Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

राज्यस्य कामुको यो वै पार्थिवानां च पूजया । तोषयेच्छंकरं देवं दशकोष्ट्या मुनीश्वराः

Transliteration

rājyasya kāmuko yo vai pārthivānāṃ ca pūjayā | toṣayecchaṃkaraṃ devaṃ daśakoṣṭyā munīśvarāḥ

Translation

يا أفضلَ الحكماء، من اشتاقَ إلى السيادة والملك فليُرضِ الإلهَ شانكرا (شيفا) بعبادةِ اللِّينغا البارثيفا المصنوعة من التراب، مقدِّمًا عشرةَ كوتي من أعمالِ العبادة، وهو عددٌ عظيم.

Word by Word

• rājyasya: of kingdom/rule
• rājyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (राज्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• kāmukaḥ: desirous/greedy (for)
• kāmukaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāmuka (कामुक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; adjective used substantively

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• pārthivānām: of kings/earthly rulers
• pārthivānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (पार्थिव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• pūjayā: by worship
• pūjayā: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (पूजा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• toṣayet: should please
• toṣayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (तुष् धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) ‘to please’; Parasmaipada, Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular

• śaṃkaram: Śaṅkara
• śaṃkaram: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (शंकर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; apposition to śaṃkaram

• daśa-koṣṭyā: with ten crores (in amount)
• daśa-koṣṭyā: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (दश) + koṭi (कोटि) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; Dvigu compound ‘ten crores’ used as a measure/amount

• munīśvarāḥ: lords among sages
• munīśvarāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: munīśvara (मुनीश्वर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; vocative sense possible by context, but form is nominative plural

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse belongs to a general pārthiva-liṅga vrata/vidhi: sovereignty (rājya) is promised through massive repetition of earthen-liṅga worship, indicating a purāṇic 'kāmya' application of liṅga-pūjā.

Significance: Highlights the potency of liṅga-upāsanā even with temporary, self-made liṅgas; teaches that bhakti plus disciplined repetition draws Śiva’s favor for worldly governance or, when purified, higher ends.

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 worldly power (rājya) becomes auspicious and stabilizing when sought through devotion to Śiva; the verse frames sovereignty as a fruit granted by the Pati (Lord) when the devotee performs disciplined, repeated worship rather than mere ambition.

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

The Pārthiva Liṅga is a tangible, saguna focus for worship—an accessible form through which the devotee concentrates mind and devotion on Śiva. By honoring the Liṅga, one honors Śiva as the indwelling reality beyond form, approached here through a sanctified form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to Pārthiva Liṅga Pūjā—making earthen liṅgas and worshipping them repeatedly with mantra and offerings; in practice this is commonly paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and focused dhyāna on Śaṅkara while offering water, bilva, and other upacāras.