Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 34
लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः
Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi
आचमनत्रयं कृत्वा प्रक्षाल्य च पुनः करौ । प्राणायामत्रयं कृत्वा मध्ये ध्यायेच्च त्र्यम्बकम्
ācamanatrayaṃ kṛtvā prakṣālya ca punaḥ karau | prāṇāyāmatrayaṃ kṛtvā madhye dhyāyecca tryambakam
เมื่อทำอาจมนะสามครั้งแล้วล้างมืออีกครั้ง ให้ทำปราณายามะสามครั้ง จากนั้นจงเพ่งฌานพระศิวะตรีอัมพกะ ณ ศูนย์กลางแห่งจิต
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-worship procedure as taught in the Rudrasaṃhitā)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara
Sthala Purana: The epithet Tryambaka here is primarily theological (three-eyed Śiva). In jyotirliṅga tradition, Tryambakeśvara is linked with Gautama Ṛṣi’s penance and the descent/manifestation of Gaṅgā (Godāvarī origin) through Śiva’s grace, establishing the liṅga as a purifier of sin.
Significance: Purification through prāyaścitta and ancestral rites; worship of Tryambakeśvara is famed for removing pāpa and granting anugraha (especially through japa and abhiṣeka).
Mantra: oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ||
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that Śiva-upāsanā begins with purification of body and mind (ācamana and cleansing), then steadiness of prāṇa (threefold prāṇāyāma), culminating in inward meditation on Tryambaka—placing devotion and awareness in the heart-center to approach Pati (Śiva).
It functions as a preparatory rite for Saguna Śiva worship (including Liṅga-pūjā): after outer cleanliness and breath-discipline, the devotee internalizes the deity by meditating on Tryambaka, uniting external ritual with inner dhyāna.
Perform ācamana three times, wash the hands, do prāṇāyāma three times, and then meditate inwardly on Tryambaka (Śiva) at the inner center (heart/awareness) before continuing the pūjā or mantra-japa.