Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

एष एव विधिः पृष्टो नारदेन महर्षिणा । प्रोवाच परमप्रीत्या पुष्पार्पणविनिर्णयम्

Transliteration

eṣa eva vidhiḥ pṛṣṭo nāradena maharṣiṇā | provāca paramaprītyā puṣpārpaṇavinirṇayam

Translation

正是此一仪轨，为大圣者那罗陀所请问。于是叙述者以无上欢喜，宣说了向湿婆主奉献花供的定则。

Word by Word

• एषः: this
• एषः: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• विधिः: procedure/rule
• विधिः: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पृष्टः: asked
• पृष्टः: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेः विशेषणम्

• नारदेन: by Nārada
• नारदेन: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महर्षिणा: by the great sage
• महर्षिणा: कर्ता (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: declared/told
• प्रोवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• परम-प्रीत्या: with supreme joy
• परम-प्रीत्या: करण (Karaṇa/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमा प्रीतिः)

• पुष्प-अर्पण-विनिर्णयम्: the rules/decision regarding flower-offering
• पुष्प-अर्पण-विनिर्णयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पण (प्रातिपदिक) + विनिर्णय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुष्पार्पणस्य विनिर्णयः)

Speaker

Brahmā (instructing Nārada within the Sṛṣṭi narrative, as relayed by Sūta)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a single shrine; it situates the teaching in a guru-śiṣya transmission: Nārada’s inquiry and the authoritative reply (Brahmā’s instruction) on Śiva-pūjā.

Significance: Highlights śravaṇa (reverent listening) and praśna (proper inquiry) as preparatory disciplines for receiving ritual knowledge and Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames flower-offering not as a casual act but as a defined śaiva-vidhi taught with joy—implying that devotion (bhakti) becomes most fruitful when aligned with right understanding and disciplined worship.

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

By introducing the ‘definitive rule’ for puṣpārpaṇa, it points to Saguna worship of Śiva—especially Linga-pūjā—where tangible offerings become vehicles for reverence, purity, and steadiness of mind.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests following an established puja-vidhi for offering flowers with attentive devotion; as a meditative takeaway, offer with one-pointed mind and reverence, treating the act as disciplined bhakti rather than mere formality.