Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

प्रतिरूपं तथा मंत्रं बिल्वीदलमनुत्तमम् । अथवा शतपत्रं च कमलं वा तथा पुनः

Transliteration

pratirūpaṃ tathā maṃtraṃ bilvīdalamanuttamam | athavā śatapatraṃ ca kamalaṃ vā tathā punaḥ

Translation

พึงถวายประติรูปะ (สัญลักษณ์ศักดิ์สิทธิ์) พร้อมมนต์ และใบมะตูม (บิลวะ) อันประเสริฐยิ่ง; หรือถวายดอกบัวร้อยกลีบ—ใช่แล้ว ดอกบัวด้วย—ซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่าในการบูชา

Word by Word

• pratirūpam: a likeness; representation
• pratirūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद/अव्ययीभाव-न; here as determinative: प्रति + रूप), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tathā: also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• mantram: mantra
• mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bilvī: bilva tree
• bilvī: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bilvī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (in compound), एकवचन-प्रातिपदिक-रूप (stem used in samāsa)

• dalam: leaf
• dalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासान्तर्गतं

• anuttamam: unsurpassed; excellent
• anuttamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying bilvīdala)

• athavā: or
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• śatapatram: hundred-petalled (flower)
• śatapatram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata-patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (शतं पत्राणि यस्य/शतपत्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• kamalam: lotus
• kamalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• tathā: also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• punaḥ: again; further
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teachings on Shiva-worship to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not jyotirliṅga-specific; it prescribes emblematic offerings (pratirūpa), mantra, bilva leaf, and lotus/śatapatra—standard Śiva-upacāras used across kṣetras.

Significance: Bilva and lotus offerings are widely held to please Śiva quickly; the verse supports common pilgrimage practice of carrying bilva/lotus to major Śiva temples.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (implied) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that devotion (bhakti) expressed through mantra and pure offerings—especially the bilva leaf and lotus—becomes a direct means to please Shiva, the Pati (Lord) who grants grace (anugraha) to the bound soul (paśu).

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

By naming concrete offerings (bilva, lotus) and mantra together, the verse supports Saguna-upasana: worship of Shiva in an accessible form such as the Shiva Linga, where inner remembrance is joined with outer ritual acts.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer bilva leaves or a lotus to Shiva while reciting a Shiva-mantra (commonly the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), making the offering an act of focused remembrance and surrender.