Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16
पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः
Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva
रोगग्रस्तो यदा स्याद्वै तदर्द्धेनार्चयेच्छिवम् । कन्याकामो भवेद्यो वै तदर्द्धेन शिवं पुनः
rogagrasto yadā syādvai tadarddhenārcayecchivam | kanyākāmo bhavedyo vai tadarddhena śivaṃ punaḥ
Lorsqu’une personne est accablée par la maladie, qu’elle adore le Seigneur Śiva avec la moitié (de l’offrande prescrite). De même, celui qui désire une jeune fille—une épouse convenable—qu’il adore de nouveau Śiva avec la moitié (de l’offrande prescrite).
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vaidyanatha
Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha
Sthala Purana: By epithet-association: Śiva as Vaidya (divine physician) who removes roga; while this verse is not a shrine-māhātmya, its ‘rogagrasta’ theme naturally aligns with Vaidyanātha Jyotirliṅga traditions where Śiva heals and restores wholeness.
Significance: Sought for relief from illness and afflictions; also for well-being and auspicious life transitions (including marriage) through Śiva’s anugraha.
Mantra: (Commonly invoked for roga-śānti though not quoted here) oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ||
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse presents Śiva as the compassionate Pati (Lord) who grants both worldly well-being (health, marriage prospects) and inner auspiciousness when approached through sincere, regulated worship; it teaches measured offering with steady devotion rather than mere display.
It implies practical Saguna-upāsanā—worship of Śiva as approachable and gracious—commonly expressed through Liṅga-pūjā with offerings; the focus is on devotion and correct intent, not the quantity of ritual materials.
Perform Śiva-arcana with a reduced (half) measure of the prescribed offering while maintaining purity, faith, and mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the inner support of the rite.