Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 90

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

भस्मरुद्रा क्षधारी यः शिवभक्तस्स उच्यते । पंचाक्षरजपासक्तः परिपूर्णश्च सन्मुखे

Transliteration

bhasmarudrā kṣadhārī yaḥ śivabhaktassa ucyate | paṃcākṣarajapāsaktaḥ paripūrṇaśca sanmukhe

Translation

凡佩戴圣灰（bhasma）与金刚菩提子（Rudrākṣa）者，即称为湿婆的奉献者；又若专注于五字真言之持诵（japa），便得圆满成就，安立于主慈恩的临在之前。

Word by Word

• भस्मरुद्राक्षधारी: one who wears ash and rudrākṣa
• भस्मरुद्राक्षधारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म + रुद्राक्ष + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (भस्म-रुद्राक्षे धारयति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शिवभक्तः: a devotee of Śiva
• शिवभक्तः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य भक्तः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• पञ्चाक्षरजपआसक्तः: attached to the japa of the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरजपआसक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षर + जप + आसक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पञ्चाक्षरस्य जपे आसक्तः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परिपूर्णः: fully complete
• परिपूर्णः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• सन्मुखे: in the presence (before, face-to-face)
• सन्मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सत् मुखम् यस्य/सन्मुख), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudraksha
• Bhasma
• Panchakshara Mantra

FAQs

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

The verse defines the outward and inward signs of Śaiva devotion: bhasma and Rudrākṣa as sacred disciplines, and Panchākṣara-japa as the inner practice that ripens the soul toward Śiva’s grace and spiritual fulfillment.

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

Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and the Panchākṣara mantra are classic aids for Saguna worship—approaching Śiva as the compassionate Lord who can be worshipped through the Liṅga, mantra, and disciplined observances that purify the devotee.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wear bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa with reverence, and remain steadily engaged in japa of the Panchākṣara mantra—(Om) Namaḥ Śivāya—as a daily meditative discipline.