Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 87

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

क्रीडते शिवभूतश्च यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् । ततो मोक्षमवाप्नोति विज्ञानं प्राप्य चाव्ययम्

Transliteration

krīḍate śivabhūtaśca yāvadābhūtasaṃplavam | tato mokṣamavāpnoti vijñānaṃ prāpya cāvyayam

Translation

فإذا صار كائنًا من كائنات شيفا، لهَا ولَعِبَ في صحبة شيفا إلى أن يقع الانحلال الكوني لجميع الموجودات؛ ثم ينال المعرفة المتحققة غير الزائلة، ويبلغ الموكشا، التحرّر.

Word by Word

• krīḍate: plays/sports
• krīḍate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √krīḍ (क्रीड् धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• śivabhūtaḥ: one who has become (a devotee/attendant) of Śiva
• śivabhūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शिवस्य भूतः/शिवभूतः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• yāvat: until
• yāvat: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधिपर्यन्तवाचक (until/as long as)

• ābhūtasaṃplavam: until the cosmic dissolution
• ābhūtasaṃplavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ā + bhūta + saṃplava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आभूतः सम्प्लवः/भूतानां सम्प्लवः) अर्थतः ‘प्रलय’

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (क्रम/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर/तस्मात् (then/thereafter/from that)

• mokṣam: liberation
• mokṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• avāpnoti: attains
• avāpnoti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• vijñānam: true knowledge
• vijñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prāpya: having obtained
• prāpya: Hetu/पूर्वक्रिया (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√āp (आप् धातु) → prāpya (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): having obtained

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त (अव्ययम् = अविनाशि) विशेषण (विज्ञानस्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: mahāpralaya/ābhūtasaṃplava (cosmic dissolution of beings)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the devotee who becomes “Śiva-oriented” (śivabhūta) abides in divine communion through the cycles of time, and finally attains mokṣa by imperishable, direct realization (vijñāna) granted through Śiva’s grace.

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

Linga and Saguna-Śiva worship mature the soul from devotion and purity into steadfast Śiva-bhāva (identity in devotion), culminating in vijñāna; the verse points to that end-state—abiding with Śiva and reaching liberation beyond dissolution.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate Śiva-bhāva through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga-pūjā, along with bhakti and contemplation on Śiva as the imperishable reality, aiming for vijñāna rather than mere worldly merit.