Śiva Pūjā Vidhi in the Rudra Saṃhitā

Pūjā is the loving offering of service and gifts to the divine, and a vidhi is a method or set of rules. Chapters 11 to 14 of the Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa of the Rudra Saṃhitā, in the Śiva Purāṇa, give a full method of Śiva pūjā as taught by Brahmā to Nārada Ṛshi.

The teaching covers the daily rules of cleanliness and tooth cleaning (with rules for each varṇa, or social group), the full method of abhisheka (ritual bathing of the liṅga) with the Pañcabrahma mantras, the teaching on the inner and outer liṅga, the liṅgas that Viśvakarmā made for all the devas, a list of which flowers bring which results, the counts for Mṛtyuñjaya japa (repetition of the Mṛtyuñjaya mantra), the kinds of abhisheka and their fruits, and the measures of grain for lākshārcana (pūjā with a hundred thousand items).

How the Teaching Was Passed Down

The teaching reached Sūta and the ṛshis gathered at the Naimisha forest (Naimishāraṇya) through this chain: Bhagavān Śiva → Brahmā (to the devas and Nārada) → Brahmā told it within the dialogue of Brahmā and Nārada to the teacher of Sūta → Vyāsa (who heard it from Sanatkumāra, with Upamanyu also present) → Upamanyu → Śrī Kṛshṇa (who heard it from Upamanyu) → Vyāsa (who taught Sūta) → Sūta → the gathering at Naimishāraṇya.

The Daily Morning Rules

Waking and Remembering

The devotee should rise at brahma-muhūrta (the hour before dawn) and, with folded hands, call to mind in this order:

• The Guru and Śambhu (Śiva)
• The tīrthas (holy places)
• Hari (Vishṇu), Brahmā, the devatās and the munis

After this, recite a stotra (hymn) and do japa of Śiva’s sacred names.

Cleansing with Earth

For cleansing after relieving oneself, mṛttikā (purifying earth) is applied according to varṇa:

Women follow the rules for Śūdras.

Dantadhāvana: Cleaning the Teeth

The length of the danta-kāshṭha (twig for cleaning the teeth) for each varṇa:

Days when the twig must not be used: shashṭhī (sixth lunar day), pratipad (first lunar day, pāḍyami), amāvāsyā (new moon), navamī (ninth lunar day), vrata days, sunset time, Sunday (Ādivāra) and śrāddha days (days of rites for the ancestors). On these days another way of cleansing is used.

The Full Order of Pūjā

Preparation

1. Bathe at a tīrtha or other suitable place with the proper mantra
2. Perform sandhyāvandana (the prayers at the junctions of the day) in a suitable quiet spot
3. Complete the nitya-vidhi (fixed daily duties) and then begin the pūjā

Preparing the Pūjā Space

1. Enter the pūjā room with a calm mind
2. Sit on a good āsana (seat)
3. Perform mūlamantra-nyāsa (placing the root mantra on the body) to purify the body
4. Perform shaḍaṅga-nyāsa (placing mantras on six parts of the body) with Oṃkāra
5. Offer pūjā first to Gaṇapati, then to the dvārapālakas (guardians of the door) and the dikpālakas (guardians of the directions)
6. Set up the pīṭha (base): a svastika-āsana, a padmāsana or an ashṭadala-padma (eight-petalled lotus design)

The Nine Kalaśas

Set up nine kalaśas (water vessels), cover them with darbha grass, sprinkle them with water and fill them with cool water. Then add:

• Pādya-kalaśa (water for the feet): ūśīra (vetiver, veṭṭiveru) and candana (sandalwood)
• Ācamana-kalaśa (water for sipping): malli (jasmine), miriyal (pepper), karpūra (camphor), roots of the vaṭa (banyan) and tāmbūla (betel), ground into powder
• The other kalaśas: candana only

Dhyāna: Meditating on Śiva

During prāṇāyāma (breath control) between the nyāsa steps, meditate on Śiva as:

• Having three eyes, five faces and ten hands
• With a body shining like pure sphaṭika (crystal)
• Wearing a vyāghra-carma (tiger skin) as an upper garment
• Adorned with all ornaments (ābharaṇas)

The devotee should picture themselves as fully one with this form of Śiva (sārūpya) to purify the self before going further.

The Pañcabrahma Mantras in Pūjā

Each of the five Pañcabrahma mantras goes with a particular step of the pūjā:

After these five, offer pādya (water for the feet), arghya (water for the hands) and ācamana (water for sipping), and then begin the abhisheka with gandha-jala (fragrant water).

The Order of Abhisheka

1. Gandha-jala abhisheka: fragrant water
2. Pañcagavya abhisheka: the five products of the cow (milk, yogurt, ghee, urine and dung), placed in a vessel, blessed with praṇava (Oṃ) and then poured
3. Abhisheka with cow’s milk alone
4. Yogurt, honey, sugarcane juice and ghee: each one on its own fulfils all kāmanas (wishes)

The Abhisheka Mantras

The Śiva Purāṇa gives a rich set of mantras for the abhisheka, including:

• Pavamāna-sūkta (purifying hymns of the Ṛgveda)
• Vāg me mantras
• Rudra and Nīlarudra (Kṛshṇa Yajurveda)
• Śukla Yajurveda mantras (including the Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā)
• Auspicious mantras of the Ṛgveda
• Atharvaśīrsha (Atharvaveda)
• Śānti mantras (peace mantras) from various Vedic śākhās (branches)
• Bhāruṇḍa mantras and Aruṇa mantras (linked with the Sāmaveda)
• Abhīshṭa-sāma, Devavrata-sāma, Rathantara-sāma and the Purusha-sūkta
• Mṛtyuñjaya mantra
• Pañcāksharī (Namaḥ Śivāya)

Usual options: 1,000 jaladhārās (streams of water) or 108 jaladhārās for the full abhisheka.

After the abhisheka, offer candana (sandal paste), akshata (unbroken rice), pushpa (flowers), dhūpa (incense), dīpa (lamp), naivedya (food), tāmbūla (betel) and finally nīrājana (āratī).

Closing the Pūjā

After the pūjā, the devotee stands, holds flowers in cupped hands and recites the prārthanā asking forgiveness: “O Śaṅkara! Whatever I have done, knowingly or unknowingly, in japa, pūjā and other acts, may all of it succeed through your grace.” The flowers are then offered to Śiva. The svasti mantras (mantras of well-being) are recited. Then come jala-prokshaṇa (sprinkling water) on the liṅga, namaskāra (bowing), aparādha-kshamāpaṇa (asking pardon for mistakes), ācamana, and namaskāra with the Aghora mantra. The pūjā ends with a prārthanā for dṛḍha-bhakti (firm devotion) in every birth.

The Inner and Outer Liṅga

Chapter 12 gives an important teaching on the two kinds of liṅga:

• Bāhya-liṅga (outer liṅga): the sthūla-liṅga (physical liṅga), made of material things, which can be seen and touched. It is honoured by those who follow the path of ritual action (karma-yajña).
• Āntara-liṅga (inner liṅga): the sūkshma-liṅga (subtle liṅga) that dwells in the cave of the heart (hṛdaya-guhā). The senses cannot reach it, but it is revealed through bhāvana (meditation). It is open to the jñānīs (those with spiritual knowledge).

The text teaches that both kinds of pūjā are valid and needed, each at its own level:

“Just as the physical liṅga becomes visible to the eyes of those who lack knowledge, in the same way the subtle liṅga, which has no form and needs no support, appears to the jñānīs through bhāvana. For the one who knows the truth of Śiva, neither the formless liṅga nor the liṅga with form is separate from him. Both are in his heart.”

The path runs from Śiva with qualities to Śiva beyond qualities. Pūjā of the physical liṅga gives rise to bhakti (devotion). Bhakti gives rise to jñāna (knowledge). Jñāna gives rise to vijñāna (direct realisation). Vijñāna makes the Parabrahman (supreme reality) shine forth. Once vijñāna arises, all duality ends. The jñānī who reaches this stage is beyond all rules of what to do and what not to do, like a lotus in water that the water does not touch.

Liṅgas Made by Viśvakarmā for the Devas

At the direction of Brahmā and Vishṇu, Viśvakarmā, the divine craftsman, made liṅgas of many materials for all the devas:

Each of them offers pūjā to their liṅga to this day. This passage shows that scripture approves of liṅgas made of many materials. No material is shut out of Śiva pūjā.

Which Flower Brings Which Fruit

Chapter 13 gives a long list of flowers and the particular phala (fruit) each brings when offered to Śiva:

• Śaṅkhapushpa: gives contentment
• Malli (jasmine): clears the mind
• Bilva-dala (bael leaves): lākshārcana with them grants all wishes
• Sindūra-pushpa: good fortune and prosperity
• Flowers of the season: moksha (liberation)
• Āva-pushpa (mustard flowers): the destruction of enemies
• Śaṃpaka (campaka) and mogali-pushpa (ketakī, screw pine): these two alone must not be offered in Śiva pūjā
• Nīla-ganneru (yellow oleander): may be offered

The text also covers flowers that are auspicious or inauspicious depending on the setting. The general rule is that every flower except the śaṃpaka and the mogali is acceptable to Śiva.

The ketakī (mogali, screw pine) is forbidden in Śiva pūjā forever because it acted as a false witness at the Liṅgodbhava, when Śiva appeared as an endless pillar of light.

Dhānya Pūjā: Grains and Their Fruits (Chapter 14)

Chapter 14 gives detailed guidance for Śiva pūjā with grains (dhānya), with exact measures.

Rice (Biyyam)

• Pure unbroken rice offered with bhakti → prosperity
• Usual measures: 6 prastha (or 3 prastha, or 2 pala, or 1 māna = one lakh-unit)
• Method: place a good silk cloth on the liṅga → pour the rice → place on top a bilva fruit decorated with gandha (sandal paste) and flowers → add dhūpa and ācamana → give all the rice to the ācārya (teacher) who leads the rite, with 2 silver coins as dakshiṇā (offering to the teacher) → feed 12 brāhmaṇas
• Result: sampatti vṛddhi (growth of wealth)

Saggubiyyam (Sago)

• 8.5 prastha + 2 pala = one lakh-unit of sago → the happiness of svarga
• To be given as dāna (gift) to brāhmaṇas after the pūjā

Wheat and Anna (Cooked Rice)

• The most auspicious (śreshṭha) offering

Pesalu (Green Gram)

• Offered to Śiva → gives sukha (happiness)

Korra Dhānya (Foxtail Millet)

• Offered in the measure of one lakh → dharma, artha (wealth) and kāma (fulfilment of desires) all flourish; happiness of every kind

Nuvvulu (Sesame)

• 10 pala = one lakh-unit
• Same method of pūjā → destroys the great pāpas (wrongdoings)
• 20 pala of white sesame → the enemy falls

Miriyālu (Pepper)

• Offered in pūjā → the enemy is destroyed; every fruit is gained

Ava (Mustard)

• 20 pala = one lakh-unit of white mustard → the enemy is destroyed

Kandipuvvulu (Pigeon Pea Flowers)

• Adorn Śiva with these, and give a cow with her calf and a bull as dāna

Cadala (Chickpeas)

• Offered to Śiva → Śiva gives sukha

Kinds of Abhisheka and Their Fruits (Chapter 14)

All these abhishekas are to go on until 10,000 Mṛtyuñjaya japa are complete. After the abhisheka, feed 11 brāhmaṇas.

The Ladder of Spiritual Practice

Chapter 12 also sets out a ladder of spiritual practices:

• 1,000 karma-yajñas (ritual sacrifices) are less than one tapo-yajña (sacrifice of austerity)
• 1,000 tapo-yajñas are less than one japa-yajña (sacrifice of mantra repetition)
• All japa-yajñas are less than dhyāna (meditation)
• Dhyāna is the highest means to jñāna, because through dhyāna the yogī directly sees his chosen deva and becomes one with him (samarasatā)

For those settled in jñāna, neither prāyaścitta (rites of atonement) nor the rules of ritual action apply, since jñāna itself purifies. But until jñāna arises, pūjā must not be given up. Giving up pūjā before jñāna leads to pātana (a fall).

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Chapters 11–14