Shloka 66

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

सहस्रं पूर्वजातानां सहस्रं जनयिष्यताम् । स्ववंशजानां ज्ञातीनामुद्धरेद्यस्त्रिपुंड्रकृत्

Transliteration

sahasraṃ pūrvajātānāṃ sahasraṃ janayiṣyatām | svavaṃśajānāṃ jñātīnāmuddharedyastripuṃḍrakṛt

Translation

مَن وَسَمَ جسدَهُ بالتِّرِيبُونْدْرَا (Tripuṇḍra) من الرمادِ المقدّس، رفعَ ألفاً من أسلافِه الذين وُلدوا من قبل، وألفاً من ذريّتِه الذين سيولدون؛ بل يُنقِذُ أيضاً أقاربَه من سلالتِه نفسها.

Word by Word

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; संख्यावाचक-शब्दः

• पूर्वजातानाम्: of those born earlier (ancestors)
• पूर्वजातानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-जात (कृदन्त; √जन् (धातु) + क्त; पूर्व + जात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (पूर्वे जाताः)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; संख्यावाचक-शब्दः

• जनयिष्यताम्: (they) will beget/generate
• जनयिष्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; (जनयिष्यन्ति इति अपेक्षितम्—पाठे ‘-ताम्’ इति रूपं छन्दो/पाठभेदेन)

• स्ववंशजानाम्: of those born in one’s own lineage
• स्ववंशजानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-वंश-ज (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √जन् + क्त/ज; स्व + वंश + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य वंशस्य जाताः)

• ज्ञातीनाम्: of kinsmen/relatives
• ज्ञातीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• उद्धरेत्: would lift up/save
• उद्धरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• त्रिपुण्ड्रकृत्: one who makes/wears the tripuṇḍra mark
• त्रिपुण्ड्रकृत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-पुण्ड्र-कृत् (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + क्विप्; त्रि + पुण्ड्र + कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (त्रिपुण्ड्रं करोति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s observances and their fruits to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthala) passage; it is a phala-śruti for wearing Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a Śaiva mark, promising uplift of lineage through Śiva’s grace.

Significance: General Śaiva observance: Tripuṇḍra-dhāraṇa is treated as a purifier and a marker of Śiva-bhakti, said to confer merit benefiting ancestors and descendants.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Tripuṇḍra-dhāraṇa (wearing the three ash-lines) is not merely external piety; it is a Shaiva vow that aligns the devotee with Shiva’s purifying grace, generating spiritual merit that benefits one’s lineage across generations.

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

Tripuṇḍra is a visible Shaiva sign that supports Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga devotion—by keeping the devotee’s body and identity oriented toward Shiva, reinforcing daily remembrance, purity, and temple/home worship disciplines.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Apply sacred ash as Tripuṇḍra with reverence (ideally after purification), remembering Shiva and—where customary—reciting Shaiva mantras such as the Panchākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") while maintaining a disciplined devotional life.