Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 34
पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः
Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva
शृङ्गारहारपुष्पैस्तु वर्द्धते सुख सम्पदा । ऋतुजातानि पुष्पाणि मुक्तिदानि न संशयः
śṛṅgārahārapuṣpaistu varddhate sukha sampadā | ṛtujātāni puṣpāṇi muktidāni na saṃśayaḥ
સુગંધિત અને શોભાયુક્ત પુષ્પો તથા હાર અર્પણ કરવાથી સુખ-સંપત્તિ વધે છે; અને ઋતુ પ્રમાણે ઉત્પન્ન થયેલા પુષ્પો પૂજામાં ચઢાવવાથી મુક્તિ આપે છે—એમાં શંકા નથી।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that sincere, orderly devotion—symbolized by offering pure, seasonal flowers—brings both worldly well-being and, ultimately, Shiva’s grace leading to moksha.
Seasonal flowers and garlands are classic upacāras in Saguna Shiva worship, especially in Linga-puja; the verse affirms that such tangible offerings, when done with purity and rightness, become a means for receiving Shiva’s liberating grace.
Perform Shiva puja with fresh, seasonally appropriate flowers and a garland, offering them with mantra-bhāva (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a mind oriented to purity and surrender.