Shloka 35

Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama

Devanagari script

श्वेतार्ककुसुमे साक्षाच् चतुर्वक्त्रः प्रजापतिः कर्णिकारस्य कुसुमे मेधा साक्षाद्व्यवस्थिता

Transliteration

śvetārkakusume sākṣāc caturvaktraḥ prajāpatiḥ karṇikārasya kusume medhā sākṣādvyavasthitā

Translation

白きアルカ（śvetārka）の花には、四面のプラジャーパティ（梵天ブラフマー）がまさに直に現存する。カルニカーラ（karṇikāra）の花には、智慧と正しき分別の女神メーダー（Medhā）が直に安立している。

Word by Word

• śvetārka-kusume: in the white arka flower

• sākṣāt: directly, manifestly

• catur-vaktraḥ: the four-faced one

• prajāpatiḥ: Prajāpati (Brahmā, lord of progeny)

• karṇikārasya: of the karṇikāra tree

• kusume: in the flower

• medhā: Medhā (intelligence, sacred insight as a deity)

• sākṣāt: directly

• vyavasthitā: stands established, abides

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching on Śiva-pūjā materials)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Prajapati
• Medha

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It teaches that specific flowers used in Śiva-pūjā are not merely decorative: they are seats (adhiṣṭhāna) of particular deities, making the offering a conscious, mantra-aligned act that refines the worshipper (pashu) toward Pati.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By implying that all devatās and their powers (like Brahmā’s creative authority and Medhā’s illumination) are accessible through properly ordered Śiva-arcana, it reflects Śiva-tattva as the supreme integrator—Pati to whom the cosmos and its intelligences are offered and through whom they become spiritually efficacious.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Puṣpa-niyama (disciplined selection of flowers) as part of Śiva-pūjā—an outer practice that supports inner Pāśupata orientation by cultivating medhā (clear discernment) and sattvic focus while offering to the Liṅga.