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.
ईशानेन तु मन्त्रेण स्वमूर्धनि विनिक्षिपेत् । तत आदाय तद्भस्म मुखे च पुरुषेण तु
With the īśāna mantra, one should place the ash upon one's own head; then, taking that ash, a person should apply it to the mouth.
अघोराख्येण हृदये गुह्ये वामाह्वयेन च । सद्योजाताभिधानेन भस्म पादद्वये क्षिपेत्
With the aghora mantra on the heart, in the secret place with the vāmāhvaya mantra, and with the sadyojāta mantra, one should apply ash to both feet.
सर्वाङ्गं प्रणवेनैव मन्त्रेणोद्धूलनं ततः । एतदाग्नेयकं स्नानमुदितं परमर्षिभिः
For the whole body, with the praṇava mantra, one should sprinkle; this is the agneyaka bath as declared by the supreme sages.
सर्वकर्मसमृद्ध्यर्थं कुर्यादादाविदं बुधः । ततः प्रक्षाल्य हस्तादीनुपस्पृश्य यथाविधि
For the fulfillment of all actions, the wise should perform this as instructed; then, washing the hands and others, touching water as prescribed.
तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रं विधिना ललाटे हृदये गले । पञ्चभिर्ब्रह्मभिर्वापि कृतेन भसितेन च
The transverse tripuṇḍra, according to the rule, should be made on the forehead, heart, and neck, with ash made by the five Brahma mantras.
घृतमेतत्त्रिपुण्ड्रं स्यात्सर्वकर्मसु पावनम् । शूद्रैरन्त्यजहस्तस्थं न धार्यं भस्म च क्वचित्
This tripuṇḍra is purifying for all actions; ash held by Śūdras or those of lowest birth should never be worn anywhere.
भस्मना साग्निहोत्रेण लिप्तः कर्म समाचरेत् । अन्यथा सर्वकर्माणि न फलन्ति कदाचन
One should perform actions smeared with ash from the agnihotra; otherwise, all actions never bear fruit.
सत्यं शौचं जपो होमस्तीर्थं देवादिपूजनम् । तस्य व्यर्थमिदं सर्वं यस्त्रिपुण्ड्रं न धारयेत्
Truth, purity, recitation, oblation, pilgrimage, worship of gods and others—all these are futile for him who does not wear tripuṇḍra.
त्रिपुण्ड्रधृग्विप्रवरो यो रुद्राक्षधरः शुचिः । स हन्ति रोगदुरितव्याधिदुर्भिक्षतस्करान्
The excellent Brāhmaṇa who wears tripuṇḍra, Rudrākṣa, and is pure, destroys disease, misfortune, ailments, famine, and thieves.
समाप्नोति परं ब्रह्म यतो नावर्तते पुनः । स पङ्क्तिपावनः श्राद्धे पूज्यो विप्रैः सुरैरपि
He attains the supreme Brahman, from which there is no return; he purifies the line at śrāddha and is worthy of worship by Brāhmaṇas and even gods.