Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 42

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

प्रजापत्यद्वयं रौप्यमासंख्या च दक्षिणा । देया तदुपदेष्ट्रे हि शक्त्या वा दक्षिणा मता

Transliteration

prajāpatyadvayaṃ raupyamāsaṃkhyā ca dakṣiṇā | deyā tadupadeṣṭre hi śaktyā vā dakṣiṇā matā

Translation

Als dakṣiṇā soll man zwei prājāpatya‑Einheiten und eine großzügige, nicht abzuzählende Gabe aus Silber (rūpya) darbringen. Wahrlich, sie ist dem Lehrer zu geben, der jene Unterweisung erteilt; oder man bemisst die dakṣiṇā nach der eigenen Kraft.

Word by Word

• prājāpatya-dvayam: a pair (two) of prājāpatya (items/offerings)
• prājāpatya-dvayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• raupyam: silver (money)
• raupyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raupya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ā-saṃkhyā: up to the count/number
• ā-saṃkhyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ā (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘आ-’ उपसर्गयुक्ता (up to the number)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• dakṣiṇā: the honorarium/fee (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• deyā: should be given
• deyā: Vidhi (विधि/obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒तु) → deyā (कृदन्त, विधेय/भाव्य)
• Form: कृदन्त-भाव्य (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेयार्थः ‘देया’ = ‘should be given’

• tad-upadeṣṭre: to that instructor/teacher
• tad-upadeṣṭre: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + upadeṣṭṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य उपदेṣṭā)

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

• śaktyā: according to one’s ability
• śaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive ‘or’)

• dakṣiṇā: dakṣiṇā (fee)
• dakṣiṇā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• matā: is considered
• matā: Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धा॒तु) → mata (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘is considered/held’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the prescribed observances to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms guru-upakāra and dharma of dakṣiṇā: honoring the upadeṣṭṛ (instructor) sustains transmission of Śiva-vidyā and ritual competence; generosity is ideal, but scaled to capacity.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva practice is completed not only by worship but also by dharmic gratitude—honoring the teacher and the rite through dakṣiṇā given with sincerity and within one’s means, which refines intention and reduces possessiveness (pāśa).

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

In Linga-worship, offerings culminate in proper closure (pūrṇāhuti/uttara-kriyā) and respect to the one who transmitted the method. Dakṣiṇā acknowledges that Saguna Shiva’s grace flows through guru and tradition, preserving the purity of the ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to conclude Shiva-vrata or Linga-pūjā by offering dakṣiṇā to the officiant/teacher according to capacity, with a prayerful attitude of surrender—treating the act as seva rather than transaction.