Shloka 4

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । कमलैर्बिल्वपत्रैश्च शतपत्रैस्तथा पुनः । शंखपुष्पैस्तथा देवं लक्ष्मीकामोऽर्चयेच्छिवम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | kamalairbilvapatraiśca śatapatraistathā punaḥ | śaṃkhapuṣpaistathā devaṃ lakṣmīkāmo'rcayecchivam

Translation

พระพรหมตรัสว่า—ผู้ปรารถนาพระลักษมีคือความรุ่งเรือง พึงบูชาพระศิวะด้วยดอกบัว ใบบิลวะ ดอกไม้ร้อยกลีบ และดอกไม้รูปสังข์

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कमलैः: with lotuses
• कमलैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• बिल्व-पत्रैः: with bilva leaves
• बिल्व-पत्रैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बिल्वस्य पत्राणि)

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

• शत-पत्रैः: with hundred-petalled (flowers)
• शत-पत्रैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (शतं पत्राणि यस्य/येषां)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: in that manner/also)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरावृत्ति/कालवाचक (again/further)

• शंख-पुष्पैः: with śaṅkha-flowers
• शंख-पुष्पैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शंखसदृशानि पुष्पाणि / शंखनामकानि पुष्पाणि)

• तथा: also
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• देवम्: the god (Lord)
• देवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लक्ष्मी-कामः: one who desires prosperity (Lakṣmī)
• लक्ष्मी-कामः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लक्ष्म्याः कामः)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु, णिजन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देवम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General liṅga/Śiva-arcana instruction: specific flowers (kamala, śatapatra) and bilva are prescribed for prosperity-oriented worship.

Significance: Bilva and lotus offerings are classic markers of Śiva-bhakti; the verse promises śrī (auspicious prosperity) as a worldly fruit while implying purification that supports higher liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lakṣmī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Lakshmi

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that sincere bhakti expressed through pure offerings (flowers and bilva leaves) becomes a means to approach Śiva as Pati (the Lord). From a Śaiva Siddhānta lens, such worship refines the soul (paśu), loosens bonds (pāśa), and invites Śiva’s grace—through which both worldly well-being and higher spiritual uplift can arise.

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

The instruction is a practical guideline for saguna-upāsanā—devotional worship of Śiva with form and attributes, commonly performed to the Śiva-liṅga. The offerings symbolize reverence and purity, supporting concentrated devotion that can mature toward deeper contemplation of Śiva beyond form (nirguṇa) through grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple Shiva-pūjā is implied: offer lotus flowers and bilva leaves (and other auspicious blossoms) to Śiva—ideally to the liṅga—while maintaining a prayerful mind. As a meditative support, one may internally repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” during the offering, aligning act (kriyā) and remembrance (smaraṇa).