Shloka 44
Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ
Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship
भरतस्तु महापूजां शिवस्यैव सदाकरोत् । नहुषश्च महा शैवः शिवपूजारतो ह्यभूत्
bharatastu mahāpūjāṃ śivasyaiva sadākarot | nahuṣaśca mahā śaivaḥ śivapūjārato hyabhūt
Bharata luôn cử hành đại lễ thờ phụng Śiva. Nahuṣa cũng vậy—là một đại tín đồ Shaiva—đã kiên định chuyên tâm trong việc thờ phụng Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Significance: Portrays ‘mahāpūjā’ and steadfast worship as the means by which the bound soul (paśu) becomes fit for Śiva’s grace; Paśupati is implied as Lord of souls who responds to sustained devotion.
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It praises niṣṭhā (steadfastness) in Śiva-bhakti: constant, wholehearted worship of Pati (Śiva) is presented as the hallmark of a true Mahāśaiva and a direct purifier of the soul toward grace and liberation.
By emphasizing regular pūjā, it aligns with saguna-upāsanā—devotion to Śiva with form, commonly expressed as Liṅga worship in the Shiva Purana—through which the devotee’s mind becomes one-pointed and fit to receive Śiva’s anugraha (grace).
Daily Śiva-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with simple Śaiva markers like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa, is the practical takeaway: consistent worship over occasional intensity.