Shloka 96

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ताः स्थानदेवाश्च सर्वांगेषु मुनीश्वरः । तेषां संबंधिनो भक्त्या स्थानानि शृणु सांप्रतम्

Transliteration

ityuktāḥ sthānadevāśca sarvāṃgeṣu munīśvaraḥ | teṣāṃ saṃbaṃdhino bhaktyā sthānāni śṛṇu sāṃpratam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്തപ്പോൾ, ദിവ്യരൂപത്തിന്റെ സർവ്വാംഗങ്ങളിലുമുള്ള സ്ഥാനദേവതകൾ സംസാരിച്ചു. ഹേ മുനീശ്വരാ, ഇപ്പോൾ ഭക്തിയോടെ അവരോട് ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട പുണ്യസ്ഥലങ്ങൾ ശ്രവിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle

• उक्ताः: having been addressed/said to
• उक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (धातु) → ukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) of √वच्; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• स्थान-देवाः: the presiding deities of the places
• स्थान-देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'deities of the places'

• च: and
• च: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction

• सर्व-अङ्गेषु: in all limbs
• सर्व-अङ्गेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); 'in all limbs'

• मुनीश्वरः: the lord of sages
• मुनीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'lord of sages'

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• सम्बन्धिनः: those connected (to them)
• सम्बन्धिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃbandhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'relatives/connected ones'

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• स्थानानि: places/locations
• स्थानानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• साम्प्रतम्: now
• साम्प्रतम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sāmprata (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Avyaya-like adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), accusative used adverbially: 'now/at present'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The passage frames the body of Śiva as a mandala of sacred loci (aṅga-sthānas) with presiding deities; in the Viśveśvara context this aligns with Kāśī as the supreme kṣetra where Śiva is immanent as Viśvanātha and where every limb/point is treated as a tīrtha for bhakti and liberation.

Significance: Śravaṇa (devout listening) and kṣetra-smaraṇa (remembering the sacred loci) are presented as bhakti-sādhana leading toward Śiva’s anugraha and kṣetra-phalāni (merit of pilgrimage) even through narrative participation.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames tīrtha and sacred-seat knowledge as something to be received with bhakti, implying that devotion is the purifier that makes sacred geography spiritually transformative and Shiva-oriented.

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

By pointing to “presiding deities of sacred loci,” it supports Saguna worship—approaching Shiva through consecrated places and manifestations—while keeping the aim devotional remembrance of Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Śravaṇa (devotional listening) is primary here—hearing the māhātmya of Shiva’s connected sacred places with faith, which can be paired with japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) during pilgrimage or contemplation.