Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 74

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

केवलं दुग्धधारा च तदा कार्या विशेषतः । शर्करामिश्रिता तत्र यदा बुद्धिजडो भवेत्

Transliteration

kevalaṃ dugdhadhārā ca tadā kāryā viśeṣataḥ | śarkarāmiśritā tatra yadā buddhijaḍo bhavet

Translation

Dann soll man insbesondere einen ununterbrochenen Strom von Milch allein darbringen. Und wenn der Geist stumpf und träge wird, soll diese Milch mit Zucker vermischt und dargebracht werden.

Word by Word

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषणवत् (used adverbially) ‘only/merely’

• दुग्ध: milk
• दुग्ध: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (stem), समासाङ्ग

• धारा: stream/pouring
• धारा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दुग्धधारा: a stream of milk
• दुग्धधारा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘दुग्धस्य धारा’)

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

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• कार्या: should be performed
• कार्या: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: कार्य- (gerundive/ण्‍यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be done’

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb) ‘especially’

• शर्करा: sugar
• शर्करा: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (stem), समासाङ्ग

• मिश्रिता: mixed
• मिश्रिता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मिश्र्/√मिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘mixed’

• शर्करामिश्रिता: mixed with sugar
• शर्करामिश्रिता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्करा + मिश्रिता (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (‘शर्करया मिश्रिता’ = mixed with sugar)

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (when)

• बुद्धि: intellect
• बुद्धि: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (stem), समासाङ्ग

• जडः: dull
• जडः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘dull/stupid’

• बुद्धिजडः: dull in intellect
• बुद्धिजडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धि + जड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (‘बुद्धौ जडः’/‘बुद्धेः जडः’)

• भवेत्: should be/is (may) become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s ritual instructions within the Rudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vaidyanātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Milk (dugdha) and milk-with-sugar are ‘puṣṭi’ substances; the verse ties abhiṣeka to restoring clarity when buddhi becomes jaḍa. This maps to Śiva as healer/sustainer who stabilizes the paśu’s inner instrument (antaḥkaraṇa) for dharma and worship.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that a simple, steady milk-offering is a focused act of bhakti, and that worship can be adapted to help remedy inner tamas (mental heaviness) by offering milk sweetened with sugar.

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

The instruction is a practical guideline for Linga-abhisheka, treating Saguna Shiva as graciously approachable through tangible offerings that purify the devotee’s mind and refine devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform milk-abhisheka as a continuous stream; if mental dullness is felt, offer milk mixed with sugar, ideally alongside japa such as the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).