Adhyaya 33: Pashupata Conduct, Bhasma-Vrata, and Shiva’s Boon to the Sages
यस् त्वेतान् पूजयेन् नित्यं स पूजयति शङ्करम् एवमेष महादेवो लोकानां हितकाम्यया
yas tvetān pūjayen nityaṃ sa pūjayati śaṅkaram evameṣa mahādevo lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā
కానీ ఎవడు వీరిని నిత్యం పూజిస్తాడో, అతడు శంకరునే పూజిస్తున్నాడు. లోకాల హితాన్ని కోరుతూ మహాదేవుడు ఈ తత్త్వాన్ని వెల్లడించాడు।
Suta Goswami (narrating Purana-teaching to the sages; conveying Mahadeva’s intent)
It equates consistent worship of the prescribed objects/forms of devotion with direct worship of Śaṅkara, affirming that disciplined nitya-puja is not symbolic only but truly reaches Shiva.
Shiva is presented as Mahādeva who acts from hitakāmyā—compassionate intent for the world—revealing an accessible path where the pati responds to sincere, regular worship by the paśu.
Nitya-puja (daily, steady worship) is emphasized; in Shaiva terms it functions as a devotional discipline that purifies the paśu and loosens pāśa (bondage), aligning with the spirit of Pāśupata-oriented practice.