Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle

Devanagari script

उपांगानि च मद्भक्तेर्बहूनि कथितानि वै । बिल्वादिसेवनादीनि समू ह्यानि विचारतः

Transliteration

upāṃgāni ca madbhakterbahūni kathitāni vai | bilvādisevanādīni samū hyāni vicārataḥ

Translation

De nombreux membres secondaires de la dévotion envers Moi (Śiva) ont certes été exposés — tels l’offrande révérencieuse et l’usage des feuilles de bilva, ainsi que les observances qui s’y rattachent — lorsqu’on les rassemble et les considère avec discernement, selon l’ordre convenable.

Word by Word

• उपाङ्गानि: subsidiary parts
• उपाङ्गानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उप-अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (अङ्गानाम् उपाङ्गानि = subsidiary parts)

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

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनार्थे (genitive sense ‘my’), समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• भक्तेः: of devotion
• भक्तेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण of उपाङ्गानि

• कथितानि: have been told
• कथितानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘कथित’, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• बिल्वादि-सेवन-आदीनि: (such as) serving bilva etc., and other practices
• बिल्वादि-सेवन-आदीनि: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व-आदि + सेवन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः (१) बिल्वादि = अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्राय (बिल्वं च आदयः) (२) बिल्वादि-सेवन = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बिल्वादेः सेवनम्) (३) सेवन-आदि = तत्पुरुष (सेवनं च आदयः)

• समूह्यानि: to be collected/compiled
• समूह्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-ऊह् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (यत्/gerundive-प्राय ‘-य’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘समूह्य’ = to be gathered/collected

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; causal/emphatic)

• आनि: these
• आनि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; एतदर्थक (these)

• विचारतः: upon consideration / thoughtfully
• विचारतः: Hetu/Mode (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/according to consideration’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse generalizes Śiva-bhakti’s auxiliary observances (upāṅga) such as bilva-sevā as universally applicable devotional discipline.

Significance: Encourages temple-based and home-based liṅga-upacāra; bilva offering is treated as a simple, accessible means to accrue puṇya and purify devotion, especially for householders.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms that bhakti to Śiva includes many supportive (auxiliary) disciplines; when performed with discernment, outward offerings like bilva become inner acts of surrender that mature devotion toward grace and liberation.

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

Bilva and related services are classic upacāras in Saguna Śiva worship, especially in liṅga-pūjā; the verse frames them as “upāṅgas” that strengthen focused devotion to Śiva’s worshipful form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer bilva leaves (and similar sacred articles) in liṅga-pūjā with mindful reflection; pair the offering with steady bhakti and mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to unify outer rite and inner contemplation.