Shloka 28

Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama

Devanagari script

सहस्रकमलालाभे तदर्धेनापि पूजयेत् तदर्धार्धेन वा रुद्रम् अष्टोत्तरशतेन वा

Transliteration

sahasrakamalālābhe tadardhenāpi pūjayet tadardhārdhena vā rudram aṣṭottaraśatena vā

Translation

Si l’on ne peut obtenir mille fleurs de lotus, qu’on adore néanmoins Rudra avec la moitié ; ou avec le quart ; ou, à tout le moins, avec cent huit, gardant la dévotion envers Pati (Śiva) selon ses moyens.

Word by Word

• सहस्र (sahasra): a thousand

• कमल (kamala): lotus

• अलाभे (alābhe): in the non-obtaining, when not available

• तदर्धेन (tadardhena): with half of that

• अपि (api): even

• पूजयेत् (pūjayet): one should worship

• तदर्धार्धेन (tadardhārdhena): with half of the half (a quarter)

• वा (vā): or

• रुद्रम् (rudram): Rudra, Lord Śiva

• अष्टोत्तरशतेन (aṣṭottaraśatena): with one hundred and eight

• वा (vā): or

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja norms to the sages, with inferred puja-vidhi context)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It establishes a graded rule for lotus offerings—1000, 500, 250, or at least 108—teaching that Linga-puja is valid when performed with sincerity even if resources are limited.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By permitting reduced offerings without diminishing the act of worship, the verse implies Shiva as Pati—grace-giving and not constrained by external quantity—responding to the devotee’s inner bhakti and intention.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A practical puja-vidhi principle: maintaining regular Rudra/Linga worship with prescribed counts (notably 108), aligning disciplined devotion with the Pashupata aim of loosening pasha (bondage) through steady worship.