Shloka 47
भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः
Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra
ते दृष्ट्वा शशिभास्करौ निशि दिने स्वप्नेपि नो केवलं पश्यंतु श्रुतिरुद्र सूक्तजपतो मुच्येत तेनादृताः । सत्संभाषणतो भवेद्धि नरकं निस्तारवानास्थितं ये भस्मादिविधारणं हि पुरुषं निंदंति मंदा हि ते
te dṛṣṭvā śaśibhāskarau niśi dine svapnepi no kevalaṃ paśyaṃtu śrutirudra sūktajapato mucyeta tenādṛtāḥ | satsaṃbhāṣaṇato bhaveddhi narakaṃ nistāravānāsthitaṃ ye bhasmādividhāraṇaṃ hi puruṣaṃ niṃdaṃti maṃdā hi te
Mögen sie weder Mond noch Sonne erblicken—bei Nacht, bei Tag, nicht einmal im Traum—jene Toren, die ohne Ehrfurcht die Japa des vedischen Rudra-sūkta lassen und einen Mann schmähen, der heilige Observanzen wie das Tragen der heiligen Asche bewahrt. Wahrlich, schon das Gespräch mit solchen stürzt in die Hölle; sie sind nicht auf dem Weg gegründet, der zur Befreiung führt.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Rudra
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Kāśī/Viśveśvara tradition foregrounds Rudra-śruti (Vedic Rudra-sūkta) and bhasma as marks of Rudra-bhakti; disrespect toward Rudra-japa and bhasma-dhāraṇa is framed as spiritual disqualification.
Significance: Stresses śruti-based Rudra-japa and bhasma-dhāraṇa as a nistāra-mārga (path of crossing over); warns that bad association (duḥsaṅga) with nindakas is spiritually ruinous.
Type: rudram
FAQs
The verse upholds Shaiva dharma by declaring that disrespect toward Vedic Rudra-japa and toward devotees who bear sacred ash (Tripundra/Bhasma) is spiritually ruinous, while reverence and right association support the path to liberation (nistāra/moksha) under Pati (Shiva).
Bhasma-dhāraṇa and Rudra-sūkta japa are outer-and-inner disciplines of Saguna Shiva worship: the ash signifies surrender and purity, and the Vedic Rudra hymn is direct praise of Rudra-Shiva—together aligning the devotee’s body, speech, and mind for Linga-centered devotion.
It recommends reverent recitation (japa) of the Vedic Rudra-sūkta and honoring Shaiva observances like wearing sacred ash (Tripundra/Bhasma), while avoiding degrading speech and harmful association with those who mock these practices.