Shloka 12
भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः
Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैः शूद्रै रपि च संस्करैः । अपभ्रंशैर्धृतं भस्मत्रिपुंड्रोद्धूलनात्मना
brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyairvaiśyaiḥ śūdrai rapi ca saṃskaraiḥ | apabhraṃśairdhṛtaṃ bhasmatripuṃḍroddhūlanātmanā
Diese Observanz wird von Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas und Śūdras gleichermaßen bewahrt, ebenso von Menschen gemischter sozialer Herkunft; selbst von denen, die als „apabhraṃśa“ (außerhalb verfeinerter Normen) gelten. Sie wird als leibhaftige Andacht getragen: durch das Bestreichen mit heiliger Asche und das Tragen des Tripuṇḍra (drei waagerechte Linien).
Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed for precise attribution within the chapter’s narrative frame).
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific episode; the verse universalizes bhasma-tripuṇḍra as a pan-social Śaiva observance extending beyond varṇa boundaries, emphasizing accessibility of Śiva’s path.
Significance: Frames Śaiva identity (bhasma/tripuṇḍra) as open to all social groups; pilgrimage here is ‘embodied pilgrimage’—carrying the tīrtha-sign on one’s body daily.
FAQs
Bhasma (sacred ash) and the tripuṇḍra function as embodied signs of Śaiva devotion: ash evokes impermanence and renunciation, while the tripuṇḍra marks the devotee’s belonging to Śiva and commitment to a Śaiva mode of life and worship.
By explicitly listing the four varṇas and adding mixed and marginal categories, the verse emphasizes that the devotional observance—here, ash-smearing and tripuṇḍra—can be upheld broadly, suggesting a Purāṇic ideal of devotional accessibility that can transcend strict social boundaries.