Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

विद्याकामस्तथा यः स्यात्तदर्द्धेनार्चयेच्छिवम् । वाणीकामो भवेद्यो वै घृतेनैवार्चयेच्छिवम्

Transliteration

vidyākāmastathā yaḥ syāttadarddhenārcayecchivam | vāṇīkāmo bhavedyo vai ghṛtenaivārcayecchivam

Translation

புனிதமான கல்வியை விரும்புவோர் ‘ததர்த்த’ எனப்படும் திரவியத்தால் சிவனை அர்ச்சிக்க வேண்டும். வாக்குச் செல்வமும் பேச்சுத் திறனும் வேண்டுவோர் நெய்யால் சிவபூஜை செய்ய வேண்டும்।

Word by Word

• vidyā-kāmaḥ: one desiring knowledge
• vidyā-kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (उपपद/षष्ठीभाव: विद्यायाः कामः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• syāt: should be/is (in conditional sense)
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tad-ardhena: with half of that (quantity)
• tad-ardhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: तस्य अर्धम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• arcayet: should worship
• arcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; देवता-नाम

• vāṇī-kāmaḥ: one desiring eloquence/speech
• vāṇī-kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (उपपद/षष्ठीभाव: वाण्याः कामः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhavet: should become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• ghṛtena: with ghee
• ghṛtena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• arcayet: should worship
• arcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Śiva as the giver of vidyā and vāṇī-siddhi through upāsanā; emphasizes that worldly attainments are subordinate to right worship and can become supports for dharma.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere desire (for vidyā or vāṇī) should be sanctified through disciplined Śiva-pūjā, where offerings become a focused expression of bhakti and inner refinement under Śiva’s grace.

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

The verse prescribes specific dravya-offerings for arcana (ritual worship), which is characteristic of Saguna Śiva worship—approaching the formless Lord through the accessible form of the Śiva-liṅga and devotional rites.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-arcana with intention: offer ghee for vāṇī-siddhi (clarity and power of speech) and, for vidyā, offer the prescribed tadarddha substance as stated in this chapter, ideally alongside mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī) and steady devotion.