Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 53

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

पुष्पैश्च शतपत्रैश्च करवीरैस्तथा पुनः । अष्टभिर्नाममंत्रैश्चार्पयेत्पुष्पाणि शंकरे

Transliteration

puṣpaiśca śatapatraiśca karavīraistathā punaḥ | aṣṭabhirnāmamaṃtraiścārpayetpuṣpāṇi śaṃkare

Translation

Sa mga bulaklak—lalo na ang lotus na may sandaang talulot at ang karavīra (oleander)—muling maghandog ng mga bulaklak kay Śaṅkara, kalakip ang walong mantra ng mga pangalan.

Word by Word

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शतपत्रैः: with śatapatra flowers (hundred-petalled)
• शतपत्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतपत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘शतं पत्राणि यस्य/येषां’ as a fixed noun for a flower); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• करवीरैः: with karavīra (oleander) flowers
• करवीरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; एवम् (thus/also)

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्ति (again, further)

• अष्टभिः: with eight
• अष्टभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• नाममन्त्रैः: with name-mantras
• नाममन्त्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाम + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नाम-सम्बद्ध मन्त्र); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अर्पयेत्: should offer
• अर्पयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुष्पाणि: flowers
• पुष्पाणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• शंकरे: to Śaṅkara
• शंकरे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Offering flowers with nāma-mantras is a bhakti-upacāra that cultivates śuddhi and receptivity to Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: bhavaḥ śarvaḥ rudraḥ paśupatiḥ ugraḥ mahān bhīmaḥ īśānaḥ (aṣṭa-nāma)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

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 devotion becomes complete when external offerings (flowers) are united with inner remembrance through Shiva’s name-mantras, directing the mind toward Śaṅkara as Pati (the Lord) who grants grace and liberation.

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

The verse reflects Saguna worship—honoring Shiva through tangible offerings and sacred names—commonly performed before the Shiva-Linga, where the devotee’s bhakti is expressed through upacāras (ritual services) and mantra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer flowers such as lotus and karavīra to Shiva while reciting eight Shiva nāma-mantras; as a meditative takeaway, synchronize each flower offering with one divine name to steady attention and deepen devotion.