Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

पुष्पार्पण-विनिर्णयः

Determination of Flower-Offerings to Śiva

Devanagari script

बंधुकैर्भूषणावाप्तिर्जात्यावाहान्न संशयः । अतसीपुष्पकैर्देवं विष्णुवल्लभतामियात्

Transliteration

baṃdhukairbhūṣaṇāvāptirjātyāvāhānna saṃśayaḥ | atasīpuṣpakairdevaṃ viṣṇuvallabhatāmiyāt

Translation

供奉班杜迦花（bandhūka）则得饰物；供奉茉莉花（jātī）则得车乘——毫无疑虑。又以阿塔西花（atasī）供养，则此神明为毗湿奴所喜爱。

Word by Word

• बन्धुकैः: with bandhu(ka) flowers
• बन्धुकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by/with)

• भूषण: ornament
• भूषण: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; stem used as prior member in compound

• आवाप्तिः: attainment
• आवाप्तिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Bhava (भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-√आप् (धातु) + क्तिन् (प्रत्यय) → आवाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Noun of action/result (attainment)

• भूषण-आवाप्तिः: attainment of ornamentation
• भूषण-आवाप्तिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Bhava (भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक) + आवाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘भूषणस्य आवाप्तिः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जात्या: by nature/birth
• जात्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by birth/nature)

• वाहात्: from carrying/bringing (as a cause/source)
• वाहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; Ablative singular (from/than)

• न: not
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता) / Bhava (भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• अतसी: flax plant (atasī)
• अतसी: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; stem used as prior member in compound

• पुष्पकैः: with flowers
• पुष्पकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• अतसी-पुष्पकैः: with atasī-flowers
• अतसी-पुष्पकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतसी (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अतस्याः पुष्पकैः’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• देवम्: the god (deity)
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• विष्णु: Viṣṇu
• विष्णु: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-प्रयोग; stem used as prior member in compound

• वल्लभताम्: belovedness
• वल्लभताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्लभता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (state/condition)

• विष्णु-वल्लभताम्: the state of being dear to Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-वल्लभताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘विष्णोः वल्लभता’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इयात्: may attain
• इयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘may attain/go’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Phala-śruti connects offerings to prosperity markers (ornaments, conveyance) while also expressing Hari-Hara harmony (‘beloved of Viṣṇu’), encouraging sectarian concord within pilgrimage culture.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere upacāra (devotional offerings) in Saguna-Śiva worship bears definite fruits, while also pointing to harmony among deities—devotion offered rightly purifies the worshipper and supports dharma.

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

The verse describes specific results from offering flowers during pūjā—an element of Saguna worship commonly performed to the Śiva-liṅga—affirming that disciplined, reverent ritual supports devotion and inner refinement.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-liṅga pūjā with flower offerings as an upacāra, ideally alongside mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to unite outer worship with inner remembrance.