Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 62

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

प्रस्थैर्विंशतिकैश्चैव मल्लिकामान मुत्तमम् । तिलपुष्पैस्तथा मानं प्रस्थान्न्यूनं तथैव च

Transliteration

prasthairviṃśatikaiścaiva mallikāmāna muttamam | tilapuṣpaistathā mānaṃ prasthānnyūnaṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

สำหรับดอกมัลลิกา (มะลิ) มาตรฐานอันประเสริฐกำหนดไว้ยี่สิบปรัสถะ ส่วนดอกงา (ติละปุษปะ) ก็ระบุว่ามาตรฐานน้อยกว่าหนึ่งปรัสถะเล็กน้อยเช่นกัน

Word by Word

• प्रस्थैः: with prasthas
• प्रस्थैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विंशतिकैः: with twenties / by twenty-units
• विंशतिकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंशतिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphasis/particle)

• मल्लिकामानम्: the measure for mallikā
• मल्लिकामानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्लिका + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मल्लिकायाः मानम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तिलपुष्पैः: with sesame-flowers
• तिलपुष्पैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तिलस्य पुष्पम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मानम्: measure
• मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रस्थान्: than prasthas (from the prastha-measure)
• प्रस्थान्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), बहुवचन (Plural); छन्दसि/पदसन्धौ न्-आगम (prasthāt → prasthān)

• न्यूनम्: less/deficient
• न्यूनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यून (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphasis/particle)

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

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Lord Śiva is strengthened by niyama (disciplined observance): offerings are not random, but made with reverence, purity, and proper measure—supporting steadiness of bhakti and clarity of intention.

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

The verse belongs to practical instructions for saguna upāsanā—serving Śiva through concrete acts like flower-offering to the Liṅga. Such regulated worship is a Siddhānta-friendly means to refine the soul (paśu) and orient it toward Pati (Śiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests careful, measured flower-offerings (especially jasmine and sesame-flowers) as part of Śiva-pūjā, performed with attention and restraint—ideally alongside mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya").