Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 82

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

तत्राऽयुतप्रमाणं हि कर्तव्यं तद्विधानतः । कर्तव्यं ब्राह्मणानां च भोज्यं वै रुद्रसंख्यया

Transliteration

tatrā'yutapramāṇaṃ hi kartavyaṃ tadvidhānataḥ | kartavyaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ ca bhojyaṃ vai rudrasaṃkhyayā

Translation

Dort ist gemäß den vorgeschriebenen Satzungen wahrlich ein Opfer in der Größe von zehntausend darzubringen; und die Brahmanen sind gebührend zu ehren und zu speisen, nämlich in der Rudra entsprechenden Zahl, damit das Ritual Śiva wohlgefällig werde.

Word by Word

• tatra: there, in that context
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• ayuta-pramāṇam: a measure of ten-thousand
• ayuta-pramāṇam: Karma (कर्म) [कर्तव्यस्य विषयः]
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayuta (प्रातिपदिक) + pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/निर्धारणार्थ: ‘अयुतं प्रमाणं’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (कर्तव्यं इति विधेयस्य विषयः)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु-प्रदर्शन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• kartavyam: should be done
• kartavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया) [विधेय-भावः: ‘to be done’]
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• tat-vidhānataḥ: according to that injunction
• tat-vidhānataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/हेतु-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास + तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘तस्य विधानात्/विधानतः’

• kartavyam: should be done
• kartavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• brāhmaṇānām: of Brahmins
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• bhojyam: (food) to be served / feeding to be done
• bhojyam: Karma (कर्म) [कर्तव्यस्य विषयः: to be fed/served]
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे ‘भोज्य’ (gerundive/fit to be eaten/served); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

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

• rudra-saṃkhyayā: by the Rudra-number (i.e., in Rudra count)
• rudra-saṃkhyayā: Karaṇa (करण) [मानेन/संख्यया]
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘रुद्रस्य संख्या’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific jyotirliṅga episode; it encodes a general purāṇic ritual economy: large-scale japa/dāna and feeding of brāhmaṇas as a means for the bound soul (paśu) to seek Śiva’s favor.

Significance: Highlights the merit of prescribed scale (ayuta) and communal honoring (brāhmaṇa-bhojana) as part of Śaiva observance, aiming at Śiva-prasāda.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Shiva)
• Brahmins

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Rudra is expressed not only through inner reverence but also through disciplined observance of śāstric procedure—measured offerings and respectful service—purifying karma and inviting Śiva’s grace.

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

Saguna worship emphasizes concrete acts—pujā, offerings, and honoring sacred persons. Feeding Brahmins in Rudra’s prescribed number is presented as an auxiliary limb (aṅga) of Rudra/Liṅga worship that completes the rite and makes it acceptable.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A rule-based (vidhi) observance: perform the offering in the stated count/measure and conclude by Brahmin-feeding (brāhmaṇa-bhojana) in Rudra’s number, as an act of dāna and seva dedicated to Śiva.