Shloka 44

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

पुष्पाञ्जलिं शिवे दत्त्वा दद्याद्दानं यथाविधि । नमस्कृत्य शिवायैव नियमं तं विसर्जयेत्

Transliteration

puṣpāñjaliṃ śive dattvā dadyāddānaṃ yathāvidhi | namaskṛtya śivāyaiva niyamaṃ taṃ visarjayet

Translation

Having offered a handful of flowers (puṣpāñjali) to Lord Śiva, one should then give charity in the prescribed manner. After bowing to Śiva alone, one should ritually conclude and release that sacred vow or observance.

Word by Word

• puṣpa-añjalim: a handful/oblation of flowers
• puṣpa-añjalim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (puṣpāṇām añjaliḥ) used in declined form

• śive: in/for Śiva (at Śiva)
• śive: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा/दा धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), having given

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• dānam: a donation/charity
• dānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• yathā-vidhi: according to the prescribed procedure
• yathā-vidhi: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva; adverbial indeclinable meaning 'according to rule'

• namaskṛtya: having bowed/saluted
• namaskṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) from denominal/compound verb namas-kṛ, having saluted

• śivāya: to Śiva
• śivāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• niyamam: the observance/vow
• niyamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; pronoun

• visarjayet: should dismiss/terminate
• visarjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: visṛj (विसृज् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General vrata-udvāsa procedure: offer puṣpāñjali to Śiva, perform dāna as prescribed, bow, and formally release the niyama—typical of tīrtha/temple observance manuals embedded in Purāṇic narrative.

Significance: Frames devotion as both inner reverence and outer dharma: pūjā + dāna + proper conclusion, believed to stabilize merit and invite Śiva’s prasāda.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-worship is completed not only by offering (puṣpāñjali) but also by ethical purification through dāna, and by ending the niyama with humility—dedicating the entire observance to Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who grants grace and liberation.

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

The verse reflects standard Saguna Śiva upāsanā: offering flowers to Śiva (commonly at the Liṅga), then performing prescribed charity and concluding the rite with namaskāra—showing that external worship is meant to culminate in surrender and right conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a vrata-style practice: offer flowers to Śiva, give dāna as per injunctions, perform namaskāra, and formally conclude the observance (niyama-visarjana); it implicitly aligns with disciplined devotion often accompanied by mantra-japa (e.g., pañcākṣarī) though not named in this verse.