Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 71

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

सुखसंतानवृद्ध्यर्थं धारापूजनमुत्तमम् । नानाद्रव्यैः शुभैर्दिव्यैः प्रीत्या सद्भस्मधारिणा

Transliteration

sukhasaṃtānavṛddhyarthaṃ dhārāpūjanamuttamam | nānādravyaiḥ śubhairdivyaiḥ prītyā sadbhasmadhāriṇā

Translation

Zum Heil und zur Mehrung der Nachkommenschaft wird die Verehrung namens dhārā-pūjā als die beste verkündet—vollzogen in liebevoller Bhakti, mit vielerlei glückverheißenden und göttlichen Gaben—durch den wahren Verehrer, der Bhasma, die heilige Asche, trägt.

Word by Word

• सुख: happiness
• सुख: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (stem), समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• संतान: progeny/lineage
• संतान: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (stem), समासाङ्ग

• वृद्धि: increase
• वृद्धि: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (stem), समासाङ्ग

• अर्थम्: for the sake of
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासान्त-पद

• सुखसंतानवृद्ध्यर्थम्: for increasing happiness and progeny
• सुखसंतानवृद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख + संतान + वृद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-भावार्थे तत्पुरुष-समास (idiomatic: ‘for the purpose of the increase of happiness and progeny’)

• धारा: stream/pouring
• धारा: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (stem), समासाङ्ग

• पूजनम्: worship
• पूजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासान्त-पद

• धारापूजनम्: worship by pouring (dhārā-pūjā)
• धारापूजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारा + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘धारायाः पूजनम्’ = worship by pouring/stream-offering)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धारापूजनम् इति विशेषण

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषणार्थे (indeclinable used adjectivally) ‘various’

• द्रव्यैः: with substances/materials
• द्रव्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• नानाद्रव्यैः: with various materials
• नानाद्रव्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (‘नानाविधानि द्रव्याणि’)

• शुभैः: auspicious
• शुभैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्रव्यैः इति विशेषण

• दिव्यैः: divine
• दिव्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्रव्यैः इति विशेषण

• प्रीत्या: with devotion/affection
• प्रीत्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भावे तृतीया (instrumental of manner)

• सत्: good
• सत्: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; ‘good/true’

• भस्म: sacred ash
• भस्म: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (stem)

• धारिणा: by the wearer
• धारिणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by the bearer/wearer’

• सद्भस्मधारिणा: by one who wears sacred ash
• सद्भस्मधारिणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + भस्म + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘सद्भस्म धारयति’/‘सद्भस्मस्य धारिन्’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Dhārā-pūjā (continuous abhiṣeka) is presented as a prayoga for sukha and saṃtāna-vṛddhi; in Siddhānta terms it is a karma-bhakti upāya that purifies pāśa (mala/karma) and invites Śiva’s anugraha to stabilize gṛhastha-dharma and continuity of lineage.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that steady, loving worship—especially dhārā (continuous libation/abhisheka) offered to Shiva—supports worldly well-being like happiness and progeny, while also cultivating devotion (bhakti) and purity through Shaiva disciplines such as wearing bhasma.

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

Dhārā-pūjā is a classic Saguna practice centered on the Shiva-linga, where a continuous flow of sanctified offerings expresses sustained remembrance and surrender; the verse frames it as an excellent means to receive Shiva’s grace for household aims.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dhārā-pūjā/abhisheka with auspicious substances and sincere love, while observing Shaiva marks like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra); internally, sustain a continuous “stream” of remembrance—ideally with Shiva mantra-japa such as the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).