Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

उपरि श्रीफलं त्वेकं गंधपुष्पादिभिस्तथा । रोपयित्वा च धूपादि कृत्वा पूजाफलं भवेत्

Transliteration

upari śrīphalaṃ tvekaṃ gaṃdhapuṣpādibhistathā | ropayitvā ca dhūpādi kṛtvā pūjāphalaṃ bhavet

Translation

Legt man oben (auf den Verehrungssitz/das Śiva-Zeichen) eine einzelne Kokosnuss dar, bringt ordnungsgemäß Sandelpaste, Blumen und dergleichen dar und vollzieht danach Räucherwerk und weitere Opfergaben—so erlangt man die volle Frucht der Verehrung.

Word by Word

• उपरि: above/on top
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• श्रीफलम्: a coconut
• श्रीफलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (श्रीवत् फलम्; ‘coconut’)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्रीफलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गन्ध: fragrance/perfume
• गन्ध: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• पुष्प: flowers
• पुष्प: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• आदिभिः: with etcetera/and the like
• आदिभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘and the like’

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चयार्थक (thus/also)

• रोपयित्वा: having placed/planted
• रोपयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुप्/रोप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-धातु; अर्थः—‘रोपयित्वा’ (having planted/placed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• धूपादि: incense and the like
• धूपादि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (धूपः आदि यस्य/धूपादि = incense etc.)

• कृत्वा: having done/performing
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अर्थः—‘कृत्वा’ (having done)

• पूजाफलम्: the fruit of worship
• पूजाफलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पूजायाः फलम्)

• भवेत्: would be/shall become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Śiva-pūjā procedures to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General Śiva-pūjā upacāra-vidhi: even simple, sincere offerings (śrīphala, gandha, puṣpa, dhūpa) yield pūjā-phala when done with śraddhā and proper sequence.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere, orderly upacāra—symbolized by offering an auspicious coconut, fragrance, flowers, and incense—completes worship and yields its spiritual merit when offered to Śiva with devotion.

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

The verse describes external offerings used in Saguna Śiva worship (especially Liṅga-pūjā), where tangible upacāras support focused devotion and reverence toward Pati (Śiva) as the gracious Lord who accepts offerings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā with a complete sequence of offerings: place one coconut as an auspicious offering, apply gandha, offer flowers, and conclude with dhūpa and other upacāras—doing each act with steady bhakti (optionally accompanied by the pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).