Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22

गणेशोत्पत्ति-प्रसङ्गः / Episode on the Origin of Gaṇeśa (Śvetakalpa Account)

Devanagari script

वस्त्राणि च तदा तस्मै दत्त्वा सा विविधानि हि । नानालंकरणं चैव बह्वाशिषमनुत्तमाम्

Transliteration

vastrāṇi ca tadā tasmai dattvā sā vividhāni hi | nānālaṃkaraṇaṃ caiva bahvāśiṣamanuttamām

Translation

ତେବେ ସେ ତାହାକୁ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ପ୍ରକାର ବସ୍ତ୍ର ଦେଲା, ନାନା ଅଳଙ୍କାର ମଧ୍ୟ ଅର୍ପଣ କଲା, ଏବଂ ବହୁ ପରିମାଣର ଅନୁତ୍ତମ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦ ପ୍ରଦାନ କଲା।

Word by Word

• वस्त्राणि: garments
• वस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; द्वितीया (Accusative)

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

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; चतुर्थी (Dative)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having given’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (Nominative)

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; द्वितीया (Accusative); विशेषण (qualifying ‘वस्त्राणि’)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• नाना-आलंकरणम्: various ornaments
• नाना-आलंकरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + आलंकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘नानाविधम् आलंकरणम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (Accusative)

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

• एव: indeed, also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: just/indeed)

• बहु-आशिषम्: many blessings
• बहु-आशिषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + आशिष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘बह्वी आशिष्’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (Accusative)

• अनुत्तमाम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (Accusative); विशेषण (qualifying ‘आशिषम्’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

The verse highlights bhakti expressed as respectful service (upacāra) and dāna—offering what is pure and beautiful—followed by āśīrvāda (blessing). In a Śaiva Siddhānta mood, such devotion refines the pashu (bound soul) and turns the heart toward Pati (Śiva) through humility and gratitude.

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

Garments and ornaments symbolize external upacāras used in saguna worship—honoring the manifest form of the Divine with reverence. In Liṅga-pūjā, analogous offerings (vastra, gandha, puṣpa) train the mind to see Śiva as the indwelling Lord and to approach Him with sanctified attention.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to perform Śiva-pūjā with upacāras—offer a clean cloth (vastra) or symbolic vastra, then conclude with prayers for blessings while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a steady, grateful mind.