Shloka 60
भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः
Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra
पैशुन्यं कूटवादश्च साक्षिमिथ्याभिलाषिणाम् । एवमादीन्यसंख्यानि पापानि विविधानि च । सद्य एव विनश्यंति त्रिपुंड्रस्य च धारणात्
paiśunyaṃ kūṭavādaśca sākṣimithyābhilāṣiṇām | evamādīnyasaṃkhyāni pāpāni vividhāni ca | sadya eva vinaśyaṃti tripuṃḍrasya ca dhāraṇāt
Slander, deceitful speech, and the craving to give false testimony—along with countless other varied sins of this kind—are destroyed at once by the very act of wearing the Tripuṇḍra, the three sacred ash-lines, the mark of devotion to Lord Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: anugraha
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: In the Kāśī-centered Śiva Purāṇa teaching, the Tripuṇḍra (bhasma-tilaka in three horizontal lines) is presented as a potent Śaiva identity-mark that invokes Śiva’s grace, rapidly burning accumulated pāpa and restoring adhikāra for worship.
Significance: Wearing Tripuṇḍra signifies surrender to Śiva and alignment with Śiva-dharma; it is said to remove obstacles and accelerate purification for devotees in Kāśī and elsewhere.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse teaches that adopting Śiva’s sacred sign—the Tripuṇḍra made with bhasma—functions as an outward seal of inner surrender to Pati (Śiva). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it supports purification of the pashu (soul) by weakening pāśa (bondage) such as deceit, slander, and falsehood.
Tripuṇḍra-dhāraṇa is part of Saguna Śiva-upāsanā: the devotee bears Śiva’s mark while worshipping the Liṅga with bhasma, mantra, and devotion. The mark continually reminds the practitioner of Śiva’s presence and the vow to live in truth aligned with Liṅga-bhakti.
Wear the Tripuṇḍra with sacred ash (bhasma) in a reverent state, ideally after bathing and before pūjā/japa, while remembering Śiva (e.g., with “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”). The practice emphasizes purity of speech and truthfulness as a lived discipline.