BHASMODDHOOLIT-VIGRAHA

Lord is called as Bhasmoddhoolit-vigraha, when his pleasant body is smeared with fine cinders (Bhasma). By wearing the cinders, Shiva informs that this body is perishable. So one should give up the false ego of the body after deep contemplation. Ishavasya Upanishad states that— Bhasmantam Shariram. Lord Shankar displays his intimate love for his consort Sati, by wearing cinders. When body of Sati was burned to ashes in the fire-sacrifice of Daksha, then Lord Shiva preserved her ashes and he used to paste it upon his body, whenever he was immersed in her memories. According to other narrations, Lord Shankar is called as Bhasmoddhoolit-vigraha because he wears the ashes of body of Kamdeva after burning him by his third eye. Moreover he wears the ashes of funeral-pyre, and this is widely mentioned in the Vedic literatures. Ardhanarishwar Stotram adores this form of the Lord— Chitarajah punja vicharchitaya. Bhaskar’s explanation of this name is given below—

स्वांगे भस्म विलिम्पन् नाथ! ज्ञानां शिरोव्रतमुपदिशसि।
भूतेशाभिधतीर्थेऽपि त्वं भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहनामा॥

Purport: O Lord! By smearing cinders on your body you are instructing the vow of ‘Shirovrata’ for your devotees who desire to gain the knowledge of absolute truth. You are residing in the holy place namely Bhutesh, so you are named as Bhasmoddhoolit-vigraha. According to Rahasya Vidya, when ignorance is burned by the feeling of complete material restriction, even then a little cinder of ignorance remains in the form of restrictedness, by which you cover yourself in order to hide from non-seekers and to allow your perception only to your devotees. So you are called as Bhasmoddhoolit-vigraha. The devotees of Shiva must regularly smear cinders on their body and their forehead should never be left blank without cinders. This is the true sense of worship of Bhasmoddhoolit-vigraha. In the chanting of mantras for wearing cinders, five gross material elements (Panch Mahabhoota) are taken as the highest form of cinders.