Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, 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

برہما نے کہا—جو لکشمی کی خواہش رکھتا ہو وہ کنول کے پھولوں، بیل پتر، سو پنکھڑی والے پھولوں اور شَنکھ نما پھولوں سے دیو شِو کی پوجا کرے۔

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).