Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41
शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites
Morning Purity & Bath Procedure
पुनर्देवं शिवं नत्वा ततो नामाष्टकं जपेत् । शिवो महेश्वरश्चैव रुद्रो विष्णुः पितामहः
punardevaṃ śivaṃ natvā tato nāmāṣṭakaṃ japet | śivo maheśvaraścaiva rudro viṣṇuḥ pitāmahaḥ
پھر دوبارہ دیو شِو کو نمسکار کرکے، اس کے بعد اُس کے ناموں کا اَشٹک جپ کرے— “شیو، مہیشور، رودر، وِشنو اور پِتامہ (برہما) …”
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: śivaḥ maheśvaraś caiva rudro viṣṇuḥ pitāmahaḥ
Type: stotra
FAQs
It teaches a simple Shaiva sādhanā: offer reverence to Śiva and then perform nāma-japa. The verse frames Śiva as the supreme Pati whose grace is approached through devotion and repetition of His sacred names.
Bowing first indicates embodied (saguṇa) worship—often before the Śiva-liṅga—followed by recitation of names. The names serve as a verbal form of worship that concentrates the mind on Śiva’s manifest qualities while pointing to His all-pervading lordship.
Perform praṇāma (bowing) to Śiva and then do japa of the nāmāṣṭaka—repeating the listed names with attention and devotion as a focused meditation.