Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

शमीपत्रैस्तथा मुक्तिः प्राप्यते पुरुषेण च । मल्लिकाकुसुमैर्दत्तैः स्त्रियं शुभतरां शिवः

Transliteration

śamīpatraistathā muktiḥ prāpyate puruṣeṇa ca | mallikākusumairdattaiḥ striyaṃ śubhatarāṃ śivaḥ

Translation

ด้วยการถวายใบชะมี บุรุษย่อมได้โมกษะโดยแท้ และด้วยการถวายดอกมะลิ พระศิวะผู้เป็นเจ้าโปรดประทานแก่สตรีซึ่งภาวะอันเป็นมงคลยิ่งและพรอันประเสริฐ

Word by Word

• शमी: śamī tree
• शमी: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/षष्ठी; stem used as prior member in compound

• पत्रैः: with leaves
• पत्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• शमी-पत्रैः: with śamī leaves
• शमी-पत्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शम्याः पत्रैः’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Phala (फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘is obtained’

• पुरुषेण: by a man
• पुरुषेण: Kartr̥ (कर्ता) (in passive, agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by a man)

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

• मल्लिका: jasmine (mallikā)
• मल्लिका: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्लिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; stem used as prior member in compound

• कुसुमैः: with blossoms
• कुसुमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• मल्लिका-कुसुमैः: with jasmine flowers
• मल्लिका-कुसुमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्लिका (प्रातिपदिक) + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मल्लिकायाः कुसुमैः’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दत्तैः: given/offered
• दत्तैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → दत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; agrees with कुसुमैः

• स्त्रियम्: a woman
• स्त्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• शुभतराम्: more auspicious
• शुभतराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative): ‘more auspicious’; agrees with स्त्रियम्

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse distinguishes fruits for male and female worshippers (mukti for the man; heightened auspiciousness for the woman), reflecting Purāṇic social framing while still centering Śiva’s grace as the decisive cause of spiritual uplift.

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?

It teaches that sincere bhakti expressed through simple, pure offerings can become a means to grace: śamī-leaf worship is praised as leading to mukti, while jasmine offerings are said to bring heightened auspiciousness through Śiva’s blessing.

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

The verse assumes Saguna Śiva worship through tangible upacāras (leaves and flowers) offered to Śiva—commonly understood as offerings to the Śiva-liṅga—where devotion and right intent attract Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā by offering śamī leaves (especially with prayer for liberation) and jasmine flowers (seeking auspiciousness), ideally alongside mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” maintaining purity and focused devotion.