Shloka 50

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

रुद्रा क्षमेकं शिरसा बिभर्ति तथा त्रिपुण्ड्रं च ललाटमध्ये । पंचाक्षरं ये हि जपंति मंत्रं पूज्या भवद्भिः खलु ते हि साधवः

Transliteration

rudrā kṣamekaṃ śirasā bibharti tathā tripuṇḍraṃ ca lalāṭamadhye | paṃcākṣaraṃ ye hi japaṃti maṃtraṃ pūjyā bhavadbhiḥ khalu te hi sādhavaḥ

Translation

Ceux qui portent une unique Rudrākṣa sur la tête, qui arborent le Tripuṇḍra de cendre sacrée au milieu du front, et qui récitent avec vérité le mantra aux cinq syllabes (Pañcākṣarī)—ceux-là sont assurément de saints dévots, dignes de votre vénération.

Word by Word

• रुद्राक्षम्: rudrākṣa (bead)
• रुद्राक्षम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शिरसा: with/on the head
• शिरसा: करण/अधिकरण (Instrument/means: ‘on the head’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• बिभर्ति: wears/bears
• बिभर्ति: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: and also
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/also)

• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: tripuṇḍra mark
• त्रिपुण्ड्रम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• ललाटमध्ये: in the middle of the forehead
• ललाटमध्ये: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ललाटस्य मध्ये)

• पञ्चाक्षरम्: the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (पञ्च अक्षराणि यस्य)

• ये: those who
• ये: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात

• जपन्ति: recite
• जपन्ति: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूज्याः: worthy of worship
• पूज्याः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: विधेय-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कृदन्तः—यत् (gerundive: ‘to be worshipped’)

• भवद्भिः: by you (honorific)
• भवद्भिः: कर्ता/करण (Agent in passive sense: ‘by you’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम

• खलु: certainly
• खलु: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/स्मरणार्थक निपात

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• साधवः: good/virtuous people
• साधवः: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it defines the ideal Śaiva sādhaka by three signs: Rudrākṣa, Tripuṇḍra, and Pañcākṣarī-japa—classic markers of Śiva-sambandha.

Significance: Establishes a portable triad of pilgrimage: body marked by bhasma, adorned with rudrākṣa, and sanctified by mantra—making the devotee ‘pūjya’ (worthy of reverence).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (implied by ‘पंचाक्षर’)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse defines the outer marks that reflect inner Shaiva dedication: Rudrākṣa, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), and japa of the Pañcākṣara. In Shaiva Siddhanta, these support purity, devotion, and steady remembrance of Pati (Shiva), making the practitioner worthy of reverence.

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

Rudrākṣa, Tripuṇḍra, and Pañcākṣara-japa are classic aids for Saguna Shiva worship centered on the Liṅga. They prepare the body-mind for pūjā and meditation, aligning the devotee with Shiva’s grace while progressing toward deeper realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wear Rudrākṣa (even a single bead as a vow-marker), apply Tripuṇḍra bhasma on the forehead, and perform regular japa of the Pañcākṣara mantra (“Namaḥ Śivāya”), ideally alongside daily Shiva pūjā or Liṅga-abhiṣeka.