Shloka 24
Śiva-Naivedya-Grāhyatā-Nirṇayaḥ
On the Proper Acceptance and Merit of Śiva’s Consecrated Food-Offering
बिल्वमूले महादेवं लिंगरूपिणमव्ययम् । यः पूजयति पुण्यात्मा स शिवं प्राप्नुयाद्ध्रुवम्
bilvamūle mahādevaṃ liṃgarūpiṇamavyayam | yaḥ pūjayati puṇyātmā sa śivaṃ prāpnuyāddhruvam
Nơi gốc cây bilva, Mahādeva ngự trong hình tướng Liṅga bất hoại. Người có phước đức nào thờ phụng Ngài, ắt chắc chắn đạt đến Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: Mahādeva is affirmed as liṅgarūpin (liṅga-formed) and avyaya (imperishable). Worship at the bilva-root is treated as direct approach to the liṅga-principle, yielding ‘Śiva-prāpti’ (attainment of Śiva), i.e., liberation through grace.
Significance: Promises Śiva-prāpti: not merely tīrtha-phala but mokṣa-oriented fruit, aligning bilva-root worship with liṅga-upāsanā as a complete sādhana.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that sincere devotion (bhakti) directed to Mahādeva in His Liṅga-form—especially through sanctified acts like bilva-associated worship—leads the devotee toward Śiva-realization, i.e., attaining the Lord as the supreme refuge and goal.
The Liṅga is presented as an accessible, sacred embodiment of Śiva for worship (saguṇa-upāsanā), while also pointing to His imperishable nature (avyaya), indicating that the visible form leads the devotee toward the transcendent reality of Pati (Śiva).
Perform Liṅga-pūjā with bilva as a primary sacred association—mentally or physically offering reverence at a bilva tree or with bilva leaves—ideally accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”