Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

किरीटिनं कुंडलिनं रत्नमालाविभूषितम् । भस्मोद्धूलितसर्वाङ्गं बिभ्रतं केलिपंकजम्

Transliteration

kirīṭinaṃ kuṃḍalinaṃ ratnamālāvibhūṣitam | bhasmoddhūlitasarvāṅgaṃ bibhrataṃ kelipaṃkajam

Translation

พระองค์ทรงมงกุฎและตุ้มหู ประดับด้วยพวงมาลัยรัตนะ พระวรกายทั่วทั้งองค์แต้มด้วยเถ้าศักดิ์สิทธิ์ (ภัสมะ) และทรงถือดอกบัวแห่งลีลา เป็นสัญลักษณ์แห่งความรื่นรมย์ในพระหัตถ์

Word by Word

• किरीटिनम्: wearing a crown
• किरीटिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किरीटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (adjectival use)

• कुण्डलिनम्: wearing earrings
• कुण्डलिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुण्डलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• रत्नमाला-विभूषितम्: adorned with a jeweled garland
• रत्नमाला-विभूषितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषित (कृदन्त; √भूष् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle) ‘विभूषित’ = adorned; समासः: रत्नमाला (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः) + विभूषित (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः: रत्नमालया विभूषितः)

• भस्म-उद्धूलित-सर्वाङ्गम्: whose whole body is smeared with ash
• भस्म-उद्धूलित-सर्वाङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्धूलित (कृदन्त; √धूल्/√ध्वंस्? here √धूल् ‘to dust/smear’) + सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘उद्धूलित’ भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः; समासः: भस्मोद्धूलित (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: भस्मना उद्धूलितः) + सर्वाङ्ग (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: सर्वाणि अङ्गानि) → सर्वाङ्गम् (द्वितीया)

• बिभ्रतम्: bearing/holding
• बिभ्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्ययः, present active participle) ‘बिभ्रत्’; पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• केलि-पङ्कजम्: a play-lotus (lotus used for sport)
• केलि-पङ्कजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः: केल्याः पङ्कजम् / केलि-रूपं पङ्कजम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s saguna (gracious, perceivable) form: outward majesty (crown, jewels) united with inner renunciation (bhasma). In Shaiva Siddhanta, this teaches that the Lord is both transcendent and compassionately accessible to devotees through sacred symbols.

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

While the Liṅga points to Shiva’s formless, nirguṇa depth, this description supports saguna upāsanā—meditating on Shiva’s auspicious attributes. Both approaches converge in devotion: the Liṅga as essence, the form as compassionate manifestation for dhyāna and bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The mention of bhasma suggests wearing sacred ash (Tripuṇḍra) with reverence and remembering Shiva while applying it, ideally alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” using the ash as a reminder of purity and impermanence.