Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 47

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

यवपूजा तथा प्रोक्ता लक्षेण परमा शिवे । प्रस्थानामष्टकं चैव तथा प्रस्थार्द्धकं पुनः

Transliteration

yavapūjā tathā proktā lakṣeṇa paramā śive | prasthānāmaṣṭakaṃ caiva tathā prasthārddhakaṃ punaḥ

Translation

Ainsi, le culte avec l’orge (yava-pūjā) a été enseigné comme souverainement cher à Śiva. Il doit être accompli selon la mesure prescrite : huit prasthas, puis encore un demi-prastha en plus.

Word by Word

• यवपूजा: barley-worship/offerings
• यवपूजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—यवानां पूजा (worship with barley / barley-offering worship)

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

• प्रोक्ता: is declared/has been said
• प्रोक्ता: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त) < √वच् (धातु) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (has been said)

• लक्षेण: by (the measure of) a lakh
• लक्षेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; परिमाण/संख्या-करण (by a lakh; as measure)

• परमा: supreme
• परमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शिवे: O Śivā
• शिवे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रस्थानाम्: of prasthas (measures)
• प्रस्थानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; माप-परिमाण (of prasthas, a measure)

• अष्टकम्: a set of eight
• अष्टकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम (a set of eight)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थ (also/thus)

• प्रस्थार्द्धकम्: half a prastha
• प्रस्थार्द्धकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ-अर्द्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—प्रस्थस्य अर्द्धम् (half a prastha)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरावृत्त्यर्थ/again

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating Śiva’s ritual injunctions to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Defines a measurable, rule-bound offering (yava) as ‘paramā’ to Śiva—emphasizing that disciplined karma (kriyā) becomes a conduit for grace and merit.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that devotion to Śiva is expressed through orderly, reverent worship—where even the quantity of offerings is sanctified by scriptural measure, training the devotee in discipline (niyama) and steadiness of bhakti.

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

Yava-offering is part of Saguna upāsanā—serving Śiva through tangible substances and precise ritual standards, typically directed to the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible form of Pati (Śiva) for the bound soul (paśu).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to offer barley in Śiva-pūjā according to the prescribed measure, accompanied by mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a disciplined, pure intent.