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.
भस्मधारणमाहाम्यवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच देवर्षे शृणु तत्सर्वं भस्मोद्धूलनजं फलम् । सरहस्यविधानं च सर्वकामफलप्रदम्
The glory of wearing ashes is described. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: O sage among the gods, listen to all the results arising from the application of ashes, and the secret procedure that grants all desired fruits.
कपिलायाः शकृत्स्वच्छं गृहीत्वा गगनेऽपतत् । न क्लिन्नं नापि कठिनं न दुर्गन्धं न चोषितम्
Taking the pure dung of a tawny cow that has fallen from the sky—not wet, nor hard, nor foul-smelling, nor dried up—
उपर्यधः परित्यज्य गह्णीयात्पतितं यदि । पिण्डीकृत्य शिवाग्न्यादौ तत्क्षिपेन्मूलमन्त्रितम्
Leaving aside the upper and lower portions, one should take what has fallen; forming it into a ball, one should cast it into the sacred fire of Śiva, reciting the root-mantra.
आदाय वाससाऽऽच्छाद्य भस्माधाने विनिक्षिपेत् । सुकृते सुदृढे शुद्धे क्षालिते प्रोक्षिते शुभे
Taking it out, covering it with cloth, one should place it in a container for ashes that is well-made, strong, pure, washed, sprinkled, and auspicious.
विन्यस्य मन्त्री मन्त्रेण पात्रे भस्म विनिक्षिपेत् । तैजसं दारवं चाथ मृण्मयं चैलमेव च
The one who knows the mantras should, with mantra, place the ashes in a vessel—whether metallic, wooden, earthen, or even made of cloth.
अन्यद्वा शोभनं शुद्धं भस्माधारं प्रकल्पयेत् । क्षौमे चैवातिशुद्धे वा धनवद्भस्म निक्षिपेत्
Or else, one should prepare another beautiful and pure container for the ashes; in a linen cloth that is very pure, one should place the sacred ashes.
प्रस्थितो भस्म गृह्णीयात्स्वयं चानुचरोऽपि वा । न चायुक्तकरे दद्यान्न चाशुचितले क्षिपेत्
When setting out, one should take the ash oneself or an attendant may do so; it should not be given by one whose hands are impure, nor placed on an unclean surface.
न संस्पृशेत्तु नीचाङ्गैर्न क्षिपेन्न च लङ्घयेत् । तस्माद्भसितमादाय विनियुञ्जीत मन्त्रितम्
One should not touch it with impure limbs, nor throw it away, nor step over it; therefore, having taken the ash, one should apply it with mantra.
विभूतिधारणविधिः स्मृतिप्रोक्तो मयेरितः । यदीयाचरणेनैव शिवतुल्यो न संशयः
The method of wearing sacred ash, as spoken in the Smṛtis, is now declared by me; by practicing this, one becomes equal to Śiva, without doubt.
शैवैः सम्पादितं भस्म वैदिकैः शिवसन्निधौ । भक्त्या परमया ग्राह्यं प्रार्थयित्वा तु पूजयेत्
The ash prepared by Śaivas or by Vedic followers in the presence of Śiva should be received with supreme devotion, and after requesting it, one should worship.