Shloka 95

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

एवं नित्यं नमस्कृत्य सद्भक्त्या स्थानदेवताः । त्रिपुंड्रं धारयेच्छुद्धो भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विंदति

Transliteration

evaṃ nityaṃ namaskṛtya sadbhaktyā sthānadevatāḥ | tripuṃḍraṃ dhārayecchuddho bhuktiṃ muktiṃ ca viṃdati

Translation

ఇలా ప్రతిదినం క్షేత్రాధిష్ఠాన దేవతలకు సద్భక్తితో నమస్కరించి, శుద్ధుడైనవాడు త్రిపుండ్రాన్ని ధరించాలి; అలా భుక్తి మరియు ముక్తి రెండూ పొందుతాడు.

Word by Word

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• nityaṃ: always
• nityaṃ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (used adverbially: always)

• namaskṛtya: having saluted
• namaskṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having saluted)

• sadbhaktyā: with true devotion
• sadbhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (satī bhaktiḥ)

• sthānadevatāḥ: the deities of the place
• sthānadevatāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sthānasya devatāḥ)

• tripuṃḍram: the tripuṇḍra (three ash-lines)
• tripuṃḍram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + puṃḍra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three-lined mark)

• dhārayet: should wear/should bear
• dhārayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• śuddhaḥ: pure
• śuddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• bhuktim: enjoyment/worldly prosperity
• bhuktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• muktim: liberation
• muktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• vindati: obtains/finds
• vindati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha, Śiva is the Lord of the kṣetra who grants both bhukti and mukti; the verse echoes the kṣetra-devatā orientation central to Kāśī where liberation is promised through Śiva’s grace.

Significance: Darśana and worship of the kṣetra-liṅga with tripuṇḍra-dhāraṇa is taught as a means to both worldly welfare (bhukti) and final release (mukti), emphasizing Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that daily, sincere devotion expressed through salutations and the Shaiva mark of Tripuṇḍra purifies the practitioner and leads to both dharmic prosperity (bhukti) and final release (mukti) under Shiva’s grace.

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

Tripuṇḍra-dhāraṇa is an outward Shaiva sign that supports inward remembrance of Saguna Shiva (often worshipped as the Linga) and aligns the devotee with kṣetra-worship—honoring the sacred space and its presiding deities as part of Shiva’s manifest order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer daily namaskāra with sincere bhakti to the presiding deities of the sacred place, then wear the Tripuṇḍra of bhasma in purity as a continual reminder of Shiva and the discipline that culminates in liberation.