तदर्धं वा तदर्धं वा मासद्वादशकं तु वा । तदर्धं वा तदर्धं वा मासमेकमथापि वा
Or for half that, or for half of that, or for twelve months; or for half that, or for half of that, or for one month.
दिनद्वादशकं वापि दिनषट्कमथापि वा । तदर्धं दिनमेकं वा व्रतसङ्कल्पनावधि
Or for twelve days, or for six days; or for half that, or for one day—the limit of the vow's resolve.
अग्निमाधाय विधिवद्विरजाहोमकारणात् । हुत्वाऽऽज्येन समिद्भिश्च चरुणा च यथाविधि
Having properly kindled the fire according to the prescribed method, one should offer oblations with ghee, with sticks of wood, and with the sacrificial mixture, as is ordained.
पूताहात्पुरतो भूयस्तत्त्वानां शुद्धिमुद्दिशन् । जुहुयान्मूलमन्त्रेण तैरेव समिदादिभिः
Having purified himself, and facing east, intending the purification of the elements, he should offer oblations with the root mantra, using those same sticks and other materials.
तत्त्वान्येतानि मे देहे शुध्यन्तामित्यनुस्मरन् । पश्चाद्भूतादितन्मात्राः पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि च
Recalling, 'May these elements in my body be purified,' he should then proceed with the five great elements, the subtle elements, and the five organs of action.
ज्ञानकर्मविभेदेन पञ्च पञ्च विभागशः । त्वगादिधातवः सप्त पञ्च प्राणादिवायवः
Distinguishing between knowledge and action, he should consider the five groups of five: the seven bodily substances beginning with skin, and the five vital airs starting with prāṇa.
मनो बुद्धिरहङ्कारो गुणाः प्रकृतिपूरुषौ । रागो विद्या कला चैव नियतिः काल एव च
Mind, intellect, ego, the three guṇas, nature and spirit, attachment, knowledge, the powers, order, and time as well.
माया च शुद्धविद्या च महेश्वरसदाशिवौ । शक्तिश्च शिवतत्त्वं च तत्त्वानि क्रमशो विदुः
Māyā, pure knowledge, Maheśvara, Sadāśiva, Śakti, and the principle of Śiva—these are known as the successive principles.
मन्त्रैस्तु विरजैर्हुत्वा होतासौ विरजो भवेत् । अथ गोमयमादाय पिण्डीकृत्याभिमन्त्र्य च
Having offered oblations with pure mantras, the sacrificer becomes purified; then, taking cow dung, shaping it into a lump, and consecrating it,
न्यस्याग्नौ तं च संरक्ष्य दिने तस्मिन् हविष्यभुक् । प्रभाते च चतुर्दश्यां कृत्वा सर्वं पुरोदितम्
He should place it in the fire, preserve it, and on that day, having eaten the sacrificial food, in the morning of the fourteenth day, having performed all the prescribed rites,
तस्मिन्दिने निराहारः कालशेषं समापयेत् । प्रातः पर्वणि चाप्येवं कृत्वा होमावसानतः
On that day, he should remain fasting for the rest of the time; and in the morning, on the festival day, having done likewise, after the conclusion of the fire ritual,
उपसंहृत्य रुद्राग्निं गृहीत्वा भस्म यत्नतः । ततश्च जटिलो मुण्डः शिखैकजट एव च
Having withdrawn the Rudra fire and carefully collected the ashes, then, with matted hair, shaven head, or a single topknot,
भूत्वा स्नात्वा पुनर्वीतलज्जश्चेत्स्याद्दिगम्बरः । अन्यः काषायवसनश्चर्मचीराम्बरोऽथवा
Having become so, and having bathed, he should, without shame, go about unclothed; or else, wearing ochre garments or a garment of animal skin.
एकाम्बरो वल्कलवान्भवेद्दण्डी च मेखली । प्रक्षाल्य चरणौ पश्चाद्द्विराचम्यात्मनस्तनुम्
He may wear a single garment, or bark clothing, and carry a staff and a girdle; then, after washing his feet, he should again purify his own body.
सङ्कलीकृत्य तद्भस्म विरजानलसम्भवम् । अग्निरित्यादिभिर्मन्त्रैः षड्भिराथर्वणैः क्रमात्
Having gathered that ash produced from the pure fire, with the six Atharvan mantras beginning with 'Agni,'
विमृज्याङ्गानि मूर्धादिचरणान्तं च तैः स्पृशेत् । ततस्तेन क्रमेणैव समुद्धूल्य च भस्मना
He should rub his limbs from head to feet with those mantras, and then, in the same order, sprinkle himself with the ash.
सर्वाङ्गोद्धूलनं कुर्यात्प्रणवेन शिवेन वा । ततश्च पुण्ड्रं रचयेत्त्रियायुषसमाह्वयम्
He should perform the sprinkling of ash over the whole body, with the praṇava or with the Śiva mantra; then he should mark his body with the three-lined emblem called 'triyāyuṣa.'
शिवभावं समागम्य शिवभावमथाचरेत् । कुर्यात्त्रिसन्ध्यमप्येवमेतत्पाशुपतं व्रतम्
Having attained the state of Śiva, he should then act in accordance with the state of Śiva; he should also perform the three daily rituals—thus is the Pāśupata vow.
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं चैव पशुत्वं विनिवर्तयेत् । तत्पशुत्वं परित्यज्य कृत्वा पाशुपतं व्रतम्
It bestows both enjoyment and liberation, and removes the state of bondage; having abandoned that state of bondage, one should undertake the Pāśupata vow.
पूजनीयो महादेवो लिङ्गमूर्तिः सदाशिवः । भस्मस्नानं महापुण्यं सर्वसौख्यकरं परम्
The great god, the liṅga form, Sadāśiva, is always to be worshipped; bathing with ash is of great merit and brings supreme happiness in all ways.
आयुष्यं बलमारोग्यं श्रीपुष्टिवर्धनं यतः । रक्षार्थं मङ्गलार्थं च सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धये
Because it increases lifespan, strength, health, prosperity, and nourishment, and for the sake of protection, auspiciousness, and the fullness of all wealth.
भस्मस्निग्धमनुष्याणां महामारीभयं न च । शान्तिकं पौष्टिकं भस्म कामदं च त्रिधा भवेत्
Ash, when applied to the body, prevents the great fear of epidemics in people; the ash is of three kinds—pacifying, nourishing, and wish-fulfilling.
त्रिविधभस्ममाहात्म्यवर्णनम् नारद उवाच त्रिविधत्वं कथं चास्य भस्मनः परिकीर्तितम् । एतत्कथय मे देव महत्कौतूहलं मम
The Description of the Greatness of the Threefold Ash Nārada said: How is the threefold nature of this ash described? Tell me this, O Lord, for I am greatly curious.
श्रीनारायण उवाच त्रिविधत्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि देवर्षे भस्मनः शृणु । महापापक्षयकरं महाकीर्तिकरं परम्
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: I will explain to you, O sage among the gods, the threefold nature of the ash; listen. It destroys great sins and brings supreme fame.
गोमयं योनिसम्बद्धं तद्धस्तेनैव गृह्यते । ब्राह्मैर्मन्त्रैस्तु सन्दग्धं तच्छान्तिकृदिहोच्यते
Cow dung, connected to its source, is taken by hand; when it is burned by brāhmaṇas with mantras, it is called pacifying ash here.
सावधानस्तु गृह्णीयान्नरो वै गोमयं तु यत् । अन्तरिक्षे गृहीत्वा तत्षडङ्गेन दहेदतः
A careful person should take cow dung, holding it in the air, and burn it with the six limbs (of the body) as prescribed.
पौष्टिकं तत्समाख्यातं कामदं च ततः शृणु । प्रासादेन दहेदेतत्कामदं भस्म कीर्तितम्
That is called nourishing ash; now hear about the wish-fulfilling kind. When it is burned with devotion, it is known as wish-fulfilling ash.
प्रातरुत्थाय देवर्षे भस्मव्रतपरः शुचिः । गवां गोष्ठेषु गत्वा तु नमस्कृत्य तु गोकुलम्
Rising early, O sage among the gods, one devoted to the ash vow and pure, should go to the cow pens, bowing to the herd of cows.
गवां वर्णानुरूपाणां गृह्णीयाद्गोमयं शुभम् । ब्राह्मणस्य च गौः श्वेता रक्ता गौः क्षत्रियस्य च
One should take auspicious cow dung from cows according to their color: the brāhmaṇa's cow is white, the kṣatriya's cow is red.
पीतवर्णा तु वैश्यस्य कृष्णा शूद्रस्य कथ्यते । पौर्णमास्याममावास्यामष्टम्यां वा विशुद्धधीः
The vaiśya's cow is yellow, and the śūdra's is said to be black. On the full moon, new moon, or eighth lunar day, with a pure mind,