Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

पूजां रुद्रप्रधानेन कृत्वा वस्त्रं सुसुन्दरम् । शिवोपरि न्यसेत्तत्र तंदुलार्पणमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

pūjāṃ rudrapradhānena kṛtvā vastraṃ susundaram | śivopari nyasettatra taṃdulārpaṇamuttamam

Translation

Après avoir accompli le culte en prenant Rudra pour divinité principale, qu’on dépose sur Śiva un vêtement d’une grande beauté ; et là même, qu’on offre l’excellente oblation de grains de riz.

Word by Word

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• रुद्रप्रधानेन: with (the offering) chiefly of rudra (items)
• रुद्रप्रधानेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुद्रस्य प्रधानः)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Non-finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• वस्त्रम्: cloth/garment
• वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सु-सुन्दरम्: very beautiful
• सु-सुन्दरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; उपसर्ग/उपपद-पूर्वक विशेषण

• शिव-उपरि: upon Śiva
• शिव-उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपरि (अव्यय, स्थानवाचक अव्यय) + षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (on/above Śiva)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √अस्/√स्यन्द? (धातु: √अस्/न्यासे; प्रचलित: नि+√अस्/√स्यन्द not applicable; here √अस् (न्यासे) / √न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: √न्यस् (न्यासे)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तण्डुल-अर्पणम्: offering of rice-grains
• तण्डुल-अर्पणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तण्डुल + अर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तण्डुलानाम् अर्पणम्)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General liṅga-pūjā procedure: after Rudra-centered worship, place a beautiful cloth on/for Śiva and then offer rice. Not a Jyotirliṅga-specific account.

Significance: Models upacāra-krama (sequence of services): honoring Śiva with vastra (cloth) and anna (rice) cultivates humility and completeness in worship; in Siddhānta terms, correct kriyā prepares the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship becomes spiritually effective when Shiva-Rudra is kept as the primary focus (Pati), and offerings are made with reverence to His manifested form, refining devotion (bhakti) into disciplined ritual.

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

Placing a cloth ‘upon Shiva’ indicates honoring Saguna Shiva as the worshipable presence—commonly the Shiva Linga—through respectful upacāras (ritual services) that make the devotee’s devotion tangible.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a puja sequence: perform Rudra-centered worship, offer a clean beautiful cloth to the Linga, then offer rice-grains (taṇḍula) as an auspicious oblation—ideally alongside mantra-japa such as the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).