Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

ज्ञानार्थी पूजयेत्कोट्या शंकरं लोक शंकरम् । शिवदर्शनकामो वै तदर्धेन प्रपूजयेत्

Transliteration

jñānārthī pūjayetkoṭyā śaṃkaraṃ loka śaṃkaram | śivadarśanakāmo vai tadardhena prapūjayet

Translation

مَن يبتغي معرفةَ الخلاص فليُعَبِّدْ شَنْكَرَا، مُحْسِنَ العوالم، بقُربانٍ قيمتُه كُوطيٌّ واحد؛ أمّا مَن يشتاق إلى دارشَنَة شِيفا، الرؤية المباشرة، فليُقَدِّمْ له نصفَ ذلك.

Word by Word

• ज्ञान-अर्थी: a seeker of knowledge
• ज्ञान-अर्थी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (seeker of knowledge)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• कोट्या: with a crore (count/measure)
• कोट्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोक-शंकरम्: the benefactor of the world
• लोक-शंकरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (benefactor of the world)

• शिव-दर्शन-कामः: one desiring the vision of Śiva
• शिव-दर्शन-कामः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (desiring Śiva’s vision)

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• तत्-अर्धेन: with half of that (amount)
• तत्-अर्धेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (half of that)

• प्र-पूजयेत्: should worship well/fully
• प्र-पूजयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada); उपसर्गः—प्र (intensive/forward)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Pairs jñāna and darśana as two summit-goals: liberating knowledge (jñāna) and direct encounter (darśana). In Siddhānta, both culminate in Śiva’s anugraha that removes pāśa (mala/māyā/karma) from the paśu.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse distinguishes two aims of worship—jñāna (liberating understanding) and Śiva-darśana (direct experience of the Lord). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, both are fulfilled by Śiva’s grace, yet the longing for darśana is portrayed as especially grace-attracting and intimate.

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

The instruction is fundamentally about Saguna worship—approaching Śiva as Śaṅkara, the compassionate Lord of the worlds—typically through liṅga-pūjā with devotion, offerings, mantra, and reverence. The “measure” (crore/half) emphasizes intensity and sincerity of offering rather than mere monetary display.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies earnest Śiva-pūjā: liṅgārcana with water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), performed with single-pointed intent—either for jñāna or for Śiva-darśana.