Shloka 73
बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्
Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause
ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोश्च रुद्रा णां सारं चैव त्रिपुंड्रकम् । तथा तिलकरूपेण ललाटान्ते महेश्वरः
brahmaviṣṇvośca rudrā ṇāṃ sāraṃ caiva tripuṃḍrakam | tathā tilakarūpeṇa lalāṭānte maheśvaraḥ
ഭസ്മത്രിപുണ്ഡ്രം തന്നെയാണ് ബ്രഹ്മാ, വിഷ്ണു, റുദ്രന്മാർ എന്നിവരുടെ സാരം. അതുപോലെ ലലാടാന്തത്തിൽ തിലകരൂപത്തിൽ സ്വയം മഹേശ്വരൻ അധിഷ്ഠിതനാകുന്നു।
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Śiva Purāṇa to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: As Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha, Śiva is the Lord of the universe; the verse’s setting in Viśveśvarasaṃhitā naturally resonates with Kāśī’s Viśvanātha where Śiva is worshipped as the supreme abiding presence.
Significance: Darśana and worship confer śiva-sāyujya-oriented grace; Tripuṇḍra and forehead-mark signify Śaiva identity and remembrance of Śiva in daily life.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: Tripuṇḍra as a cosmological-theological sign: integrating Brahmā-Viṣṇu-Rudra functions into Śiva-centric auspicious ash symbolism.
FAQs
It teaches that Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) is not a mere external sign but a condensed spiritual truth: it signifies Śiva as the inner reality and the supremacy of Pati (Lord) who pervades the powers represented by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and the Rudras.
Tripuṇḍra and the forehead tilaka are bodily consecrations that align the devotee with Saguna Śiva worship—approaching the Liṅga with purity, devotion, and Śaiva identity—while remembering Śiva’s immanence as Maheśvara dwelling at the forehead-mark.
Apply Tripuṇḍra with sacred ash and place a tilaka on the forehead while contemplating Maheśvara’s presence there; this is commonly done alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) before Liṅga-pūjā.