Shloka 82

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

यस्यांगेनैव रुद्रा क्ष एकोपि बहुपुण्यदः । तस्य जन्मनिरर्थं स्यात्त्रिपुंड्ररहितो यदि

Transliteration

yasyāṃgenaiva rudrā kṣa ekopi bahupuṇyadaḥ | tasya janmanirarthaṃ syāttripuṃḍrarahito yadi

Translation

Even a single rudrākṣa worn upon the body bestows abundant merit; yet if a person is without the Tripuṇḍra (the three sacred ash-lines), that person’s very birth becomes futile.

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• अङ्गेन: by (his) body/limb
• अङ्गेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/साधन (instrumental)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• रुद्राक्षः: a rudrākṣa bead
• रुद्राक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकः: one
• एकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (even/also)

• बहुपुण्यदः: bestowing much merit
• बहुपुण्यदः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + पुण्य + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of रुद्राक्षः)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जन्म: birth, life
• जन्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निरर्थम्: fruitless, meaningless
• निरर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• त्रिपुण्ड्ररहितः: devoid of tripuṇḍra
• त्रिपुण्ड्ररहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिपुण्ड्र + रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied person)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Hetu/Condition (हेतु/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तबोधक (conditional particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Pashupatinatha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse elevates external Shaiva signs as inner commitments: rudrākṣa brings great merit, but Tripuṇḍra signifies steady Shaiva identity, purity through bhasma, and orientation to Pati (Shiva); without that grounding, life is called spiritually unfulfilled.

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

Tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa are traditional disciplines that accompany Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-pūjā—marking the devotee as one who lives under Shiva’s grace and remembers him continually through body, mind, and rite.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wear at least one rudrākṣa on the body and apply Tripuṇḍra with bhasma daily (ideally while remembering Shiva or reciting the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).