मुक्तयतिदेहसंस्काररहस्यं — The Esoteric Rites for the Bodies of Liberated Ascetics
त्रिपुण्ड्रं च विधानेन तिलकं चन्दनेन च । विरच्य पुष्पैर्मालाभिरलंकुर्य्यात्कलेवरम्
tripuṇḍraṃ ca vidhānena tilakaṃ candanena ca | viracya puṣpairmālābhiralaṃkuryyātkalevaram
বিধিমতে ত্রিপুণ্ড্র ধারণ করে চন্দনে তিলক দেবে। তারপর ফুল ও মালায় দেহ অলংকৃত করে শিবপূজার জন্য শোভিত হবে।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Gaurī
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
It teaches that outer observances—Tripuṇḍra, sandal tilaka, and floral adornment—are aids to inner devotion, aligning the worshipper’s body and mind toward Śiva as Pati (the Lord) through disciplined reverence.
These are preparatory acts for pūjā: marking the body with Tripuṇḍra and tilaka establishes Shaiva identity and ritual purity, supporting focused devotion while worshipping Śiva in a manifest (saguṇa) form such as the Liṅga.
Apply Tripuṇḍra as prescribed, place a sandal tilaka, and adorn with flowers/garlands as part of Shiva-pūjā preparation—ideally alongside mantra-japa (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady attention.