Shloka 91

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

विना भस्मत्रिपुंड्रेण विना रुद्रा क्षमालया । पूजितोपि महादेवो नाभीष्टफलदायकः

Transliteration

vinā bhasmatripuṃḍreṇa vinā rudrā kṣamālayā | pūjitopi mahādevo nābhīṣṭaphaladāyakaḥ

Translation

Without the Tripuṇḍra marks of sacred ash, and without a garland of Rudrākṣa beads, even if Mahādeva is worshipped, He does not bestow the desired fruits of that worship.

Word by Word

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वर्जन-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपातः/पूर्वपदप्रयोगः; अर्थे—वर्जने (without)

• bhasma-tripuṃḍreṇa: with the ash tripuṇḍra (three ash lines)
• bhasma-tripuṃḍreṇa: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + tripuṃḍra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (भस्मस्य त्रिपुण्ड्रम्)

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वर्जन-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वर्जने

• rudrākṣa-mālayā: with a rudrākṣa garland
• rudrākṣa-mālayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (रुद्राक्षाणां माला)

• pūjitaḥ: (even if) worshipped
• pūjitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः—महादेवः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्तः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (past passive participle: ‘having been worshipped’)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः; अर्थे—अपि/यद्यपि (even/also)

• mahādevaḥ: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• mahādevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयसमासः (महान् देवः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः

• abhīṣṭa-phala-dāyakaḥ: a giver of the desired fruit
• abhīṣṭa-phala-dāyakaḥ: Pradhāna-predicative (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः—महादेवस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhīṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + dāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (अभीष्टस्य फलस्य दायकः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva worship is meant to be aligned with Shiva’s own signs—Bhasma Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa—which express surrender, purity, and identity as Shiva’s devotee; worship done without this alignment is said to yield incomplete results.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-pūjā—the Purana emphasizes proper Shaiva observances; Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa function as prescribed supports that sanctify the worshipper and make the offering conform to Shaiva discipline.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Apply the Tripuṇḍra with sacred ash (bhasma) and wear/chant with a Rudrākṣa mālā while performing Shiva-pūjā and japa (commonly with the Panchākṣarī mantra, Om Namaḥ Śivāya).