Shloka 26

Adhyaya 34: भस्ममहात्म्यं—अग्नीषोमात्मक-शिवतत्त्वं तथा पाशुपतव्रतप्रशंसा

Devanagari script

भस्मपाण्डुरदिग्धाङ्गा बभूवुर्विगतस्पृहाः रुद्रलोकाय कल्पान्ते संस्थिताः शिवतेजसा

Transliteration

bhasmapāṇḍuradigdhāṅgā babhūvurvigataspṛhāḥ rudralokāya kalpānte saṃsthitāḥ śivatejasā

Translation

భస్మంతో లేపింపబడి వారి అవయవాలు పాండురవర్ణమయ్యాయి; వారు స్పృహారహితులయ్యారు। కల్పాంతంలో శివతేజస్సుతో స్థిరపడి రుద్రలోకానికి సంస్థితులయ్యారు।

Word by Word

• भस्म (bhasma): sacred ash

• पाण्डुर (pāṇḍura): pale, whitish

• अदिग्ध (adigdha): smeared/anointed

• अङ्ग (aṅga): limbs, body

• बभूवुः (babhūvuḥ): they became

• विगत (vigata): gone, departed

• स्पृहा (spṛhā): longing, craving

• रुद्रलोकाय (rudralokāya): to Rudra’s world

• कल्पान्ते (kalpānte): at the end of a kalpa/aeon

• संस्थिताः (saṃsthitāḥ): established, firmly situated

• शिवतेजसा (śivatejasā): by/through Śiva’s splendor (grace-power).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana account to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It links bhasma-dharana (wearing sacred ash) with inner dispassion (vigata-spṛhā), implying that external Shaiva marks are meaningful when they express purification and surrender to Pati (Śiva), culminating in Rudraloka-prāpti.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva is shown as the sustaining liberating power—śiva-tejas—by which pashus (souls) become steady in a higher state at kalpānta, indicating Śiva as Pati whose grace overcomes pasha (bondage) such as craving.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Bhasma-dhāraṇa (smearing the body with sacred ash) paired with vairāgya (freedom from desire), a hallmark of Pāśupata-oriented discipline where renunciation and Śiva-bhakti mature into higher-world attainment.