Shloka 14

Devanagari script

उद्धूलनं त्रिपुंड्रं च श्रद्धया नाचरंति ये । तेषां नास्ति विनिर्मुक्तिस्संसाराज्जन्मकोटिभिः

Transliteration

uddhūlanaṃ tripuṃḍraṃ ca śraddhayā nācaraṃti ye | teṣāṃ nāsti vinirmuktissaṃsārājjanmakoṭibhiḥ

Translation

Those who do not, with faith, practice the sacred smearing of holy ash (uddhūlana) and the wearing of the Tripuṇḍra marks—for them there is no complete liberation from saṃsāra, even through millions of births.

Word by Word

• उद्धूलनम्: (sacred) ash-smearing
• उद्धूलनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्धूलन (प्रातिपदिक; √धूल्/धूलय् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominal action noun

• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: the tripuṇḍra (three ash-marks)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + पुण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि पुण्ड्राणि यस्य तत्)

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

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental (करण)

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

• आचरन्ति: practice/perform
• आचरन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ये: those who
• ये: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• तेषाम्: for them / of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; genitive (सम्बन्ध)

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

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विनिर्मुक्तिः: complete liberation
• विनिर्मुक्तिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + निर् + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; √मुच् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; subject-noun

• संसारात्: from saṃsāra
• संसारात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; ablative (अपादान)

• जन्मकोटिभिः: even by crores of births
• जन्मकोटिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्म + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (कोटि), तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जन्मनां कोटयः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s Shaiva observances to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: States soteriological consequence: without śraddhā-filled bhasma/tripuṇḍra observance, ‘vinirmukti’ is denied even across countless births—underscoring bondage (pāśa) and the necessity of Śiva-oriented discipline.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that liberation (vinirmukti) is not merely an abstract ideal; it is supported by lived Shaiva discipline. Bhasma-uddhūlana and Tripuṇḍra, done with śraddhā, signify surrender to Pati (Shiva) and the purification of the pashu (individual soul) from pasha (bondage).

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

Tripuṇḍra and bhasma are outward seals of Saguna Shiva-bhakti, aligning the devotee’s body and identity with Linga-worship. They function as constant remembrance that Shiva is the inner Lord, while the devotee maintains ritual purity and devotion in daily practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice bhasma-uddhūlana and wear Tripuṇḍra with faith as a daily Shaiva observance—ideally alongside japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Linga-pūjā—treating the marks as both purification and uninterrupted remembrance of Shiva.