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,
प्रासादेन तु मन्त्रेण गृहीत्वा गोमयं शुभम् । हृदयेन तु मन्त्रेण पिण्डीकृत्य तु गोमयम्
Taking the auspicious cow dung with the mantra of devotion, and forming it into a ball with the heart mantra,
रविरश्मिसुसन्तप्तं शुचौ देशे मनोहरे । तुषेण वा बुसैर्वापि प्रासादेन तु निक्षिपेत्
He should place it, heated well by the sun's rays, in a clean and delightful place, or with husk or straw, with devotion.
अरण्युद्भवमग्निं वा श्रोत्रियागारजं तु वा । तदग्नौ विन्यसेत्तं च शिवबीजेन मन्त्रतः
He should place it in fire produced from wood in the forest, or from the house of a learned brāhmaṇa, reciting the Śiva seed-mantra.
गृह्णीयादथ तत्राग्निकुण्डाद्भस्म विचक्षणः । नवपात्रं समादाय प्रासादेन तु निक्षिपेत्
Then, the wise one should take the ash from the fire-pit, collect it in a new vessel, and place it there with devotion.
केतकी पाटली तद्वदुशीरं चन्दनं तथा । नानासुगन्धिद्रव्याणि काश्मीरप्रभृतीनि च
He should place there ketakī, pāṭalī, uśīra, sandalwood, and various fragrant substances, including kāśmīra and others.
निक्षिपेत्तत्र पात्रे तु सद्योमन्त्रेण शुद्धधीः । जलस्नानं पुरा कृत्वा भस्मस्नानमतः परम्
He should put them in the vessel with the proper mantra, with a pure mind; after bathing in water, he should then bathe with ash.
जलस्नाने त्वशक्तश्च भस्मस्नानं समाचरेत् । प्रक्षाल्य पादौ हस्तौ च शिरश्चेशानमन्त्रतः
If one is unable to bathe in water, one should perform an ash bath; washing the feet, hands, and head with the Īśāna mantra.
समुद्धूल्य ततः पश्चादाननं तत्पुरुषेण तु । अघोरेण तु हृदयं नाभिं वामेन तत्परम्
Then, after sprinkling, he should touch the face with the Tatpuruṣa mantra, the heart with the Aghora mantra, and the navel with the left hand, as prescribed.
सद्योमन्त्रेण सर्वाङ्गं समूद्धूल्य विचक्षणः । पूर्ववस्त्रं परित्यज्य शुद्धवस्त्रं परिग्रहेत्
With the proper mantra, the wise one should thoroughly cleanse the whole body, discard the previous garment, and put on clean clothing.
प्रक्षाल्य पादौ हस्तौ च पश्चादाचमनं चरेत् । भस्मनोद्धूलनाभावे त्रिपुण्ड्रं तु विधीयते
After washing the feet and hands, one should then perform ācamana; if ashes are not available for application, one should mark the tripuṇḍra.
मध्याह्नात्प्राग्जलैर्युक्तं परतो जलवर्जितम् । तर्जन्यनामिकामध्यैस्त्रिपुण्ड्रं च समाचरेत्
Before midday, the tripuṇḍra is applied with water; after that, it is applied without water, using the middle, ring, and index fingers.
मूर्ध्नि चैव ललाटे च कर्णे कण्ठे तथैव च । हृदये चैव बाह्वोश्च न्यासस्थानं हि चोच्यते
The places for application are said to be the head, the forehead, the ears, the neck, the heart, and the arms.
पञ्चाङ्गुलैर्न्यसेन्मूर्ध्नि प्रासादेन तु मन्त्रतः । त्र्यङ्गुलैर्विन्यसेद्भाले शिरोमन्त्रेण देशिकः
With five fingers, the teacher should apply it on the head with the appropriate mantra; with three fingers, he should apply it on the forehead with the head-mantra.
सद्येन दक्षिणे कर्णे वामदेवेन वामतः । अघोरेण तु कण्ठे च मध्याङ्गुल्या स्पृशेद्बुधः
With the Sadyojāta mantra on the right ear, with the Vāmadeva mantra on the left, and with the Aghora mantra on the neck, the wise one should touch with the middle finger.
हृदयं हृदयेनैव त्रिभिरङ्गुलिभिः स्पृशेत् । विन्यसेद्दक्षिणे बाहौ शिखामन्त्रेण देशिकः
He should touch the heart with the heart-mantra using three fingers, and the teacher should apply it on the right arm with the śikhā-mantra.
वामबाहौ न्यसेद्धीमान्कवचेन त्रियङ्गुलैः । मध्येन संस्पृशेन्नाभ्यामीशान इति मन्त्रतः
The wise one should apply it on the left arm with the kavaca-mantra using three fingers, and touch the navel with the middle finger reciting the Īśāna mantra.
ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानास्तिस्रो रेखा इति स्मृताः । आद्यो ब्रह्मा ततो विष्णुस्तदूर्ध्वं तु महेश्वरः
The three lines are remembered as those of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara; the first is Brahmā, then Viṣṇu, and above that is Maheśvara.
एकाङ्गुलेन न्यस्तं यदीश्वरस्तत्र देवता । शिरोमध्ये त्वयं ब्रह्मा ईश्वरस्तु ललाटके
Where it is applied with one finger, Īśvara is the deity there; in the middle of the head is Brahmā, and Īśvara is on the forehead.
कर्णयोरश्विनौ देवौ गणेशस्तु गले तथा । क्षत्रियश्च तथा वैश्यः शूद्रश्चोद्धूलनं त्यजेत्
The two Aśvins are at the ears, Gaṇeśa is at the throat; Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra should omit the application of ashes.
सर्वेषामन्त्यजातीनां मन्त्रेण रहितं भवेत् । (अदीक्षितं मनुष्याणामपि मन्त्रं विना भवेत्)
For all those of the lowest castes, it should be done without mantra; for the uninitiated as well, it is done without mantra.