Shloka 65

नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion

Devanagari script

आपादमस्तकं सम्यक् भस्मनोद्धूल्य सादरम् । सर्वश्रुतिश्रुतं शैवम्मंत्रञ्जप षडक्षरम्

Transliteration

āpādamastakaṃ samyak bhasmanoddhūlya sādaram | sarvaśrutiśrutaṃ śaivammaṃtrañjapa ṣaḍakṣaram

Translation

Having reverently smeared sacred ash (bhasma) properly from the feet up to the head, one should chant with devotion the six-syllabled Śaiva mantra, renowned and affirmed throughout all the Śruti (Vedas).

Word by Word

• आ-पाद-मस्तकम्: from foot to head
• आ-पाद-मस्तकम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय: 'from foot up to head' (entire body)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'properly, thoroughly'

• भस्मना: with sacred ash
• भस्मना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; instrumental of means

• उद्धूल्य: having smeared
• उद्धूल्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + धूल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having smeared/dusted'

• स-आदरम्: respectfully
• स-आदरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण: 'with respect'

• सर्व-श्रुति-श्रुतम्: heard/attested in all the Vedas
• सर्व-श्रुति-श्रुतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object—qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रुत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: 'of all śrutis'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'मन्त्रम्' understood)

• शैवम्: Śaiva
• शैवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object—qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of mantra)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• जप: chant
• जप: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• षड्-अक्षरम्: six-syllabled
• षड्-अक्षरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object—qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of mantra)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva’s ritual teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches a Shaiva sādhana where bhasma (vibhūti) purifies and consecrates the body as Shiva’s domain, and mantra-japa aligns the individual soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati), supporting inner purity and liberation-oriented devotion.

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

Bhasma-dhāraṇa and mantra-japa are core outer-and-inner supports of Saguna Shiva worship: the devotee prepares the body as a fit vessel for pūjā and contemplation, then invokes Shiva through the Śaiva mantra—practices commonly paired with Liṅga-arcana.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Apply sacred ash reverently over the body (commonly as Tripuṇḍra and/or bhasma-dhūlana) and perform steady japa of the six-syllabled Śaiva mantra with devotion.