Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

उच्चाटनार्थं शत्रूणां तन्मितेनैव पूजनम् । मारणे वै तु लक्षेण मोहने तु तदर्धतः

Transliteration

uccāṭanārthaṃ śatrūṇāṃ tanmitenaiva pūjanam | māraṇe vai tu lakṣeṇa mohane tu tadardhataḥ

Translation

Zum Zweck, Feinde zu vertreiben, soll die Verehrung mit eben diesem vorgeschriebenen Maß vollzogen werden. Für Riten der Vernichtung ist sie in der Zahl eines Lakh (hunderttausend) zu tun, und für Riten der Verblendung mit der Hälfte davon.

Word by Word

• uccāṭana-artham: for the purpose of driving away
• uccāṭana-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uccāṭana (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष/प्रयोजनार्थक: उच्चाटनाय अर्थः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• śatrūṇām: of enemies
• śatrūṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• tad-mitena: with that measured amount
• tad-mitena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + mita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: तेन मितम्/तस्य मितम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘मित’ = measured/limited quantity

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• pūjanam: worship (is prescribed)
• pūjanam: Kriyāphala (क्रियाफल/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (act of worship). अत्र विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• māraṇe: in (the rite of) killing
• māraṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विषय/प्रसङ्ग (context)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• tu: but/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/and then)

• lakṣeṇa: with a lakh (100,000)
• lakṣeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• mohane: in (the rite of) delusion/infatuation
• mohane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विषय/प्रसङ्ग

• tu: but/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक

• tad-ardhataḥ: by half of that (amount)
• tad-ardhataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + ardhataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘अर्धतः’ = half-wise/half as much; तद्-सम्बन्धेन (with reference to that)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights the Purāṇic accommodation of protective/hostile rites (uccāṭana, māraṇa, mohana) under Śiva-worship; in Siddhānta ethics these are treated as lower aims, reinforcing that bondage (pāśa) operates through fear, enmity, and delusion.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined, measured mantra-worship (japa and pūjā) and teaches that results depend on intent and prescribed practice; from a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, such powers are secondary and should be governed by dharma and devotion to Shiva.

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

The verse presumes Saguna Shiva-upāsanā—structured pūjā and japa with a definite count—often centered on the Śiva-liṅga, where repetition and ritual exactness are treated as supports for focused devotion and concentration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A specific japa-count discipline is indicated: expulsion rites per the stated measure, 100,000 repetitions for māraṇa-type intent, and 50,000 for mohana; in devotional practice, the takeaway is to keep a fixed count (saṅkhyā) with purity, restraint, and Shiva-centered bhakti.