Shloka 38

भस्म–रुद्राक्ष–शिवनाममाहात्म्य

The Greatness of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and the Name of Śiva

Devanagari script

यो नित्यं भस्मपूतांगः शिवनामजपादरः । संतरत्येव संसारं सघोरमपि शौनक

Transliteration

yo nityaṃ bhasmapūtāṃgaḥ śivanāmajapādaraḥ | saṃtaratyeva saṃsāraṃ saghoramapi śaunaka

Translation

O Śaunaka, one who daily sanctifies the body with sacred ash (bhasma) and is devoted to the japa of Śiva’s Name surely crosses beyond saṃsāra—even when it appears most dreadful.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative used adverbially)

• भस्मपूताङ्गः: one whose limbs are purified with ash
• भस्मपूताङ्गः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject; appositional descriptor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म + पूत + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘भस्मना पूतानि अङ्गानि यस्य’ (sense close to bahuvrīhi, but form used as descriptor of person)

• शिवनामजपादरः: one devoted to chanting Śiva’s name
• शिवनामजपादरः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject; appositional descriptor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + नाम + जप + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य नाम्नः जपे आदरः’

• संतरति: crosses over
• संतरति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एव: certainly
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• संसारम्: worldly existence
• संसारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सघोरम्: terrible/dreadful
• सघोरम्: कर्मसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Attribute of संसारम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण ‘सघोर’ = ‘घोरसहित’ (terrible)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even’

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shaunaka

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that sustained Shaiva discipline—purifying oneself with bhasma (sign of renunciation and Śiva-tattva) and heartfelt nāma-japa—burns impurities and loosens pāśa (bondage), enabling the soul to cross saṃsāra by Śiva’s grace.

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

Bhasma and Shiva-nāma japa are core outer-and-inner supports of Saguna Śiva worship commonly performed alongside Liṅga-pūjā; they steady devotion, purify the body-mind, and orient the worshipper toward Śiva as Pati, the liberator.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily application of sacred ash (vibhūti/tripuṇḍra) with reverence, combined with steady repetition of Śiva’s Name (nāma-japa—often aligned with the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).