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.
तन्त्रोक्तवर्त्मना सिद्धं भस्म तान्त्रिकपूजकैः । यत्रकुत्रापि दत्तं चेत्तद्ग्राह्यं नैव वैदिकैः
If the ash is perfected according to the path taught in the Tantras by Tantric worshippers, it may be accepted wherever it is given, but not by those following the Vedic path.
शूद्रैः कापालिकैर्वाथ पाखण्डैरपरैस्तु तत् । त्रिपुण्ड्रं धारयेद्भक्त्या मनसापि न लङ्घयेत्
If it is from Śūdras, Kāpālikas, or other heretics, one should wear the tripuṇḍra with devotion and not transgress it even in thought.
श्रुत्या विधीयते यस्मात्तत्त्यागी पतितो भवेत् । त्रिपुण्ड्रधारणं भक्त्या तथा देहावगुण्ठनम्
Because it is enjoined by the Śruti, one who abandons it becomes fallen; the wearing of tripuṇḍra with devotion and the covering of the body likewise.
द्विजः कुर्याद्धि मन्त्रेण तत्त्यागी पतितो भवेत् । उद्धूलनं त्रिपुण्ड्रं च भक्त्या नैवाचरन्ति ये
A twice-born should do this with mantra; one who abandons it becomes fallen. Those who do not practice the application of ash and tripuṇḍra with devotion—
तेषां नास्ति विनिर्मोक्षः संसाराज्जन्मकोटिभिः । येन भस्मोक्तमार्गेण धृतं न मुनिपुङ्गव
For them there is no liberation from saṃsāra, even after millions of births; O best of sages, for whom the ash is not worn according to the prescribed way.
तस्य विद्धि मुने जन्म निष्कलं सौकरं यथा । येषां वपुर्मनुष्याणां त्रिपुण्ड्रेण विना स्थितम्
Know, O sage, that his birth is devoid of merit, like that of a pig; those among men whose bodies exist without the tripuṇḍra.
श्मशानसदृशं तत्स्यान्न प्रेक्ष्यं पुण्यकृज्जनैः । धिग्भस्मरहितं भालं धिग्ग्राममशिवालयम्
Their bodies are like a cremation ground, not to be seen by the virtuous; shame on the forehead without ash, shame on the village without a temple of Śiva.
धिगनीशार्चनं जन्म धिग्विद्यामशिवाश्रयाम् । त्रिपुण्ड्रं ये विनिन्दन्ति निन्दन्ति शिवमेव ते
Shame on worship without the Lord, shame on a life, shame on knowledge that rests in the unholy; those who revile the tripuṇḍra, they revile Śiva himself.
धारयन्ति च ये भक्त्या धारयन्ति तमेव ते । यथा कृशानुरहितो भूधरो न विराजते
And those who wear it with devotion, they indeed wear Him; just as a mountain without fire does not shine—
अशेषसाधनेऽप्येवं भस्महीनं शिवार्चनम् । उद्धूलनं त्रिपुण्ड्रं च श्रद्धया नाचरन्ति ये
So too, even with all other means, worship of Śiva without ash is fruitless; those who do not practice the application of ash and tripuṇḍra with faith—
तैः पूर्वाचरितं सर्वं विपरीतं भवेदपि । भस्मना वेदमन्त्रेण त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य च धारणम्
All their previous acts become reversed; the application of ash with Vedic mantra and the wearing of tripuṇḍra—
विना वेदोचिताचारं स्मार्तस्यानर्थकारणम् । कृतं स्यादकृतं तेन श्रुतमप्यश्रुतं भवेत्
Without the proper Vedic conduct, for a follower of Smṛti, it brings misfortune; what is done becomes undone, and what is heard becomes unheard.
अधीतमनधीतं च त्रिपुण्ड्रं यो न धारयेत् । वृथा वेदा वृथा यज्ञा वृथा दानं वृथा तपः
For one who does not wear the tripuṇḍra, whether learned or unlearned, the Vedas are in vain, sacrifices are in vain, gifts are in vain, and austerity is in vain.
वृथा व्रतोपवासेन त्रिपुण्ड्रं यो न धारयेत् । भस्मधारणकं त्यक्त्वा मुक्तिमिच्छति यः पुमान्
For one who does not wear the tripuṇḍra, vows and fasts are in vain; abandoning the wearing of ash, if a man desires liberation—
विषपानेन नित्यत्वं कुरुते ह्यात्मनो हि सः । स्रष्टा सृष्टिच्छलेनाह त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य च धारणम्
By drinking poison, he indeed makes himself eternal; the Creator, under the guise of creation, also prescribed the wearing of tripuṇḍra.
ससर्ज स ललाटं हि तिर्यगूर्ध्वं न वर्तुलम् । तिर्यग्रेखाः प्रदृश्यन्ते ललाटे सर्वदेहिनाम्
He created the forehead to be elongated and upright, not round; transverse lines are seen on the foreheads of all embodied beings.
तथापि मानवा मूर्खा न कुर्वन्ति त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् । न तद्ध्यानं न तन्मोक्षं न तज्ज्ञानं न तत्तपः
Yet, foolish men do not make the tripuṇḍra; neither its meditation, nor its liberation, nor its knowledge, nor its austerity.
विना तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रं च विप्रेण यदनुष्ठितम् । वेदस्याध्ययने शूद्रो नाधिकारी यथा भवेत्
Without the transverse tripuṇḍra, whatever is performed by a Brāhmaṇa, in the study of the Vedas, he becomes as unqualified as a Śūdra.
त्रिपुण्ड्रेण विना विप्रो नाधिकारी शिवार्चने । प्राङ्मुखश्चरणौ हस्तौ प्रक्षाल्याचम्य पूर्ववत्
Without tripuṇḍra, a Brāhmaṇa is not qualified for the worship of Śiva; facing east, he should wash his feet and hands, and perform ācamana as before.
प्राणानायम्य सङ्कल्प्य भस्मस्नानं समाचरेत् । आदाय भसितं शुद्धमग्निहोत्रसमुद्भवम्
Having controlled the vital breaths and resolved, one should perform the bath with ashes, taking pure ash produced from the agnihotra.