Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

उशीरं चन्दनं चैव पाद्ये तु परिकल्पयेत् । जातीकं कोलकर्पूरवटमूल तमालकम्

Transliteration

uśīraṃ candanaṃ caiva pādye tu parikalpayet | jātīkaṃ kolakarpūravaṭamūla tamālakam

Translation

Pour l’offrande d’eau au lavage des pieds (pādya) dans le culte de Śiva, qu’on la prépare avec l’uśīra parfumé (vétiver) et le bois de santal, ainsi qu’avec le jasmin, le jujube, le camphre, la racine du banyan et le tamāla.

Word by Word

• uśīram: vetiver
• uśīram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uśīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• candanam: sandalwood
• candanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• eva: indeed/also
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• pādye: in the foot-washing water (pādya)
• pādye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative/contrast particle (विरोध/निपात)

• parikalpayet: should prepare/arrange
• parikalpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-kḷp (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• jātīkam: jasmine (jātī)
• jātīkam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kola-karpūra-vaṭa-mūlam: banyan-root (with kola and camphor)
• kola-karpūra-vaṭa-mūlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kola + karpūra + vaṭa + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound: (kola-karpūra) + (vaṭa-mūla) / 'root of banyan (vaṭa) with kola and camphor' (determinative)

• tamālakam: tamālaka (a fragrant plant)
• tamālakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Śiva-pūjā procedure to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Pati (Śiva) is expressed through purity, fragrance, and reverent service (upacāra); the carefully prepared pādya symbolizes humility and loving attendance to the Lord who grants grace and liberation.

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

In Saguna worship of Śiva—especially in liṅga-pūjā—pādya is a standard upacāra. Offering fragrant, sanctified water is a way of honoring Śiva’s approachable, worshipful form while remembering His transcendence beyond all forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare pādya with auspicious fragrances and offer it with steady bhakti, ideally while mentally repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) during the sequence of upacāras.