Shloka 57
मेना-हिमालयसंवादः
Menā’s Counsel to Himālaya; Response to Slander of Śiva
वयं धन्या गृहस्थाश्च सर्वेषां सुखदायिनः । येषां गृहे समायान्ति महात्मानो यदीदृशाः
vayaṃ dhanyā gṛhasthāśca sarveṣāṃ sukhadāyinaḥ | yeṣāṃ gṛhe samāyānti mahātmāno yadīdṛśāḥ
พวกเราผู้ครองเรือนช่างเป็นผู้มีบุญยิ่ง และเป็นเหตุแห่งความสุขแก่คนทั้งปวง เพราะในเรือนของเรามีมหาตมะผู้ศักดิ์สิทธิ์เช่นนี้มาเยือน
Householders/devotees (gṛhasthas) speaking in reverence to visiting mahātmās (saintly devotees of Śiva)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it articulates gṛhastha-dharma as a valid Śaiva path when sanctified by sat-saṅga—homes become ‘micro-tīrthas’ when mahātmas are welcomed.
Significance: Teaching for household devotees: service to saints and devotees is a direct means to accrue puṇya and receive Śiva’s favor; the home becomes a field for bhakti rather than bondage alone.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that a gṛhastha becomes truly blessed when their home becomes a place of satsanga—serving and honoring mahātmās invites Śiva’s grace (anugraha) and spreads wellbeing to others.
In Shaiva practice, honoring Śiva’s devotees is treated as honoring Śiva present in a tangible, saguna way; service to saintly visitors complements external worship of the Liṅga by cultivating devotion, humility, and purity.
Practice atithi-sevā (welcoming holy guests), offer food and water with reverence, and support it with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a devotional discipline.