Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 76

पूजाविधिः

Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances

Devanagari script

नमस्कारांस्ततः कुर्यात्साष्टांगं विधिवत्पुमान् । ततः पुष्पांजलिदेंयो मंत्रेणानेन भक्तितः

Transliteration

namaskārāṃstataḥ kuryātsāṣṭāṃgaṃ vidhivatpumān | tataḥ puṣpāṃjalideṃyo maṃtreṇānena bhaktitaḥ

Translation

ثم ينبغي للمتعبّد أن يؤدي السجودَ على هيئة السَّاشْتَانْغا، أي بالثمانية الأعضاء، على الوجه الشرعي. وبعد ذلك، وبإخلاصٍ، يقدّم قبضةً من الزهور (بوشبانجَلي) مصحوبةً بهذا المانترا بعينه.

Word by Word

• नमस्कारान्: salutations
• नमस्कारान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb: thereafter)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स-अष्टाङ्गम्: with eight limbs (prostration)
• स-अष्टाङ्गम्: क्रियाविशेषण (manner; qualifies नमस्कारान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (प्रातिपदिक/उपसर्गवत्) + अष्टाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'अष्टाङ्गेन सह' (with eight limbs)

• विधिवत्: properly, as prescribed
• विधिवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: according to rule)

• पुमान्: the man (worshipper)
• पुमान्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb: thereafter)

• पुष्प-अञ्जलिः: a handful of flowers
• पुष्प-अञ्जलिः: कर्म/उपहार (offering; object implied with देयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'पुष्पाणाम् अञ्जलिः' (handful of flowers)

• देयः: should be offered
• देयः: विधेय (predicative; obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य; 'to be given'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; specifies mantra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'भक्तेः हेतोः/भक्त्या' (out of devotion)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the prescribed Śiva-pūjā procedure to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Aṣṭāṅga-namaskāra and puṣpāñjali are humility-acts that ritually enact paśu’s surrender, preparing receptivity to Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that humility and surrendered devotion (bhakti) are central to Śiva-upāsanā: the body bows in aṣṭāṅga-pranāma and the mind offers devotion through mantra and flowers.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The verse is part of pūjā-vidhi: after formal prostration, the devotee offers puṣpāñjali with mantra to the worshipped form of Śiva (commonly the Liṅga), honoring Saguna Śiva as the accessible focus for devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform aṣṭāṅga-namaskāra correctly, then offer a handful of flowers while reciting the indicated mantra with focused devotion—an outward act supporting inward recollection of Śiva.