Shloka 116

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

कुर्यादधः पितृभ्यां च उमेशाभ्यां तथोपरि । भीमायेति ततः पृष्ठे शिरसः पश्चिमे तथा

Transliteration

kuryādadhaḥ pitṛbhyāṃ ca umeśābhyāṃ tathopari | bhīmāyeti tataḥ pṛṣṭhe śirasaḥ paścime tathā

Translation

He should place it below for the Pitṛs (the ancestral deities), and likewise above for Umā and Īśa. Then, uttering “(namaḥ) Bhīmāya,” he should place it on the back, on the western side of the head as well.

Word by Word

• कुर्यात्: should do / should place
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; विधि (should do)

• अधः: below
• अधः: Sambandha/Adverb (देशवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place) = below

• पितृभ्याम्: with the two Pitṛs / ancestors
• पितृभ्याम्: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया/पञ्चमी (3rd/5th), द्विवचन; अत्र तृतीया (instrumental/association): 'with the two fathers/ancestors' (context-dependent)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• उमेशाभ्याम्: with Umā and Īśa
• उमेशाभ्याम्: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (युग्म-द्वन्द्व: उमा-ईशौ), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), द्विवचन; सह/करण (with Umā and Īśa)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण = likewise/also

• उपरि: above
• उपरि: Sambandha/Adverb (देशवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place) = above

• भीमाय: to/for Bhīma
• भीमाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative): 'for/to Bhīma'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Quotative (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थ (quotative particle)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha/Sequence (क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then/thereafter)

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (location): on the back

• शिरसः: of the head
• शिरसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive): of the head

• पश्चिमे: in the west / on the western side
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण/देशवाचक (in the western part)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण = likewise

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vidyeshvara teachings on Shiva worship and ritual nyāsa to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (namaḥ) bhīmāya

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Pitrs
• Bhima (epithet of Shiva)

FAQs

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

This verse teaches mantra-nyāsa—sanctifying the body as a temple of Śiva—by assigning directions/locations to divine powers (Pitṛs, Umā-Śiva, and Bhīma), aligning the practitioner’s microcosm with the sacred order that supports devotion and inner steadiness.

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

Nyāsa prepares the worshipper to approach Saguna Śiva (as Linga and as named forms like Bhīma) with a consecrated body-mind. By placing mantras on specific parts, the devotee internalizes the presence of Śiva-Śakti, making external Linga-pūjā mirror an inner installation of divinity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It indicates a nyāsa sequence: mentally/ritually place the relevant mantra for the Pitṛs ‘below,’ for Umā-Śiva ‘above,’ and then place “Bhīmāya” at the back of the head (west/behind), as part of preparatory mantra-installation before Shiva worship.