Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 33
Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ
Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship
कौसल्या तत्प्रिया मूर्त्ति पार्थिवीं शांकरीं मुदा । ऋष्यशृंगसमादिष्टा समानर्च सुताप्तये
kausalyā tatpriyā mūrtti pārthivīṃ śāṃkarīṃ mudā | ṛṣyaśṛṃgasamādiṣṭā samānarca sutāptaye
Kausalyā—người được vua yêu quý—đã hoan hỷ thờ phụng hình tượng bằng đất sét (pārthiva) của Śāṅkarī, theo lời chỉ dạy của Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, để cầu được một người con.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It highlights that sincere, joyful devotion (bhakti) to Śiva-Śakti in a tangible, saguna form can become a channel for divine grace—here, the blessing of progeny—when aligned with dharma and guided by a competent sage.
The verse emphasizes saguna-upāsanā through an earthly icon (pārthivī mūrti). In Shaiva practice, such worship parallels Linga worship: the form serves as a sanctified support for concentrating devotion toward Śiva and Śakti, who transcend form yet compassionately accept it.
It suggests prescribed worship under guidance—especially creating and honoring a sanctified clay form (pārthiva pūjā) with devotion; practitioners may accompany it with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and respectful, dharmic intent.