Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 67
पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः
Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva
विधानपूर्वकं पूजां कृत्वा भक्त्या शिवस्य वै । पश्चाच्च जलधारा हि कर्तव्या भक्तितत्परैः
vidhānapūrvakaṃ pūjāṃ kṛtvā bhaktyā śivasya vai | paścācca jaladhārā hi kartavyā bhaktitatparaiḥ
เมื่อบูชาพระศิวะด้วยศรัทธาตามพิธีที่กำหนดแล้ว ผู้ศรัทธามั่นคงในภักติพึงกระทำ “ชลธารา” คือการรดน้ำอภิเษกอย่างต่อเนื่องในภายหลังโดยแน่นอน।
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages in the Rudra Saṃhitā context)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: General procedural instruction: first perform vidhi-based pūjā, then jaladhārā (continuous abhiṣeka). This mirrors Āgamic sequencing (upacāra-pūjā culminating in snāna/abhiṣeka).
Significance: Teaches that bhakti is to be embodied through vidhi (right method) and sevā (continuous offering), integrating devotion with disciplined ritual.
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It teaches that true Śiva-upāsanā unites right method (vidhi) with heartfelt devotion (bhakti), and that jaladhārā/abhiṣeka offered after pūjā is a sustained act of surrender and purification directed to Saguna Śiva.
The instruction to offer a continuous stream of water points directly to liṅga-abhiṣeka, a central Saguna form of worship in the Shiva Purana where the devotee serves Śiva through tangible offerings while contemplating His transcendent nature.
Perform Śiva-pūjā as per injunctions, then offer jaladhārā (steady water abhiṣeka) with focused bhakti—ideally while remembering Śiva through japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).