Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

यशसे च तथा संख्या वाहनाद्यैः सहस्रिका । मुक्तिकामोर्चयेच्छंभुं पंचकोट्या सुभक्तितः

Transliteration

yaśase ca tathā saṃkhyā vāhanādyaiḥ sahasrikā | muktikāmorcayecchaṃbhuṃ paṃcakoṭyā subhaktitaḥ

Translation

യശസ്സിനും, ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് വാഹനാദികളോടുകൂടിയ സമൃദ്ധിക്കും ഈ സംഖ്യ പറയപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. മോക്ഷം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ സുവിഭക്തിയോടെ പഞ്ചകോടി (അഞ്ചുകോടി) സംഖ്യയിൽ ശംഭുവിനെ അർച്ചിക്കട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• यशसे: for fame/glory
• यशसे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• संख्या: the number (is)
• संख्या: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाहन-आद्यैः: with vehicles and the like
• वाहन-आद्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—आदि-तत्पुरुष (ending with ‘etc.’)

• सहस्रिका: (being) in thousands / thousandfold
• सहस्रिका: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्रिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• मुक्ति-कामः: one desiring liberation
• मुक्ति-कामः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (desire of liberation)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पञ्च-कोट्या: with five crores (of offerings/count)
• पञ्च-कोट्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound)

• सु-भक्तितः: with great devotion
• सु-भक्तितः: हेतु (Hetu/Cause-Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); ‘-तः’ अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (adverbial ablative: ‘from/with’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Explicitly ranks mukti above fame and prosperity; five-crore worship with subhakti signals that liberation is not merely transactional but depends on devotion aligned with Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that while worldly gains like fame and prosperity may arise from worship, the highest intent is mukti; liberation is approached through sustained, excellent devotion to Śambhu.

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

The verse points to arcanā (ritual worship) of Śambhu—classically performed toward the Śiva-liṅga as Saguna Shiva—where devotion purifies the soul and directs it toward the grace of Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It recommends committed Śiva-arcanā in large measure (a vast count such as repeated offerings/japa over time), emphasizing steady bhakti as the practical discipline for both purification and liberation.