Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 46

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

भोज्या वै ब्राह्मणास्तस्मादत्र कार्या नरेण हि । महापातकजं दुखं तत्क्षणान्नश्यति ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

bhojyā vai brāhmaṇāstasmādatra kāryā nareṇa hi | mahāpātakajaṃ dukhaṃ tatkṣaṇānnaśyati dhruvam

Translation

Ainsi, en cette affaire, l’homme doit assurément nourrir les brahmanes. La peine née des grands péchés est, à cet instant même, détruite à coup sûr.

Word by Word

• भोज्याः: to be fed / fit to be offered food
• भोज्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोज्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) < √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण, भविष्यत्कर्मणि/योग्यतार्थे (to be eaten/fit to be fed)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore / from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कार्याः: should be done
• कार्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) < √कृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण, विधेय/कर्तव्यतार्थे (to be done/should be)

• नरेण: by a man
• नरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• हि: for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for/indeed)

• महापातकजम्: arising from a great sin
• महापातकजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापातक-ज (प्रातिपदिक); महा + पातक (तत्पुरुष) + ज (कृदन्त/प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—महापातकात् जातम् (born of great sin)

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्क्षणात्: immediately
• तत्क्षणात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्-क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-अर्थे (ablatival adverb): तत् + क्षणात् = immediately/from that very moment

• नश्यति: perishes
• नश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (adverbial accusative), निश्चयार्थ (certainly)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Dāna/anna-dāna to Brāhmaṇas is presented as an immediate prāyaścitta that lightens mahāpātaka-janita duḥkha, preparing the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha through purification (mala-kṣaya).

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere seva—especially feeding the spiritually dedicated—acts as a powerful prayāścitta, quickly dissolving the suffering created by grave karmic faults, aligning one toward Shiva’s grace and inner purification.

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

In Shaiva practice, Linga-worship is completed by devotion expressed as service (seva) and charity (dāna). Feeding Brāhmaṇas is presented as an outward act that supports inner devotion to Saguna Shiva and purifies the worshipper’s karmic obstacles to steadier Linga-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform brāhmaṇa-bhojana as part of Shiva-pūjā or a vow-day (vrata), accompanied by humble intention, charity, and remembrance of Shiva (e.g., japa of the Panchākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) to seal the act as purification.