Shloka 31
Śiva-Naivedya-Grāhyatā-Nirṇayaḥ
On the Proper Acceptance and Merit of Śiva’s Consecrated Food-Offering
बिल्वमूले क्षीरमुक्तमन्नमाज्येन संयुतम् । यो दद्याच्छिवभक्ताय स दरिद्रो न जायते
bilvamūle kṣīramuktamannamājyena saṃyutam | yo dadyācchivabhaktāya sa daridro na jāyate
Ang sinumang maghandog sa ugat ng punong bilva ng pagkaing walang gatas at hinaluan ng ghee para sa deboto ni Śiva—ang taong iyon ay hindi isisilang na dukha.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: In the Kāśī milieu, Annapūrṇā’s nourishment and Viśveśvara’s grace are intertwined: feeding Śiva’s devotee is treated as a direct channel for prosperity and non-poverty, reflecting Kāśī’s ideal of anna-dāna.
Significance: Anna-dāna to Śiva-bhaktas is promised as freedom from daridratā (poverty) and sustained well-being, interpreted as both worldly stability and support for sustained sādhana.
Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā
Role: nurturing
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that serving Shiva’s devotees with reverence—especially in a sacred setting like the bilva tree—purifies karma and invites Shiva’s grace, removing the conditions that lead to poverty and deprivation.
The bilva is a primary offering in Saguna Shiva worship; giving near the bilva tree aligns one’s dana with Shiva’s worship-symbols, treating the Shiva-bhakta as worthy of honor like Shiva’s own presence.
Perform anna-dāna (food charity) to Shiva devotees—ideally near a bilva tree—while remembering Shiva with devotion (bhāva) and, if desired, silently repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”