Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 44

गणेशाभिषेक-वरदान-विधानम् | Gaṇeśa’s Consecration, Boons, and Prescribed Worship

Devanagari script

वितस्तिमात्रा दूर्वा च व्यंगा वै मूलवर्जिता । ईदृशानां तद्बलानां शतेनैकोत्तरेण ह

Transliteration

vitastimātrā dūrvā ca vyaṃgā vai mūlavarjitā | īdṛśānāṃ tadbalānāṃ śatenaikottareṇa ha

Translation

一ヴィタスティ（手のひら一拃）ほどの長さのドゥールヴァ草で、汚れなく根を除いたものを供えるべきである。そのような草葉を百一枚捧げよ、聞く者よ。

Word by Word

• वितस्ति-मात्रा: of a span’s measure
• वितस्ति-मात्रा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वितस्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘वितस्तेः मात्रा’ (span-measured)

• दूर्वा: dūrvā grass
• दूर्वा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• व्यङ्गा: blemished
• व्यङ्गा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘दूर्वा’ विशेषण (imperfect/blemished)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मूल-वर्जिता: devoid of roots
• मूल-वर्जिता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त, √वर्ज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘मूलं वर्जितं यस्याः सा’ (rootless)

• ईदृशानाम्: of such
• ईदृशानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक/स्त्री (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘of such (ones)’

• तत्-बलानाम्: of those quantities/strengths
• तत्-बलानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘तस्य बलानि’ (their strengths/quantities)

• शतेन: by/with a hundred
• शतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/परिमाण (by a hundred)

• एक-उत्तरेण: with one more (i.e., 101)
• एक-उत्तरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘एकेन उत्तरेण’ = ‘one more’ (101)

• ह: indeed (expletive)
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: पादपूरण/निपात (expletive particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion must be joined with ritual purity and intentionality—offering clean, properly prepared dūrvā in a prescribed count symbolizes disciplined bhakti that purifies the devotee and steadies the mind toward Shiva.

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

The verse gives a concrete rule for upacāra (ritual offering) in Saguna worship: specific, pure items and counts are offered to Shiva (often to the Linga) as a reverent, embodied way of approaching the Lord who graciously accepts such devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer 101 blemishless, rootless dūrvā blades of span-length during Shiva-pūjā, ideally while maintaining focused remembrance of Shiva (e.g., with japa of Om Namaḥ Śivāya) so the external act supports inner concentration.