Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

मृत्युञ्जय-विद्या-प्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation/Transmission of the Mṛtyuñjaya Vidyā

Devanagari script

मल्लिकाशतपत्रीभिस्सिंधुवारैस्सकिंशुकः । बन्धूकपुष्पैः पुन्नागैर्नागकेशरकेशरैः

Transliteration

mallikāśatapatrībhissiṃdhuvāraissakiṃśukaḥ | bandhūkapuṣpaiḥ punnāgairnāgakeśarakeśaraiḥ

Translation

Il était orné de jasmin et de fleurs aux cent pétales, de fleurs de sindhuvāra et d’épanouissements de kiṃśuka; ainsi que de fleurs de bandhūka, de punnāga et des filaments parfumés du nāgakeśara—une offrande florale splendide, digne du culte de Śiva.

Word by Word

• मल्लिका-शतपत्रीभिः: with jasmine and hundred-petalled (flowers)
• मल्लिका-शतपत्रीभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्लिका (प्रातिपदिक) + शतपत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural (by/with)

• सिन्धुवारैः: with sindhuvāra (vitex) flowers
• सिन्धुवारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्धुवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• सकिंशुकः: together with kiṃśuka (palāśa)
• सकिंशुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; 'sa-' = 'along with' (सह) as prefixal usage

• बन्धूक-पुष्पैः: with bandhūka flowers
• बन्धूक-पुष्पैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धूक (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• पुन्नागैः: with punnāga (flowers/trees)
• पुन्नागैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुन्नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• नागकेशर-केशरैः: with nāgakeśara stamens
• नागकेशर-केशरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागकेशर (प्रातिपदिक) + केशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural; 'nāgakeśara-keśara' = stamens of nāgakeśara

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a named Jyotirliṅga; continues the descriptive inventory of auspicious flowers used for Śiva’s worship, emphasizing abundance and splendor.

Significance: Encourages bhakti through upacāra—offering the best fragrances/colors to the Lord, cultivating humility and single-pointed devotion.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights bhakti expressed through pure, fragrant floral offerings—an outer act that, in Śaiva Siddhānta, symbolizes inner purity and loving surrender to Pati (Śiva), helping the soul loosen the bonds of mala and pāśa through devotion.

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

By listing specific flowers used in adornment, it supports saguna-upāsanā—worship of Śiva with form and attributes—commonly centered on the Śiva-liṅga, where such offerings become a concrete mode of remembrance and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform flower-offering (puṣpāñjali/arcana) with a focused mind while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” treating each offering as a deliberate act of surrender.