Shloka 73

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

सर्वोपनिषदां सारं समालोक्य मुहुर्मुहुः । इदमेव हि निर्णीतं परं श्रेयस्त्रिपुंड्रकम्

Transliteration

sarvopaniṣadāṃ sāraṃ samālokya muhurmuhuḥ | idameva hi nirṇītaṃ paraṃ śreyastripuṃḍrakam

Translation

وبعد التأمّل مرارًا وتكرارًا في خلاصة جميع الأوبانيشاد، تقرّر حقًّا هذا: إنّ التريپوندرا—الخطوط الثلاثة المقدّسة من الفيبهوُتي (الرماد المقدّس)—هو وحده الوسيلة العليا إلى الخير الأسمى.

Word by Word

• सर्वोपनिषदाम्: of all Upaniṣads
• सर्वोपनिषदाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-उपनिषद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वाः उपनिषदः)

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समालोक्य: having examined
• समालोक्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having examined/considered’

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb) — ‘again and again’

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (reduplication) for emphasis; कालवाचक-अव्यय

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis) — ‘indeed/only’

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — causal/emphatic ‘for/indeed’

• निर्णीतम्: is determined
• निर्णीतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√नी (धातु) → निर्णीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘has been determined’

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies श्रेयः)

• श्रेयः: the highest good
• श्रेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्: the tripuṇḍra (three sacred lines)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-पुण्ड्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः द्विगुः (त्रीणि पुण्ड्राणि यस्य/त्रीणि पुण्ड्राणि)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the established conclusion of Śaiva scripture to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In Kāśī’s Viśveśvara milieu, Tripuṇḍra is presented as the distilled ‘Upaniṣadic essence’—a visible Śaiva identity-marker signifying surrender to Paśupati and eligibility for grace.

Significance: Tripuṇḍra functions as a portable ‘kṣetra’: constant remembrance of Śiva, dispassion (vairāgya) and alignment with Śaiva conduct while in the pilgrimage city and beyond.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that the Tripuṇḍra of bhasma is not merely an outer mark but a Śaiva sādhanā affirmed as the distilled ‘essence’ of Upaniṣadic teaching—supporting purification, humility, and orientation to Śiva as Pati, the supreme goal.

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

Tripuṇḍra is a Śaiva identifier and devotional discipline that aligns the worshipper with Saguna Śiva worship—especially Linga-pūjā—by consecrating the body as fit for ritual, japa, and temple worship, while remembering Śiva’s transcendence beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular application of sacred ash as Tripuṇḍra (with reverence and mantra-remembrance) is implied as a daily practice supporting purity, restraint, and steady devotion—often paired in Śaiva observance with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).