Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

पुनर्न्यस्तकरो मन्त्री त्रिपुंड्रं भस्मना लिखेत् । अवक्रमाय तं व्यक्तं ललाटे गन्धवारिणा

Transliteration

punarnyastakaro mantrī tripuṃḍraṃ bhasmanā likhet | avakramāya taṃ vyaktaṃ lalāṭe gandhavāriṇā

Translation

Then the mantra-knowing devotee, having again arranged his hands in the proper order, should draw the Tripuṇḍra with sacred ash (bhasma). After that, with fragrant water he should mark it clearly upon the forehead, making it distinct, well-formed, and manifest.

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• न्यस्त-करः: having placed (his) hand
• न्यस्त-करः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त (कृदन्त; √न्यस्/न्यास् धातु) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयप्रायः: ‘न्यस्तः करः यस्य’ (having placed the hand)

• मन्त्री: the mantra-reciter/priest
• मन्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: the tripuṇḍra (three ash lines)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + पुण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (three-lined sect mark)

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

• लिखेत्: should draw/write
• लिखेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अवक्रमाय: for the avakrama (a specific mark/design)
• अवक्रमाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• व्यक्तम्: clearly/manifest
• व्यक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘तम्’ इति विशेषण

• ललाटे: on the forehead
• ललाटे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• गन्ध-वारिणा: with scented water
• गन्ध-वारिणा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘गन्धस्य वारि’ (scented water)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Tripuṇḍra-dhāraṇa (wearing the three ash-lines) is a disciplined Shaiva observance: the outer mark made with bhasma supports inner remembrance of Shiva, purity, and detachment, aligning the devotee toward liberation.

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

Tripuṇḍra is a traditional Shaiva identity-mark used while performing Saguna worship such as Linga-pūjā; it prepares the body-mind as a fit vessel for mantra and offering, while pointing beyond form toward Shiva as the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Apply Tripuṇḍra on the forehead using sacred ash, then make it distinct with fragrant water; do so in a composed posture as part of mantra-japa and daily Shiva worship.