Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti
Request for the Account of Umā
ऋषि उवाच । महामाया जगद्धात्री शक्तिरूपा सनातनी । सा मोहयति सर्वेषां समाकृष्य मनांसि वै
ṛṣi uvāca | mahāmāyā jagaddhātrī śaktirūpā sanātanī | sā mohayati sarveṣāṃ samākṛṣya manāṃsi vai
رِشی نے کہا—مہامایا، جو جگت کی دھاتری، شکتی روپ اور سناتنی ہے، وہ سب کے دلوں کو اپنی طرف کھینچ کر انہیں موہ میں مبتلا کر دیتی ہے۔
A sage (Ṛṣi)
Tattva Level: pasha
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Durgā
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
It identifies Mahāmāyā (Śakti) as the cosmic power that captivates the mind and produces delusion; in Shaiva Siddhanta this is a form of bondage (pāśa) that must be transcended for union with Pati (Lord Shiva).
Since Māyā pulls the mind outward, worship of the Śiva-liṅga as Saguna Shiva trains attention toward the divine center; steady devotion and mantra-japa purify the mind so it can recognize Shiva beyond delusion.
A practical takeaway is daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and/or rudrākṣa, combined with focused meditation to withdraw the mind from Māyā’s attractions.