श्राद्धे यज्ञे जपे होमे वैश्वदेवे सुरार्चने । धृतत्रिपुण्ड्रः पूतात्मा मृत्युं जयति मानवः । भस्मधारणमाहात्म्यं भूयोऽपि कथयामि ते
At śrāddha, sacrifice, recitation, oblation, vaiśvadeva, and worship of gods, the one who wears tripuṇḍra, whose soul is pure, conquers death; I will again tell you the greatness of wearing ash.
त्रिपुण्डधारणमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच महापातकसङ्घाश्च पातकान्यपराण्यपि । नश्यन्ति मुनिशार्दूल सत्यं सत्यं न चान्यथा
The greatness of wearing tripuṇḍra described. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Even the groups of great sins and other transgressions are destroyed, O tiger among sages; truly, truly, it is never otherwise.
एकं भस्म धृतं येन तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु । यतीनां ज्ञानदं प्रोक्तं वानस्थानां विरक्तिदम्
Hear the merit gained by one who wears a single mark of ash; it is said to grant knowledge to ascetics and detachment to forest-dwellers.
गृहस्थानां मुने तद्वद्धर्मवृद्धिकरं तथा । ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमस्थानां स्वाध्यायप्रदमेव च
O sage, for householders it likewise increases righteousness, and for those in the stage of celibacy, it bestows the fruit of study.
शूद्राणां पुण्यदं नित्यमन्येषां पापनाशनम् । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्
For Shudras it always brings merit, and for others it destroys sin; the application of ash and the horizontal tripundra likewise.
रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्
For the protection of all beings, the Vedic scripture prescribes the application of ash and the horizontal tripundra likewise.
यज्ञत्वेनैव सर्वेषां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्
The Vedic scripture prescribes it for all as a sacrifice: the application of ash and the horizontal tripundra likewise.
सर्वधर्मतया तेषां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्
The Vedic scripture prescribes it for them as the essence of all dharma: the application of ash and the horizontal tripundra likewise.
माहेश्वराणां लिङ्गार्थं विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्
For followers of Maheshvara, the Vedic scripture prescribes it for the sake of the linga: the application of ash and the horizontal tripundra likewise.
विज्ञानार्थं च सर्वेषां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । शिवेन विष्णुना चैव ब्रह्मणा वज्रिणा तथा
For the sake of knowledge, the Vedic scripture prescribes it for all: by Shiva, by Vishnu, by Brahma, and by Indra as well.
हिरण्यगर्भेण तदवतारैर्वरुणादिभिः । देवताभिर्धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मकम्
By Hiranyagarbha, by his incarnations, by Varuna and others, by the deities, ash is worn in the form of the tripundra application.
उमादेव्या च लक्ष्या च वाचा चान्याभिरास्तिकैः । सर्वस्त्रीभिर्धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मना
By Uma Devi, by Lakshmi, by Sarasvati, and by other goddesses, by all women, ash is worn in the form of the tripundra application.
यक्षराक्षसगन्धर्वसिद्धविद्याधरादिभिः । मुनिभिश्च धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मना
By yakshas, rakshasas, gandharvas, siddhas, vidyadharas, and others, and by sages, ash is worn in the form of the tripundra application.
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैः शूद्रेरपि च सङ्करैः । अपभ्रंशैर्धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मना
By Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and mixed castes, by those of corrupted speech, ash is worn in the form of the tripundra application.
उद्धूलनं त्रिपुण्ड्रं च यैः समाचरितं मुदा । त एव शिष्टा विद्वांसो नेतरे मुनिपुङ्गव
Those who joyfully practice the application and tripundra are the true, learned ones; not others, O best of sages.
शिवलिङ्गं मणिः सख्यं मन्त्रः पञ्चाक्षरस्तथा । विभूतिरौषधं पुंसां मुक्तिस्त्रीवश्यकर्मणि
The Shiva linga, the jewel, friendship, the five-syllable mantra, and vibhuti are medicines for men in the rites of liberation and mastery over women.
भुनक्ति यत्र भस्माङ्गो मूर्खो वा पण्डितोऽपि वा । तत्र भुङ्क्ते महादेवः सपत्नीको वृषध्वजः
Where one with ash upon his body eats, whether foolish or learned, there Mahadeva, the bull-bannered, eats with his consort.
भस्मसञ्छन्नसर्वाङ्गमनुगच्छति यः पुमान् । सर्वपातकयुक्तोऽपि पूजितो मानवोऽचिरात्
Whoever covers his whole body with ash, even if burdened with all sins, is soon honored as a man.
भस्मसञ्छन्नसर्वाङ्गं यः स्तौति श्रद्धया सह । सर्वपातकयुक्तोऽपि पूज्यते मानवोऽचिरात्
Whoever, with faith, praises one whose whole body is covered with ash, even if burdened with all sins, is soon honored as a man.
त्रिपुण्ड्रधारिणे भिक्षाप्रदानेन हि केवलम् । तेनाधीतं श्रुतं तेन तेन सर्वमनुष्ठितम्
By giving alms to one who bears the tripundra, all that is studied, heard, and performed by him is accomplished.
येन विप्रेण शिरसि त्रिपुण्ड्रं भस्मना कृतम् । कीकटेष्वपि देशेषु यत्र भूतिविभूषणः
Wherever a Brahmin has marked his forehead with the three lines of ash, even in the regions of the Kikatas, there the adornment of ash is present.
मानवस्तु वसेन्नित्यं काशीक्षेत्रसमं हि तत् । दुःशीलः शीलयुक्तो वा योगयुक्तोऽप्यलक्षणः
A person who dwells there always, it is as sacred as the field of Kashi; whether of bad conduct, virtuous, or engaged in yoga but without outward signs.
भूतिशासनयुक्तो वा स पूज्यो मम पुत्रवत् । छद्मनापि चरेद्यो हि भूतिशासनमैश्वरम्
One who follows the ordinance of ash is to be honored like a son by me; even if one acts secretly, carrying the divine ordinance of ash.
सोऽपि यां गतिमाप्नोति न तां यज्ञशतैरपि । सम्पर्काल्लीलया वापि भयाद्वा धारयेत्तु यः
He attains a state which cannot be reached even by hundreds of sacrifices; whether through association, playfully, or out of fear, whoever bears it.
विधियुक्तो विभूतिं तु स च पूज्यो यथा ह्यहम् । शिवस्य विष्णोर्देवानां ब्रह्मणस्तृप्तिकारणम्
One who wears ash according to the prescribed rule is to be worshipped just as I am; it is the cause of satisfaction for Shiva, Vishnu, the gods, and Brahma.
पार्वत्याश्च महालक्ष्या भारत्यास्तृप्तिकारणम् । न दानेन न यज्ञेन न तपोभिः सुदुर्लभैः
It is the cause of satisfaction for Parvati, Mahalakshmi, and Bharati; not by charity, not by sacrifice, nor by rare austerities.
न तीर्थयात्रया पुण्यं त्रिपुण्ड्रेण च लभ्यते । दानं यज्ञाश्च धर्माश्च तीर्थयात्राश्च नारद
Nor by pilgrimage is merit obtained, but by the three lines; charity, sacrifices, duties, and pilgrimages, O Narada.
ध्यानं तपस्त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् । यथा राजा स्वचिह्नाङ्कं स्वजनं मन्यते सदा
Meditation and austerity do not equal even a sixteenth part of the three lines; just as a king always regards one marked with his own insignia as his own.
तथा शिवस्त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कं स्वकीयमिव मन्यते । द्विजातिर्वान्यजातिर्वा शुद्धचित्तेन भस्मना
So too, Shiva regards one marked with the three lines as his own; whether of twice-born or other birth, with pure mind and ash.
धारयेद्यस्त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कं रुद्रस्तेन वशीकृतः । त्यक्तसर्वाश्रमाचारो लुप्तसर्वक्रियोऽपि सः
Whoever bears the mark of three lines, Rudra is controlled by him; even if he has abandoned all ashrama duties and all rituals.