Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

योगाचार्यरूपेण शर्वावताराः (Śarva’s manifestations as Yoga-Teachers)

Devanagari script

रुद्राक्षमालाभरणास्त्रिपुंड्रांकितमस्तकाः । शिखाजटास्सर्वजटा अजटा मुंडशीर्षकाः

Transliteration

rudrākṣamālābharaṇāstripuṃḍrāṃkitamastakāḥ | śikhājaṭāssarvajaṭā ajaṭā muṃḍaśīrṣakāḥ

Translation

كانوا متزيّنين بسبحات الرودراكشا، وعلى جباههم علامة التِّرِيبُونْدْرَة من الرماد المقدّس. فمنهم من له شِخا مع جَطا (خصلات معقودة)، ومنهم من شعره كلّه جَطا، ومنهم من لا جَطا له، ومنهم من رأسه محلوق.

Word by Word

• rudrākṣa-mālā-bharaṇāḥ: wearing rudrākṣa garlands
• rudrākṣa-mālā-bharaṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā (प्रातिपदिक) + bharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘wearing (bharaṇa) a rosary/garland (mālā) of rudrākṣa beads’

• tri-puṇḍra-aṅkita-mastakāḥ: whose heads are marked with the triple sacred ash lines
• tri-puṇḍra-aṅkita-mastakāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + puṇḍra (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅkita (कृदन्त; धातु √aṅk (अङ्क्) past participle) + mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); bahuvrīhi: ‘those whose heads (mastaka) are marked (aṅkita) with the triple puṇḍra (tri-puṇḍra)’

• śikhā-jaṭāḥ: having a topknot-like matted lock
• śikhā-jaṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘jaṭā in the form of a śikhā/topknot’

• sarva-jaṭāḥ: fully matted-haired
• sarva-jaṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘entirely matted-haired / all (hair) as jaṭā’

• a-jaṭāḥ: without matted hair
• a-jaṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्-प्रत्यय) + jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); privative (नञ्) compound-like formation: ‘without jaṭā’

• muṇḍa-śīrṣakāḥ: shaven-headed
• muṇḍa-śīrṣakāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + śīrṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘shaven-headed’ (lit. ‘head is muṇḍa’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudraksha
• Tripundra (Bhasma)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights outward Shaiva identifiers—Rudrākṣa and Tripuṇḍra—as sacred supports for inner devotion, signaling surrender to Pati (Śiva) and a life oriented toward purity, restraint, and liberation.

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

Rudrākṣa and Tripuṇḍra are classic emblems of Saguna Śiva worship connected to Linga-upāsanā; they express belonging to Śiva’s path while disciplining the body-mind as an aid to steady remembrance of the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wear Rudrākṣa as a japa-support and apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) on the forehead with Shiva-mantra remembrance (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), cultivating vairāgya and focused bhakti.