When you see your God pictures especially Shiva, Ganesha or Muruga have you seen them sporting three white lines on their forehead. Every wondered why? Let us understand.
“Lalaata Shoonyam Smashaana Tulyam”, says our scriptures. It means that “an empty forehead is comparable to a cemetery”. So, Hindus pay take care that their forehead is smeared with Vibhuti and it remains all the time over their body throughout the day.
Lord Shiva, the Almighty himself sports the Vibhuti all the time and stands as an example to His followers that however great one be considered in this mortal world; one needs to smear his forehead and the body with holy ash prepared from a special kind of wood as He does (Lord Shiva) in the Immortal abode of Kailasa.
According to Vedic scholars even great saints, seers, yogis and their likes should sport the Vibhuti all the time on ones’ forehead and other parts of the body.
Vibhuti smeared horizontally to make three parallel lines with forefinger, middle finger and ring finger across the forehead & other parts of the body like chest, stomach, arms, elbows, wrists etc is called as Tripundra. It is mandatory for the devotees of Lord Shiva to have Tripundra over their body at all times.
A person who smears Vibhuti purifies himself from sins and also removes the sins of person/s who look at him besmeared with Vibhutior theeruneru.
The great saint Thiru Jnana Sambandar did many wonders with Vibhuti and he expounds the greatness of Vibhuti in one of his Pathigams called “Thiruneetru Pathigam” as follows, (This padigam was believed to have been recited when Jnana Sambandar debated with the Jain monks and won them over and reconverted the King to Shaivism from Jainism).
Mandhira maavadhu neeru| Vaanavar meeladhu neeru ||
Sundhara maavadhu neeru |Thudhikkap paduvadhu neeru ||
Thandhira maavadhu neeru| Chamayaththil ullaadhu neeru ||
Senthuvar vaayumai pangan|Thiruaalavaayaan Thiruneerae ||
Meaning: Mantra is the ash; Higher than heavenly people is the ash; Beauty is the ash; Praised is the ash; Technique is the ash; In the religion is the ash; The Lord of Thiruaalavaay (Lord Sundareshwarar,Madurai) who share the body with the red lipped Parvathi – His Holy Ash.
Vibhuti is made from a special type of wood. The Bhasma of every wood cannot be regarded as sacred. The word Bhasma (Bha – to destroy; Sma – To remember). Vibhuti signifies the remembrance of the divine and destruction of evil. It also indicates that we remember the transient nature of the physical body and remove the ego associated with the self. It is not a morose reminder of death but just a simple message that time moves on and waits for none.
Uses and mention - Vibhuti has many medicinal usages and is used in making a few ayurvedic medicines too. It absorbs excess moisture and is used often in treating infants for common cold. Some allergies that people develop after applying Vibhuti could be because of adulteration.
Adi Shankara extols Vibhuti from the puja of Lord Muruga in Subramanya Bhujangam.
ApasmAra kushta kshayArsha prameha|
JvaronmAdha gulmAdhi rogA mahAntha||
PishAchAshcha sarve bhavatpatra bhoothim|
Vilokya kshanAth tArakAre dravanthe|| (Shloka no.25)
Meaning: Oh Conqueror of Taraka! Severe epilepsy, leprosy, consumption, lung diseases, venereal diseases, fevers, mental diseases of all types, they run away the moment they see Thy Vibhuti contained in a leaf.
A substance that is so precious and is blessed should not be treated with disrespect and thrown on the floor or in unclean places. Also storing the Vibhuti from sacred temples is considered auspicious for the family.
