Shloka 22

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । एतस्मिन्समये व्यासो भस्मभूषितमस्तकः । रुद्राक्षाभरणश्चायाज्जटाजूटविभूषितः

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | etasminsamaye vyāso bhasmabhūṣitamastakaḥ | rudrākṣābharaṇaścāyājjaṭājūṭavibhūṣitaḥ

Translation

Nandīśvara said: “At that time, Vyāsa arrived—his head adorned with sacred ash (bhasma), wearing Rudrākṣa ornaments, and beautified with a matted lock of hair (jaṭā-jūṭa).”

Word by Word

• nandīśvaraḥ: Nandīśvara
• nandīśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• samaye: at the time
• samaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa
• vyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• bhasma-bhūṣita-mastakaḥ: with head adorned with ash
• bhasma-bhūṣita-mastakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (कृदन्त, √bhūṣ धातु) + mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (whose head is adorned with ash)

• rudrākṣa-ābharaṇaḥ: wearing rudrākṣa ornaments
• rudrākṣa-ābharaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (having rudrākṣa as ornament)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ayāt: went/came
• ayāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jaṭā-jūṭa-vibhūṣitaḥ: adorned with matted-hair tuft
• jaṭā-jūṭa-vibhūṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + jūṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhūṣita (कृदन्त, √bhūṣ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (adorned with a mass of matted hair)

Speaker

Nandīśvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Nandi
• Vyasa
• Rudra (implied by Rudrākṣa)

FAQs

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

The verse presents Vyāsa with key Shaiva identifiers—bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and jaṭā—showing inner devotion expressed through disciplined outer signs that remind the seeker of impermanence, purity, and surrender to Pati (Śiva).

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

Bhasma and Rudrākṣa are classic supports of Saguna-Śiva worship in the Purāṇic tradition: they prepare the devotee’s body-mind as a fit vessel for Linga-pūjā, strengthening reverence, restraint, and focused bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt Shaiva observances such as applying bhasma (tripuṇḍra), wearing Rudrākṣa with purity of conduct, and cultivating steady remembrance of Śiva—often supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”