Shloka 31
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
रात्रौ तत्र स्वयं गत्वा संपाद्य विधिमुत्तमम् । शिवस्य दक्षिणे भागे पश्चिमे वा स्थले शुभे
rātrau tatra svayaṃ gatvā saṃpādya vidhimuttamam | śivasya dakṣiṇe bhāge paścime vā sthale śubhe
ในยามราตรี พึงไปที่นั่นด้วยตนเองและประกอบพิธีอันประเสริฐให้ครบถ้วน โดยจัดในสถานที่เป็นมงคล—ด้านขวาของพระศิวะ หรือด้านทิศตะวันตก
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: Highlights night worship and spatial arrangement (right/southern or western side) as part of vrata discipline; the nocturnal setting resonates with Śivarātri’s inward-turning austerity where concealment (tirodhāna) is ritually met by devotion seeking grace.
Offering: dipa
FAQs
It emphasizes disciplined, intentional devotion—personally going at night and completing the proper vidhi—showing that sincere bhakti expressed through correct worship becomes a direct means to Śiva’s grace.
The verse gives practical direction for arranging worship in relation to Śiva’s presence, reflecting Saguna upāsanā where the devotee honors Śiva through ordered, reverent placement and ritual procedure.
Night-time Śiva worship (rātri-pūjā) with careful adherence to the prescribed vidhi and choosing an auspicious location/direction—commonly paired in Shaiva practice with mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī) and focused meditation on Śiva.