Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 57

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

कुशापामार्गकर्पूर जातिचंपकपाटलैः । करवीरैस्सितैश्चैव मल्लिकाकमलोत्पलैः

Transliteration

kuśāpāmārgakarpūra jāticaṃpakapāṭalaiḥ | karavīraissitaiścaiva mallikākamalotpalaiḥ

Translation

ด้วยหญ้ากุศะ อปามารคะ การบูร ดอกชาติ ดอกจำปกะ และดอกปาฏลา; อีกทั้งดอกกรวีระสีขาว พร้อมด้วยมลลิกา ดอกบัว และบัวสีน้ำเงิน (ควรถวายบูชาแด่พระศิวะ)

Word by Word

• कुश-अपामार्ग-कर्पूरैः: with kuśa, apāmārga, and camphor
• कुश-अपामार्ग-कर्पूरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (kuśa, apāmārga, camphor)

• जाति-चंपक-पाटलैः: with jāti, campaka, and pāṭala
• जाति-चंपक-पाटलैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + चंपक (प्रातिपदिक) + पाटल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (jāti, campaka, pāṭala flowers)

• करवीरैः: with oleanders
• करवीरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• सितैः: white
• सितैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying karavīraiḥ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मल्लिका-कमल-उत्पलैः: with jasmine, lotus, and water-lilies
• मल्लिका-कमल-उत्पलैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्लिका (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (jasmine, lotus, water-lily collectively)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya within the Rudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This verse is a general pūjā-vidhi (flower/dravya-upacāra) instruction rather than a site-specific Jyotirliṅga māhātmya; it applies to any Śiva-liṅga worship where fragrant and sattvic offerings are prescribed.

Significance: Merit accrues through proper upacāras (offerings) performed with purity and devotion; in Siddhānta framing, such karma-yoga oriented pūjā purifies mala and prepares the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion (bhakti) is expressed through pure, sattvic offerings—plants and flowers that symbolize inner cleanliness, fragrance of virtues, and reverence toward Pati (Śiva), the Lord who grants grace and liberation.

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

The verse functions as a practical guideline for Saguna worship—adorning the Śiva-liṅga with sanctifying substances and flowers—through which the devotee’s mind becomes steady, humble, and fit to receive Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā by offering these flowers with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), maintaining purity; the outer offering supports inner concentration and devotion.