Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 61

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

प्रस्थैरेकादशैर्जातिलक्षमानं प्रकीर्तितम् । यूथिकायास्तथा मानं राजिकायास्तदर्द्धकम्

Transliteration

prasthairekādaśairjātilakṣamānaṃ prakīrtitam | yūthikāyāstathā mānaṃ rājikāyāstadarddhakam

Translation

Il est proclamé que la mesure prescrite pour la jātī (jasmin) est d’un lakṣa, compté comme onze prastha. La même mesure vaut pour la yūthikā, tandis que pour la rājikā elle en est la moitié.

Word by Word

• प्रस्थैः: with prasthas (a measure)
• प्रस्थैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एकादशैः: with eleven
• एकादशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (एक + दश); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• जातिलक्षमानम्: the measure called ‘jāti-lakṣa’
• जातिलक्षमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति + लक्ष + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (जात्याः लक्षं मानम् / जाति-लक्ष-मान); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is declared/has been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगभाव (passive sense)

• यूथिकायाः: of yūthikā (a flower)
• यूथिकायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मानम्: measure
• मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• राजिकायाः: of rājikā (mustard/flower)
• राजिकायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्धकम्: half (as much)
• अर्धकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

FAQs

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

It emphasizes niyama (discipline and exactness) in sacred life—order, measure, and proportion support purity of intention in offerings and ritual conduct, aligning the devotee’s outer action with inner devotion toward Shiva.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, offerings like flowers are given with care and correctness; the Purana’s attention to measures reinforces that Linga-puja is not casual but performed with precise, reverent observance that steadies the mind in bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to perform Shiva-puja with regulated offerings—measured quantities of flowers and materials—while maintaining mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) so that external order supports internal concentration.