Shloka 101

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

धरा ध्रुवश्च सोमश्च अपश्चेवानिलोनलः । प्रत्यूषश्च प्रभासश्च वसवोष्टौ प्रकीर्तिताः

Transliteration

dharā dhruvaśca somaśca apaścevānilonalaḥ | pratyūṣaśca prabhāsaśca vasavoṣṭau prakīrtitāḥ

Translation

Dharā, Dhruva, Soma, Āpaḥ, Anila, Anala, Pratyūṣa, and Prabhāsa—these are proclaimed to be the eight Vasus.

Word by Word

• धरा: Dharā
• धरा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• ध्रुवः: Dhruva
• ध्रुवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• सोमः: Soma
• सोमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• अपः: Āpaḥ (Waters)
• अपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/अपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (indeed)

• अनिल-अनलः: Anila and Anala
• अनिल-अनलः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (Anila and Anala as a pair)

• प्रत्यूषः: Pratyūṣa
• प्रत्यूषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• प्रभासः: Prabhāsa
• प्रभासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• वसवः: the Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of वसवः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनार्थे (numeral; used with plural sense)

• प्रकीर्तिताः: are proclaimed/are said
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Vasus
• Dhara
• Dhruva
• Soma
• Apah
• Anila
• Anala
• Pratyusha
• Prabhasa

FAQs

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

It names the eight Vasus—cosmic powers that govern elemental order—implying that the manifested universe functions through ordained divine principles, ultimately dependent on Pati (Śiva) as the supreme Lord beyond these tattvas.

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

By listing the Vasus (earth, waters, wind, fire, luminaries, and radiance), the verse frames nature as Śiva’s regulated domain; in Linga-worship, devotees offer the elements (water, light, incense/fire, air through breath) back to Saguna Śiva, recognizing Him as the inner ruler of these forces.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is pañcopacāra or ṣoḍaśopacāra Linga-pūjā using elemental offerings—jala (water), dīpa (lamp/fire), dhūpa (air/fragrance), and pṛthvī-tattva symbols like flowers—while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with steady (dhruva) attention.