Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22

पूजाविधिः

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

Devanagari script

एवं कृत्वा त्रिपुंड्रं च रुद्राक्षान्धारयेन्नरः । संपाद्य च स्वकं कर्म पुनराराधयेच्छिवम्

Transliteration

evaṃ kṛtvā tripuṃḍraṃ ca rudrākṣāndhārayennaraḥ | saṃpādya ca svakaṃ karma punarārādhayecchivam

Translation

So soll man, nachdem man das Tripuṇḍra (die drei heiligen Aschelinien) aufgetragen hat, Rudrākṣa-Perlen tragen; und nachdem man die eigenen vorgeschriebenen Pflichten ordnungsgemäß vollendet hat, soll man Śiva erneut verehren.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), manner-adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), from √कृ; ‘having done’

• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: the tripuṇḍra (three ash-marks)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + पुण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• रुद्राक्षान्: rudrākṣa beads
• रुद्राक्षान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• धारयेत्: should wear/hold
• धारयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सम्पाद्य: having completed
• सम्पाद्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्यय (Gerund), from √सम्-पद्/सम्पाद् ‘to accomplish’; ‘having accomplished’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वकम्: one’s own
• स्वकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) of ‘कर्म’

• कर्म: duty/rite
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), adverb (पुनरावृत्तिवाचक)

• आराधयेत्: should worship
• आराधयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Rudrākṣa and tripuṇḍra together mark the devotee as oriented to Śiva; ‘after one’s own duties’ integrates Śiva-bhakti with varṇāśrama-dharma, presenting worship as a recurring daily return to the Lord.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches Shaiva daily discipline: mark the body with Tripuṇḍra and wear Rudrākṣa as outward supports for inner devotion, then harmonize worldly duties with repeated remembrance and worship of Śiva—so action becomes purified and oriented toward liberation.

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

Tripuṇḍra, Rudrākṣa, and recurring ārādhana are classic aids for Saguna Śiva worship (often centered on the Śiva-liṅga). The verse emphasizes returning to worship even after completing tasks, keeping the devotee’s consciousness anchored in Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) properly, wear Rudrākṣa, perform one’s prescribed duties, and then resume Śiva worship—ideally with mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and liṅga-pūjā as one’s daily rhythm.