Shloka 16
Brahmā–Viṣṇu-Pūjā: Upacāra-Vistāra and Īśvara’s Prasāda
Offerings in Shiva Worship and the Lord’s Grace
आद्रा र्यां मार्गशीर्षे तु यः पश्येन्मामुमासखम् । मद्बेरमपि वा लिंगं स गुहादपि मे प्रियः
ādrā ryāṃ mārgaśīrṣe tu yaḥ paśyenmāmumāsakham | madberamapi vā liṃgaṃ sa guhādapi me priyaḥ
आर्द्रायां मार्गशीर्षे तु यः पश्येन्मामुमासखम् । मद्बेरमपि वा लिङ्गं स गुहादपि मे प्रियः ॥
Lord Shiva (as taught within the Vidyeshvara Samhita narration, conveyed by Suta Goswami to the sages)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: The verse teaches the merit of darśana of Śiva (with Umā), His consecrated icon (bera), or the Liṅga on the Ārdrā occasion in Mārgaśīrṣa; it is a general tīrtha/darśana-phala statement rather than a specific Jyotirliṅga origin episode.
Significance: Darśana on the Ārdrā occasion in Mārgaśīrṣa makes the devotee exceptionally dear to Śiva; it implies heightened receptivity to Śiva’s grace through temple-visit and sacred sight.
Shakti Form: Umā
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse teaches that simple darśana (devotional beholding) of Śiva—especially in an auspicious sacred time—draws powerful divine grace. In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, this expresses Pati’s compassion: the Lord responds to sincere bhakti and makes the devotee especially dear, helping loosen pāśa (bondage).
It explicitly validates both modes of approach: seeing Śiva as Umā’s companion (saguṇa, personal form) and seeing His bera (consecrated image) or Liṅga (the primary Śaiva symbol). The teaching is that the Lord accepts devotion offered through either icon (bera) or Liṅga, and grants closeness to Him.
Perform Śiva-darśana in Mārgaśīrṣa on an auspicious day (Ārdrā), visiting a temple to behold the Liṅga or Śiva-mūrti with devotion; accompany it with simple upacāras and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” as a focused bhakti practice.