Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 52
आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship
सर्वस्वमपि यो दद्याच्छिवे भक्तिविवर्जितः । न तेन फलभाक्स स्याद्भक्तिरेवात्र कारणम्
sarvasvamapi yo dadyācchive bhaktivivarjitaḥ | na tena phalabhāksa syādbhaktirevātra kāraṇam
แม้ผู้ใดถวายทุกสิ่งแด่พระศิวะ แต่ปราศจากภักติ ผู้นั้นย่อมไม่เป็นผู้รับผลแท้จริง; ที่นี่ภักติเท่านั้นคือเหตุชี้ขาด।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: Clarifies that even total renunciation/dāna, if not suffused with bhakti, does not yield the ‘true fruit’ (implying liberation rather than mere punya).
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that external acts—such as donating wealth—do not yield the highest spiritual fruit in Śiva-worship unless they are rooted in bhakti; inner devotion is what makes an offering spiritually efficacious and capable of drawing Śiva’s grace.
Liṅga-pūjā and Saguna Śiva worship are not validated merely by the material value of offerings; the verse emphasizes the bhāva (devotional intent) behind abhiṣeka, naivedya, and other services, which is what connects the worshipper to Śiva as Pati (the Lord).
Offer even simple items—water, bilva leaves, or a lamp—while maintaining steady bhakti and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); the verse implies sincerity of devotion is more important than lavishness.