Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 55

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

राजिकापूजनं शंभोश्शत्रोर्मृत्युकरं स्मृतम् । सार्षपानां तथा लक्षं पलैर्विशतिसंख्यया

Transliteration

rājikāpūjanaṃ śaṃbhośśatrormṛtyukaraṃ smṛtam | sārṣapānāṃ tathā lakṣaṃ palairviśatisaṃkhyayā

Translation

Pemujaan Śambhu dengan rājikā (biji sesawi) disebut sebagai penyebab kematian bagi musuh. Demikian pula, hendaknya dipersembahkan seratus ribu biji sesawi, ditakar seberat dua puluh pala.

Word by Word

• राजिका-पूजनम्: worship with rājikā (mustard)
• राजिका-पूजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजिका (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राजिकायाः पूजनम्)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/6th), एकवचन

• शत्रोः: of the enemy
• शत्रोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/6th), एकवचन

• मृत्यु-करम्: death-causing
• मृत्यु-करम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्युम् करोति इति) विशेषणम् (qualifying पूजनम्)

• स्मृतम्: is held to be
• स्मृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (is considered/remembered as)

• सार्षपानाम्: of mustard-seeds
• सार्षपानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार्षप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/6th), बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• लक्षम्: a lakh
• लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पलैः: by palas (weight units)
• पलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd), बहुवचन; मापन-करणम् (instrument of measure)

• विंशति-संख्यया: by the count of twenty
• विंशति-संख्यया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः संख्यासमासः (विंशतिः संख्या यस्याः) = by the number twenty

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durga

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents a specific Śaiva offering (mustard) as a forceful, karma-altering rite—showing that focused worship of Śiva can remove hostile obstacles; in a Shaiva Siddhanta frame, the deeper aim is purification and protection under Śiva’s lordship, not mere harm.

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

The verse assumes Saguna worship—Śambhu as the approachable Lord who receives offerings. Such dravya (substances) are typically offered in Linga-pūjā with mantra and sankalpa, expressing devotion and seeking Śiva’s intervention in worldly threats.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A counted offering of mustard seeds in Śiva-pūjā (here specified as 100,000 seeds / twenty palas), ideally accompanied by Śiva-mantra japa (e.g., the Panchākṣarī) and a protective intention (rakṣā) rather than vindictive motivation.