Shaivacintamani (analytical study)
by Swati Sucharita Pattanaik | 2022 | 84,311 words
This page relates ‘Shiva’s five form of worship’ of the English study on the Shaivacintamani—an unstudied text on Shaiva or Shiva worship by Lakshmidhara Mishra, written in the late 17th century and edited for the first time in 1994 by Shri Dukhisyam Pattanaik from the Orissa State Museum. The present research aims to offer a comprehensive study of the Saivacintamani, filling the knowledge gap by being the first to provide in-depth analysis and commentary.
Part 12 - Śiva’s five form of worship
The forms are described in different ways according to the influence of different Purāṇas. The figure and form Lord Śiva is sometimes in Liṅga worship along with Śakti. The height is small or big depending on the cases of the purāṇic legends.
His form with five faces viz. Īśāna, Tatpuruṣa, Aghora, Sadyojāta and Vāmadeva is indicated for worship. Īśāna, Tatpuruṣa, Aghora, Sadyojāta a nd Vāmadeva were themselves regarded as possessing the character and authority of mantras. In the ritual texts they designated as Pañcabrahma-mantras or saṃhitā-mantras. The mantras which constitute a complement of these five and which refer to the six parts of the body, namely the hṛdaya, śiras,śikhā, kavaca, netra and astra, are called the Ṣaḍaṅgamantras.
Pāśupata worship
The text Śaivacintāmaṇi’s fifth paṭala describes the “Pūjā’ (or worship) beginning with the invocation (āvāhana) of the Lord to the ending in giving send off (visarjana) to the lord invoked. Here again detailed prayer to each of the five faces of the lord mentioned above substantiate the prevalence of “Pāśupata” system of worship over others in the state of Orissa. The description of “āvāhana pūjā’ again in this paṭala is a strong point.