Shambhavi-puja

Shambhavi-puja

Shambhavi-puja is the simplest and shortest type of Guru-puja for jigyasu and avalambi. It is also called Shambhu Adesh.

Performance

The starting position is upadeshasana (a squatting position that activates the four lower energy centers). Back of the hands touching the ground. Here the earth symbolizes Mother, the Goddess, the foundation of the person’s vital energy, and also Shakti as vidya (source of knowledge). It is no coincidence that the earth is correlated with yellow color, because the earth is nothing but the energy of the sun. And the sun is Shakti, the symbol of purnata (the fullness of all manifestations of Divine Mother). When the sadhaka has both hands on the ground, this means that he is oriented toward purnata. Throughout the puja, nath-jigyasu should not take his hands off the ground. The position of the spine is initially flat, and the gaze is directed upwards. This is due to the fact that the top is a symbol of transcendental reality, Shiva, Alakh Niranjan, that which is inaccessible for ordinary feelings and mind. Thus, looking up at the murti (the image of the Guru or Gorakshanath) or in the eyes of Guru, one should touch one by one each finger on both hands with the thumbs, while reciting the following mantra:

Shri Nath Ji Guru Ji Ko Adesh

Shri is inseparable from Shiva Nija-shakti.
Guru Ji is Guru in whom all Deities and Ishta-devata of the disciple are manifested.
Ko in Hindi means direction towards anyone. In this case, to Natha Guru.
Adesh means the unity of Atma, Jivatma and Paramatma.

Then, turning all the fingers of both hands into fists, while the thumbs and fists are pressed together (mushtika-mudra), a bow is made after the word Adesh. In the bow, the upper parts of the spine are automatically bent, which activates the centers corresponding to it; the crown of the head directs to the hands and symbolically to the padukas (feet) of Guru or Deity. Next, one should straighten the spine and re-open the palms, again look up and say the following mantra:

Shri Baljati Guru Ji Ko Adesh

Bal means one who has a young or ageless body, that is eternal.

The bow is repeated, in the same way for the third time with the following mantra:

Shri Shambhujati Guruji Ko Adesh

Jati is clan, gotra, caste, affiliation, kula.
Shambhu is the name of Shiva, the Good. Thus, sadhaka worships Guru as the eternal Natha Shiva, as Shiva-kula.

In this puja, the position of the spine and bow is the activation of the energy centers and the central channel. Two palms are Purusha and Prakriti, ten fingers are five gross elements and five indriyas. The upper space is Shiva, the lower part, the earth is Shakti, and between them is jiva in the form of yogi.