Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 107

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

जानुद्वये च पदयोः पृष्ठभागे च षोडश । शिवश्चन्द्र श्च रुद्र ः को विघ्नेशो विष्णुरेव वा

Transliteration

jānudvaye ca padayoḥ pṛṣṭhabhāge ca ṣoḍaśa | śivaścandra śca rudra ḥ ko vighneśo viṣṇureva vā

Translation

在双膝、双足以及身体背面，共有十六处（印记/安置处）。当观想为：湿婆、月神、鲁陀罗、“迦”（梵天）、毗诃涅湿（象头神伽内沙），或亦为毗湿奴。

Word by Word

• जानुद्वये: in the pair of knees
• जानुद्वये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वे जानुनी)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पदयोः: of the two feet
• पदयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• पृष्ठभागे: on the back-part
• पृष्ठभागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः पृष्ठस्य भागः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; (प्रायः) प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गे ‘षोडश (स्थानानि)’ इत्यर्थे

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चन्द्रः: the Moon (Candra)
• चन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• विघ्नेशः: Vighneśa (lord of obstacles)
• विघ्नेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः विघ्नानाम् ईशः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teaching to the sages, inferred from Purana dialogue convention)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Chandra
• Rudra
• Brahma
• Ganesha
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches a contemplative mapping where bodily locations are sanctified by identifying them with divine powers, culminating in a Shaiva understanding that all functional deities operate within the supreme sovereignty of Śiva (Pati).

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

Such identifications support Saguna-upāsanā: the devotee mentally installs divine presences while worshipping Śiva (often through the Liṅga), seeing other deities as Śiva’s śaktis/ministries rather than competing absolutes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A brief nyāsa-like visualization: mentally placing/remembering Śiva and allied deities in specific body-points during japa or pūjā, ideally alongside Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and other Shaiva observances.