Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

सिन्दूरैश्चन्दनैश्चैव तंडुलैः केतकैस्तथा । उपचारैरनेकैश्च पूजयेत्त्वां गणे श्वरम्

Transliteration

sindūraiścandanaiścaiva taṃḍulaiḥ ketakaistathā | upacārairanekaiśca pūjayettvāṃ gaṇe śvaram

Translation

सिन्दूरैः चन्दनैः चैव तण्डुलैः केतकैः तथा। अनेकैः उपचारैः च त्वां पूजयेत् गणेश्वरम्॥

Word by Word

• सिन्दूरैः: with vermilion
• सिन्दूरैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• चन्दनैः: with sandalwood
• चन्दनैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis/only/indeed)

• तण्डुलैः: with rice grains
• तण्डुलैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तण्डुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• केतकैः: with ketaka flowers (screw-pine blossoms)
• केतकैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (in that manner/also)

• उपचारैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अनेकैः: many
• अनेकैः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying ‘उपचारैः’)

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

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

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गणेश्वरम्: Gaṇeśvara (Lord of the gaṇas)
• गणेश्वरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गणानाम् ईश्वरः), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the prescribed worship as conveyed in the Rudrasaṃhitā to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere, orderly pūjā using simple, sattvic offerings is a valid path of bhakti; honoring Gaṇeśa as Gaṇeśvara supports steadiness of mind and removal of impediments on the Shaiva path toward grace (anugraha).

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

In Shaiva practice, Gaṇeśa is traditionally worshiped first as the Lord of attendants and thresholds; this prepares the devotee for Saguna worship—such as Liṅga-pūjā—by establishing auspiciousness and unobstructed ritual focus.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Gaṇeśa-pūjā with upacāras—offering sindūra, candana, rice, and flowers—then continue with mantra-japa and the main Shaiva worship (e.g., Panchākṣarī japa and Liṅga offerings) with a composed, devotional mind.