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Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

प्रधान्यकामुको यो वै तदर्द्धेनार्चयेत्पुमान् । कारागृहगतो यो वै लक्षेनैवार्चयेद्धनम्

pradhānyakāmuko yo vai tadarddhenārcayetpumān | kārāgṛhagato yo vai lakṣenaivārcayeddhanam

O homem que anseia por proeminência e distinção mundana deve adorar Śiva com metade (da medida da oferta). E aquele que caiu no cárcere deve adorar com um lakh (cem mil) dessa oferta/riqueza, alcançando a libertação e o restabelecimento da boa fortuna.

प्रधान्यकामुकःone desirous of prominence
प्रधान्यकामुकः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रधान्य + कामुक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रधान्यस्य कामुकः)
यःwho
यः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; relative pronoun
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात/particle (emphasis)
तत्of that
तत्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'of that' (refers to desired result/measure)
अर्द्धेनwith half (of it)
अर्द्धेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
अर्चयेत्should worship
अर्चयेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअर्च् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
पुमान्a man
पुमान्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
कारागृहगतःone who has gone to prison / imprisoned
कारागृहगतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootकारागृह + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (कारागृहे गतः)
यःwho
यः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; relative pronoun
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात/particle (emphasis)
लक्षेनwith a lakh (offerings/units)
लक्षेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootलक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; 'with a lakh (100,000)'
एवonly/just
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिपात/particle (restriction/emphasis)
अर्चयेत्should worship
अर्चयेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअर्च् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
धनम्wealth
धनम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootधन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Sthala Purana: General phala-specification: graded measures of worship are prescribed for distinct worldly constraints (status-seeking; imprisonment) to obtain Śiva’s favor.

Significance: Portrays Śiva as remover of social/physical bondage (imprisonment) and giver of prādhānya (eminence), aligning worldly order with divine grace.

Role: liberating

S
Shiva

FAQs

The verse teaches that Śiva-arcana can address both worldly constraints (status, confinement) and deeper bondage. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, devotion to Pati (Śiva) loosens pāśa (bondage) and reshapes karma, granting protection and auspicious outcomes.

The instruction is practical and ritual-oriented, pointing to Saguna Śiva worship—commonly through the Śiva-liṅga with offerings and counted acts of worship. Such disciplined arcana is presented as a means to receive Śiva’s grace in tangible life situations.

It implies graded worship using one’s means—offerings and/or counted acts (often understood as japa/arcana counts). A fitting takeaway is regular liṅga-pūjā with Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), accompanied by traditional Shaiva aids like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where appropriate.