gṛhapati Upākhyāna — Śivasya Agni-gṛhe Avatāraḥ
The Account of Viśvānara Gṛhapati and Śiva’s Descent into the House of Fire
सहस्रभोजनाद्यैश्च मुनीन्विप्रान्प्रतर्प्य च । महापूजोपचारैश्च लिंगान्यभ्यर्च्य भक्तितः
sahasrabhojanādyaiśca munīnviprānpratarpya ca | mahāpūjopacāraiśca liṃgānyabhyarcya bhaktitaḥ
सहस्रभोजनादिभिः मुनीन् विप्रांश्च सम्यक् तर्पयित्वा, ततः महापूजोपचारैः भक्तितः शिवलिङ्गानि समभ्यर्चयेत्।
Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, inferred from Purāṇic dialogue style in this Saṃhitā)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: General liṅga-arcana instruction; no single Jyotirliṅga specified. The emphasis is on mahā-pūjopacāra and feeding munis/vipras as dharmic support for Śiva’s grace.
Significance: Teaches the paired path of dāna/anna-sevā (service to Śiva’s devotees) and liṅga-pūjā, a classic Śaiva merit-and-grace economy culminating in anugraha.
Type: panchakshara
Role: nurturing
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It links outer dharma (feeding and honoring sages/brāhmaṇas) with inner bhakti (devotional liṅga-arcana), presenting both as complementary supports for Śiva’s grace and spiritual merit in a Shaiva framework.
The liṅga is treated as the accessible, worship-worthy form (saguṇa-upāsanā) through which devotees offer upacāras; devotion (bhakti) is emphasized as the life of the ritual, not mere procedure.
Perform liṅga-pūjā with full upacāras and cultivate devotion, alongside charitable service such as feeding and honoring holy persons; the verse foregrounds ritual devotion and dharmic hospitality rather than a specific mantra, bhasma, or rudrākṣa practice.