Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

त्रिपुरदीक्षाविधानम् — Tripura Dīkṣā: Prescriptive Procedure

Chapter on the Ordinance of Initiation

Devanagari script

चत्वारो मुंडिनस्तेऽथ धर्मं पाषंडमाश्रिताः । हस्ते पात्रं दधानाश्च तुंडवस्त्रस्य धारकाः

Transliteration

catvāro muṃḍinaste'tha dharmaṃ pāṣaṃḍamāśritāḥ | haste pātraṃ dadhānāśca tuṃḍavastrasya dhārakāḥ

Translation

แล้วมีชายสี่คนศีรษะเกลี้ยง ผู้ยึดถือ ‘ธรรม’ ในคราบลัทธินอกทาง เขาถือบาตรไว้ในมือ และใช้ผ้าปิดปากไว้

Word by Word

• catvāraḥ: four
• catvāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catvāra (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• muṇḍinaḥ: shaven-headed ones/tonsured men
• muṇḍinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/now; connective particle)

• dharmam: dharma/religious practice
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pāṣaṇḍam: heresy/false doctrine
• pāṣaṇḍam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṣaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य (object complement)

• āśritāḥ: having adopted/resorted to
• āśritāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-śri (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘आश्रित’ = having resorted to

• haste: in the hand
• haste: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• pātram: bowl/vessel
• pātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dadhānāḥ: holding/bearing
• dadhānāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदभाव

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• tuṇḍa-vastrasya: of the face-cloth/mouth-covering cloth
• tuṇḍa-vastrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tuṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘तुṇḍस्य वस्त्रम्’/‘tuṇḍa-vastra’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• dhārakāḥ: wearers/bearers
• dhārakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that outward religious marks—shaved head, begging bowl, or mouth-cloth—do not by themselves constitute true dharma; Shaiva teaching emphasizes inner purity, devotion, and right orientation toward Śiva (Pati) rather than mere external display.

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

By contrasting superficial “religion” with authentic practice, it implicitly points toward sincere Saguna worship of Śiva—such as reverent Linga-upāsanā—performed with faith and humility, not as a social disguise.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to prioritize genuine Shaiva sādhana—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Tripuṇḍra/bhasma with right intent, and disciplined conduct—over merely adopting external ascetic symbols.