Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

वैवाहिकानुष्ठानसमापनं दानप्रशंसा च / Completion of Wedding Rites and Praise of Gifts

Dāna

Devanagari script

ततश्शतसुवर्णं च विप्रेभ्यस्स ददौ पृथक् । बहुभ्यो रत्नकोटीश्च नानाद्रव्याण्यनेकशः

Transliteration

tataśśatasuvarṇaṃ ca viprebhyassa dadau pṛthak | bahubhyo ratnakoṭīśca nānādravyāṇyanekaśaḥ

Translation

Daraufhin verteilte er einzeln Hunderte von Goldstücken an die Brāhmaṇas; und vielen anderen gab er koṭi um koṭi kostbarer Edelsteine, dazu mannigfache Gaben in großer Fülle. Im śaivischen Verständnis wird eine solche großzügige dāna, in Hingabe und in Ehrfurcht vor dem dharma dargebracht, zu einer reinigenden Hilfe, die den Geist auf standhafte bhakti zu Lord Śiva vorbereitet.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Desha-Kala (देश-काल अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘then/thereafter’

• śata-suvarṇam: a hundred gold (coins)
• śata-suvarṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; द्विगु-समास: ‘a hundred (pieces of) gold’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• viprebhyaḥ: to the brāhmaṇas
• viprebhyaḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Plural

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• pṛthak: separately/individually
• pṛthak: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• bahubhyaḥ: to many
• bahubhyaḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative (चतुर्थी), Plural; used substantively ‘to many (people)’

• ratna-koṭīḥ: crores of jewels
• ratna-koṭīḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ratnānāṃ koṭīḥ’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• nānā-dravyāṇi: various goods
• nānā-dravyāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग) + dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural; कर्मधारय: ‘various kinds of substances/items’

• anekaśaḥ: in many ways/abundantly
• anekaśaḥ: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anekaśaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), distributive ‘in many ways/many times’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse models dhārmic dāna as a preparatory purifier (citta-śuddhi) that supports later Śiva-bhakti and receptivity to grace (anugraha).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights dāna as a dharmic purifier: wealth is sanctified when shared in humility, supporting the righteous and reducing possessiveness—an inner preparation for Śiva-bhakti and steadiness of mind.

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

In the Shiva Purana’s devotional framework, charity offered with reverence to dharma and Śiva’s devotees becomes an auxiliary limb of Saguna Śiva worship—supporting temple, mantra, and pūjā life while cultivating surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dāna as part of Śiva-pūjā observances (especially on Mondays or Mahāśivarātri), and mentally dedicate the merit to Lord Śiva while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”