Shloka 12
Sūtasya Punargamanaṃ Kāśyāṃ—Bhasma-Rudrākṣa-Tripuṇḍra-Vidhiśca
Sūta’s Return to Kāśī and the Observances of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and Tripuṇḍra
पुनः प्रदक्षिणी कृत्य प्रणम्य भुवि दण्डवत् । तुष्टाव परया स्तुत्या संस्मरंस्तत्पदाम्बुजम्
punaḥ pradakṣiṇī kṛtya praṇamya bhuvi daṇḍavat | tuṣṭāva parayā stutyā saṃsmaraṃstatpadāmbujam
మళ్లీ ప్రదక్షిణ చేసి, భూమిపై దండవత్ ప్రణామం చేసి, అంతరంగంలో ఆయన పద్మపాదాలను స్మరిస్తూ, పరమ స్తోత్రంతో ప్రభువును స్తుతించాడు।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahadeva
Significance: Models the core Śaiva approach to pilgrimage/temple-darśana: pradakṣiṇā + daṇḍavat-praṇāma + smaraṇa of the Lord’s feet, understood as a direct means to soften mala (āṇava) and prepare for Śiva’s anugraha.
Type: stotra
FAQs
It presents a complete bhakti-krama: external worship (pradakṣiṇā and daṇḍavat praṇāma) joined with inner smaraṇa (remembrance) of Shiva’s lotus-feet, showing that liberation arises when devotion and inward contemplation unite under the grace of Pati (Shiva).
Pradakṣiṇā and full prostration are classic acts of Saguna worship—often performed around the Śiva-liṅga—while the remembrance of the Lord’s feet indicates that the visible form leads the devotee toward steady inner absorption and grace-centered realization.
Do clockwise pradakṣiṇā, offer daṇḍavat praṇāma, and recite a heartfelt stuti while mentally holding Shiva’s lotus-feet; this can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as an inner smaraṇa practice.