Shloka 112

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

अथ वा मस्तकं बाहूहृदयं नाभिरेव च । पंचस्थानान्यमून्याहुर्धारणे भस्मविज्जनाः

Transliteration

atha vā mastakaṃ bāhūhṛdayaṃ nābhireva ca | paṃcasthānānyamūnyāhurdhāraṇe bhasmavijjanāḥ

Translation

ຫຼືອີກຢ່າງໜຶ່ງ ຫົວ, ແຂນທັງສອງ, ຫົວໃຈ, ແລະ ສະດື—ຜູ້ຮູ້ແທ້ໃນພະຂີ້ເທົ່າສັກສິດ (bhasma) ກ່າວວ່າ ນີ້ແມ່ນຫ້າສະຖານທີ່ໃນກາຍ ສໍາລັບການສວມໃສ່ມັນ ເປັນເຄື່ອງໝາຍແຫ່ງສາຍວະຜູ້ຖືພຣະສິວະ।

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (particle: then/now)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (conjunction: or)

• मस्तकम्: head
• मस्तकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• बाहू: (two) arms
• बाहू: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), द्विवचन

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• नाभिः: navel
• नाभिः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle: indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable-like numeral)

• स्थानानि: places
• स्थानानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन

• अमूनि: these (those)
• अमूनि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन

• आहुः: say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• धारणे: in wearing/holding
• धारणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन; हेतौ/विषये (in/for the act of wearing/holding)

• भस्म-वित्: knowers of ash
• भस्म-वित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भस्मस्य वित्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (समस्तपदस्य)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s worship-ordinances to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s Viśveśvara tradition emphasizes external Śaiva insignia (bhasma/tripuṇḍra) as daily ācāra supporting inner remembrance; the verse lists bodily loci for bhasma-dhāraṇa as a portable ‘kṣetra’ of consecration.

Significance: Encourages constant Śiva-smṛti through bodily consecration; supports sādhaka’s readiness for darśana, japa, and liṅga-sevā in the jyotirliṅga kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that bhasma is not merely decorative: it is a consecrating Shaiva discipline, marking the body as offered to Pati (Shiva) and reminding the devotee of detachment, purity, and the burning of impurities.

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

Bhasma-dhāraṇa is part of Saguna Shiva worship and Linga-upāsanā: the devotee bears Shiva’s sacred sign on the body while performing pūjā, mantra-japa, and daily observances, aligning outer practice with inner devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Apply sacred ash (vibhūti/bhasma) to the prescribed five places—head, arms, heart, and navel—as a regular vow, ideally alongside Shiva-mantra (such as the Pañcākṣarī) and remembrance of Shiva.