Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 56

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

तावद्दूरं न कर्तव्यं न यावच्चन्दनं क्षिपेत् । तंदुलैस्सुन्दरैस्तत्र पूजयेच्छंकरम्मुदा

Transliteration

tāvaddūraṃ na kartavyaṃ na yāvaccandanaṃ kṣipet | taṃdulaissundaraistatra pūjayecchaṃkarammudā

Translation

جب تک چندن پیش نہ کیا جائے، تب تک پوجا سے دور نہ ہو۔ وہاں خوبصورت چاول کے دانوں سے خوشی کے ساتھ شنکر کی پوجا کرے۔

Word by Word

• तावत्-दूरम्: so far/that far
• तावत्-दूरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रमाण) + दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय (adverb)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be done/should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: विधेय/आज्ञार्थ (Predicative obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्), भावे/कर्तरि प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (obligatory)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• यावत्: until/as long as
• यावत्: अवधि (Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-सूचक (until/as long as)

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood (paste/powder)
• चन्दनम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• क्षिपेत्: should sprinkle/place
• क्षिपेत्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तण्डुलैः: with rice grains
• तण्डुलैः: करण (करणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तण्डुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• सुन्दरैः: beautiful/fine
• सुन्दरैः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying तण्डुलैः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शङ्करम्: Shankara (Śiva)
• शङ्करम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: करण (हेतु/प्रकारे करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; भाववाचक (instrumental of manner)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s ritual injunctions to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya within the Rudrasaṃhitā’s Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Stresses uninterrupted attentiveness (ananya-bhāva) until key upacāra is completed; such steadiness is a practical discipline for receiving Śiva’s grace and stabilizing devotion.

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 steadiness and completion in worship: the devotee should remain present and attentive until the key offering (candana) is made, expressing disciplined bhakti toward Pati, Śiva.

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

It reflects saguna upacāra-pūjā, where tangible offerings like sandal paste and akṣata (rice) are given to the Śiva-liṅga as a reverent, embodied way to approach the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā without interruption: offer candana and then worship with akṣata (rice grains) in a joyful, focused mind—maintaining presence until the offering sequence is completed.