Shloka 82

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

शिवव्रतैकनिष्ठस्य नाशौचं न च सूतकम् । ललाटेऽग्रे सितं भस्म तिलकं धारयेन्मृदा

Transliteration

śivavrataikaniṣṭhasya nāśaucaṃ na ca sūtakam | lalāṭe'gre sitaṃ bhasma tilakaṃ dhārayenmṛdā

Translation

For one who is unwaveringly devoted to the observance of Śiva’s vow (Śiva-vrata), there is neither aśauca (ritual impurity) nor sūtaka (the pollution connected with birth or death). Upon the front of the forehead one should wear a white bhasma tilaka, prepared with purified earth.

Word by Word

• शिवव्रत-एक-निष्ठस्य: of one devoted solely to the Śiva-vow
• शिवव्रत-एक-निष्ठस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवव्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—शिवव्रते एकनिष्ठः (तत्पुरुष)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अशौचम्: impurity (ritual defilement)
• अशौचम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• न: nor/not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सूतकम्: birth/ death pollution (sūtaka)
• सूतकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

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

• अग्रे: in the front (forepart)
• अग्रे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘अग्रे’ = in front/at the forepart

• सितम्: white
• सितम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• भस्म: sacred ash
• भस्म: कर्म (Object; what is applied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• तिलकम्: tilaka mark
• तिलकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• धारयेत्: should wear/should apply
• धारयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मृदा: with earth/clay
• मृदा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In the Kāśī-kṣetra, Śiva is revered as Viśvanātha, the Lord of the universe; the Purāṇic Kāśī-māhātmya tradition presents the kṣetra as Śiva’s own abode where His grace overrides ordinary limitations and hastens liberation for the devoted.

Significance: Bhasma-dhāraṇa and Śiva-vrata identity are presented as markers of Śiva’s protective grace; in Kāśī, such devotion is traditionally held to accelerate release from pāśa (bondage) and confer fearlessness regarding impurity and death-related anxieties.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the purifying power of unwavering Shiva-vrata: devotion to Pati (Shiva) and the Shaiva marks (bhasma-tilaka) are presented as signs of inner consecration that transcend ordinary notions of ritual impurity.

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

Bhasma-tilaka is a visible Shaiva emblem associated with Saguna Shiva worship and Linga-upasana; it outwardly affirms surrender to Shiva while reminding the devotee of detachment and the impermanence of the body.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It recommends bhasma-dhāraṇa—applying white sacred ash as a forehead tilaka (often understood in Shaiva practice as part of Tripuṇḍra observance), undertaken with purity and single-minded devotion to Shiva.