Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

उपसंहृत्य रुद्राग्निं गृह्णीयाद्भस्म यत्नतः । ततश्च जटिलो मुण्डी शिखैकजट एव वा

Transliteration

upasaṃhṛtya rudrāgniṃ gṛhṇīyādbhasma yatnataḥ | tataśca jaṭilo muṇḍī śikhaikajaṭa eva vā

Translation

بعد إتمام شعيرة نار رودرا (Rudrāgni) على الوجه اللائق، ينبغي جمع الرماد المقدّس (بهاسما) بعناية. ثمّ، وفق انضباط نذر شيفا، يمكن للمرء أن يتّخذ سلوك الزاهد ذي الشعر المتلبّد، أو يحلق رأسه، أو يُبقي خصلةً واحدة على القمّة، بل حتى خصلةً متلبّدة واحدة، بحسب رياضة شيفا.

Word by Word

• upasaṃhṛtya: having withdrawn/collected
• upasaṃhṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-saṃ-hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप् = -त्वा), avyaya-kriyā (अव्ययक्रिया); ‘having withdrawn/collected’

• rudra-agniṃ: the Rudra-fire (sacred fire)
• rudra-agniṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; object of upasaṃhṛtya

• gṛhṇīyāt: should take
• gṛhṇīyāt: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• bhasma: ashes
• bhasma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; object of gṛhṇīyāt

• yatnataḥ: carefully, with effort
• yatnataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva usage / adverbial ablative: Pañcamī (Ablative/पञ्चमी) Ekavacana used adverbially ‘with effort/carefully’

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb ‘then/thereafter’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• jaṭilaḥ: matted-haired
• jaṭilaḥ: Kartṛ-sāmānādhikaraṇa (Predicate to subject/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective (one should be)

• muṇḍī: shaven-headed
• muṇḍī: Kartṛ-sāmānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective

• śikhā-eka-jaṭaḥ: having a single topknot/one matted lock
• śikhā-eka-jaṭaḥ: Kartṛ-sāmānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘having a single tuft/matted lock’; compound with numeral qualifier

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that bhasma obtained from Rudra-oriented worship is a purifier and a visible seal of surrender to Pati (Śiva), supporting inner detachment and the Shaiva path of discipline and liberation.

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

Rudra-agni and bhasma are ritual extensions of Saguna Śiva worship—like Linga-pūjā—where offerings culminate in consecrated ash, which the devotee bears as a sign of belonging to Śiva and living by His vow.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Conclude the Rudra rite properly, collect the ash with care, and adopt a Shaiva observance—such as wearing jata/shikha or a shaven head—while maintaining a vow-based, yogic life oriented to Śiva.