Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

विंशतिः कमलानां तु प्रस्थमेकमुदाहृतम् । बिल्वो दलसहस्रेण प्रस्थार्द्धं परिभाषितम्

Transliteration

viṃśatiḥ kamalānāṃ tu prasthamekamudāhṛtam | bilvo dalasahasreṇa prasthārddhaṃ paribhāṣitam

Translation

താമരപ്പൂക്കളുടെ ഇരുപത് എണ്ണം ഒരു ‘പ്രസ്ഥ’ എന്നു പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. ബിൽവ ഇലകളുടെ ആയിരം എണ്ണം ‘അർദ്ധപ്രസ്ഥ’ എന്നു നിർവചിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• विंशतिः: twenty
• विंशतिः: Karta (कर्ता) (as measure-definition subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; numeral ‘twenty’

• कमलानाम्: of lotuses
• कमलानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• प्रस्थम्: a prastha (measure)
• प्रस्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; measure-unit as object of ‘udāhṛtam’

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; agrees with प्रस्थम्

• उदाहृतम्: is declared
• उदाहृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु) → उदाहृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) used impersonally; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is stated/declared’

• बिल्वः: bilva (leaf/fruit)
• बिल्वः: Karta (कर्ता) (in second sentence: measure-definition subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दल-सहस्रेण: by/with a thousand leaves
• दल-सहस्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘a thousand of leaves’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रस्थ-अर्द्धम्: half a prastha
• प्रस्थ-अर्द्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘half of a prastha’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (as object/predicate measure)

• परिभाषितम्: is defined
• परिभाषितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-भाष् (धातु) → परिभाषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) used impersonally; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is defined’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana’s ritual standards to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a shrine legend; it codifies ritual metrology (prastha) for offerings, reflecting the Purāṇa’s concern with correct performance (vidhi) in Śiva-pūjā.

Significance: Supports large-scale archana (sahasra/lakṣa) by standardizing counts; correct measure is treated as part of dharma that removes ritual ambiguity.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It sanctifies precision in Shiva-worship: devotion (bhakti) is strengthened when offerings are made with awareness, discipline, and scriptural order—turning external acts into inward reverence for Pati (Shiva).

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

Lotus and bilva are classic upacāras for Saguna Shiva in Linga-puja. By defining measures, the text frames Linga-worship as both love-filled and dharma-aligned, where correct offering supports steadiness of mind and purity in ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests mindful, counted offerings—especially bilva-leaves in Shiva-puja—performed with mantra (commonly the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) so the act becomes a focused meditation rather than a casual gesture.