Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 97

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

परमास्त्रं च शैवानां भस्मैतत्पारमेश्वरम् । धौम्याग्रजस्य तपसि व्यापदो यन्निवारिताः

Transliteration

paramāstraṃ ca śaivānāṃ bhasmaitatpārameśvaram | dhaumyāgrajasya tapasi vyāpado yannivāritāḥ

Translation

Cette bhasma, appartenant au Seigneur suprême Parameśvara, est l’arme la plus haute des śaivas ; par elle furent écartés les obstacles survenus durant les austérités du frère aîné de Dhaumya.

Word by Word

• parama-astram: the supreme weapon
• parama-astram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (परम प्रातिपदिक) + astra (अस्त्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘supreme’ + ‘weapon’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (अव्यय-संबन्धबोधक)

• śaivānām: of the Śaivas (devotees of Śiva)
• śaivānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (शैव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive Plural (6th; षष्ठी बहुवचन)

• bhasma: ash
• bhasma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (भस्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन)

• etat: this
• etat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etat (एतद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन); demonstrative used appositionally with bhasma

• pārameśvaram: of Parameśvara
• pārameśvaram: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārameśvara (पारमेश्वर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन); adjective ‘belonging to Parameśvara’ qualifying bhasma/astram

• dhaumya-agrajasya: of Dhaumya’s elder (brother/son)
• dhaumya-agrajasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhaumya (धौम्य प्रातिपदिक) + agraja (अग्रज प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive Singular (6th; षष्ठी एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘Dhaumya’s’ + ‘elder brother/son’

• tapasi: in austerity
• tapasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (तपस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative Singular (7th; सप्तमी एकवचन)

• vyāpadaḥ: calamities, obstacles
• vyāpadaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāpada (व्यापद्/व्यापद्- प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative Plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन)

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (यद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन); relative pronoun referring to ‘which (calamities)’ (elliptic agreement)

• nivāritāḥ: were warded off
• nivāritāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vṛ (नि+वृ धातु) + kta (क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) Nominative Plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन); agrees with vyāpadaḥ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames bhasma as ‘paramāstra’ (supreme weapon) of Śaivas, illustrated by a tapas narrative where bhasma wards off vyāpadaḥ (obstacles) during austerity.

Significance: Positions bhasma as a portable protective ‘astra’ for sādhakas, especially in tapas contexts where unseen impediments (antarāya) arise; emphasizes rakṣā over site-based pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parameshvara
• Dhaumya

FAQs

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

It declares bhasma (vibhūti) as a supreme Śaiva protection—an outward sign of surrender to Pati (Śiva) that also symbolizes the burning away of impurities and the devotee’s safety during spiritual discipline.

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

Bhasma is described as ‘pārameśvara’—belonging to Śiva—so wearing it (often as Tripuṇḍra) complements Saguna worship of Śiva and Liṅga-pūjā by marking the body as dedicated to the Lord and guarded by His grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular application of sacred ash (vibhūti/bhasma), traditionally as Tripuṇḍra while remembering Śiva (often with the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), is implied as a protective and purifying Śaiva observance.