Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

चन्दनं वामदेवाख्ये हरितालं च पौरुषे । ईशाने भसितं केचिदालेपनमितीदृशाम्

Transliteration

candanaṃ vāmadevākhye haritālaṃ ca pauruṣe | īśāne bhasitaṃ kecidālepanamitīdṛśām

Translation

വാമദേവബന്ധിത വിധിയിൽ ചന്ദനലേപനം, പൗരുഷബന്ധിതത്തിൽ ഹരിതാലം (മഞ്ഞ), ഈശാനബന്ധിതത്തിൽ ഭസ്മം—ഇങ്ങനെ ചിലർ ലേപനവിധി നിർദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood
• चन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वामदेवाख्ये: in/for (the aspect) called Vāmadeva
• वामदेवाख्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामदेव-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वामदेव इति आख्या यस्य/यत्र)

• हरितालम्: orpiment (haritāla)
• हरितालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• पौरुषे: in/for the Pauruṣa (aspect)
• पौरुषे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• ईशाने: in/for Īśāna (aspect)
• ईशाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• भसितम्: ash (sacred ash)
• भसितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भसित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun: 'some')

• आलेपनम्: anointing/smearing
• आलेपनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-लिप् (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रियानाम (action noun: 'smearing/anointing')

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यचिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/निगमनसूचक (quotative particle)

• ईदृशाम्: of such (people)
• ईदृशाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-विशेषण/संज्ञा (of such persons)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site legend; it is a mukha/vidhi-based prescription: different ālepa substances correspond to Vāmadeva, Pauruṣa (Tatpuruṣa/Puruṣa), and Īśāna aspects.

Significance: Provides a contemplative map for worshippers to align sensory offerings with Śiva’s fivefold revelation (pañcabrahma), deepening ritual intentionality.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse links specific sacred substances to particular Shaiva observances/forms, showing that outer ritual (anointing) is meant to cultivate inner purity and right orientation toward Pati (Shiva). Bhasma especially signifies the burning away of impurity and ego, pointing toward liberation.

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

These anointings are part of Saguna Shiva worship—approaching Shiva through recognizable aspects (such as Īśāna and Vāmadeva). In Linga-puja, such substances function as upacāras (offerings) that honor Shiva’s manifest grace while training the devotee in discipline and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests ālepa (sacred smearing/anointing): sandal paste for Vāmadeva-related worship, haritāla for Pauruṣa-related worship, and bhasma for Īśāna-related worship. Practically, this aligns with Shaiva practice of applying bhasma (often as Tripuṇḍra) alongside mantra-japa such as the Panchakshara.