Shloka 16

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

बदरीफलमात्रं च यत्स्यात्किल महेश्वरि । तथापि फलदं लोके सुखसौभाग्यवर्द्धनम्

Transliteration

badarīphalamātraṃ ca yatsyātkila maheśvari | tathāpi phaladaṃ loke sukhasaubhāgyavarddhanam

Translation

O Maheśvarī, even if the offering is only the size of a jujube fruit, it still bears fruit in this world—augmenting happiness and good fortune.

Word by Word

• बदरी-फल-मात्रम्: only the measure of a jujube-fruit (i.e., very small amount)
• बदरी-फल-मात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बदरी (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—बदरीफलस्य मात्रम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• स्यात्: may be / would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किल: indeed / it is said
• किल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/hearsay)

• महेश्वरि: O Maheshvari
• महेश्वरि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• अपि: even / nevertheless
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; concessive/also)

• फलदम्: fruit-giving
• फलदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फलद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• सुख-सौभाग्य-वर्द्धनम्: increase of happiness and good fortune
• सुख-सौभाग्य-वर्द्धनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—सुखस्य सौभाग्यस्य च वर्द्धनम् (समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; द्वन्द्व-सम्बन्धः अन्तर्भूतः)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General Śaiva teaching: small offerings to Śiva still yield worldly well-being (sukha, saubhāgya) as a preliminary fruit that can mature into higher devotion and liberation.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva responds primarily to bhakti (sincere devotion), not the material size of the offering; even a tiny offering, when given with faith, yields auspicious worldly well-being and supports the devotee’s spiritual orientation toward Pati (Śiva).

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

In Saguna worship—especially Liṅga-pūjā—the devotee offers simple items with reverence; the verse affirms that the Liṅga accepts even minimal naivedya when offered with devotion, granting visible fruits (sukha, saubhāgya) and strengthening the worshipper’s bond with Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer a small, pure naivedya (even a minimal fruit) to the Śiva-liṅga with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” focusing on sincerity and inner surrender rather than quantity.