Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16
पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः
Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva
रोगग्रस्तो यदा स्याद्वै तदर्द्धेनार्चयेच्छिवम् । कन्याकामो भवेद्यो वै तदर्द्धेन शिवं पुनः
rogagrasto yadā syādvai tadarddhenārcayecchivam | kanyākāmo bhavedyo vai tadarddhena śivaṃ punaḥ
వ్యక్తి రోగగ్రస్తుడైనప్పుడు ఆ పరిమాణములో సగముతో శివార్చన చేయవలెను. అలాగే కన్య (యోగ్య వధువు) కోరువాడు కూడా మళ్లీ సగ పరిమాణముతో శివుని పూజించవలెను.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vaidyanatha
Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha
Sthala Purana: By epithet-association: Śiva as Vaidya (divine physician) who removes roga; while this verse is not a shrine-māhātmya, its ‘rogagrasta’ theme naturally aligns with Vaidyanātha Jyotirliṅga traditions where Śiva heals and restores wholeness.
Significance: Sought for relief from illness and afflictions; also for well-being and auspicious life transitions (including marriage) through Śiva’s anugraha.
Mantra: (Commonly invoked for roga-śānti though not quoted here) oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ||
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse presents Śiva as the compassionate Pati (Lord) who grants both worldly well-being (health, marriage prospects) and inner auspiciousness when approached through sincere, regulated worship; it teaches measured offering with steady devotion rather than mere display.
It implies practical Saguna-upāsanā—worship of Śiva as approachable and gracious—commonly expressed through Liṅga-pūjā with offerings; the focus is on devotion and correct intent, not the quantity of ritual materials.
Perform Śiva-arcana with a reduced (half) measure of the prescribed offering while maintaining purity, faith, and mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the inner support of the rite.