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.
सकृत्तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कं धारयेत्सोऽपि मुच्यते । नास्य ज्ञानं परीक्षेत न कुलं न व्रतं तथा
Even if one bears the three lines just once, he is liberated; do not examine his knowledge, lineage, or vow.
त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कितभालेन पूज्य एव हि नारद । शिवमन्त्रात्परो मन्त्रो नास्ति तुल्यं शिवात्परम्
One whose forehead is marked with the three lines is always to be worshipped, O Narada; there is no mantra superior to Shiva's, nor equal to Shiva.
शिवार्चनात्परं पुण्यं न हि तीर्थं च भस्मना । रुद्राग्नेर्यत्परं तीर्थं तद्भस्म परिकीर्तितम्
There is no merit greater than worship of Shiva, nor any pilgrimage equal to ash; the highest pilgrimage of Rudra's fire is declared to be ash.
ध्वंसनं सर्वदुःखानां सर्वपापविशोधनम् । अन्त्यजो वाधमो वापि मूर्खो वा पण्डितोऽपि वा
It destroys all sorrows and cleanses all sins; whether one is of the lowest caste, the most degraded, ignorant, or learned.
यस्मिन्देशे वसेन्नित्यं भूतिशासनसंयुतः । तस्मिन्सदाशिवः सोमः सर्वभूतगणैर्वृतः । सर्वतीर्थेश्च संयुक्तः सान्निध्यं कुरुते सदा
Wherever one always dwells, endowed with the ordinance of ash; there Sadashiva, Soma, surrounded by all beings, always establishes presence, along with all holy places.
एतानि पञ्चशिवमन्त्रपवित्रितानि भस्मानि कामदहनाङ्गविभूषितानि । त्रैपुण्ड्रकाणि रचितानि ललाटपट्टे लुम्पन्ति दैवलिखितानि दुरक्षराणि
These five ashes, purified by Shiva mantras, adorned with the marks of the fire of desire, the three lines made on the forehead, erase the evil letters written by fate.
विभूतिधारणमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच भस्मदिग्धशरीराय यो ददाति धनं मुदा । तस्य सर्वाणि पापानि विनश्यन्ति न संशयः
The greatness of wearing ash described. Shri Narayana said: Whoever joyfully gives wealth to one whose body is smeared with ash, all his sins are destroyed, without doubt.
श्रुतयः स्मृतयः सर्वाः पुराणान्यखिलान्यपि । वदन्ति भूतिमाहाम्यं तत्तस्माद्धारयेद्द्विजः
All the scriptures, all the Smritis, and all the Puranas declare the greatness of ash; therefore, a twice-born should wear it.
सितेन भस्मना कुर्यात्त्रिसन्ध्यं यस्त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोके महीयते
Whoever applies the tripuṇḍra mark with white ash at the three junctions of the day is freed from all sins and is honored in the realm of Śiva.
योगी सर्वाङ्गकं स्तानमापादतलमस्तकम् । त्रिसन्ध्यमाचरेन्नित्यमाशु योगमवाप्नुयात्
A yogi should perform the ritual at the three junctions, covering the whole body from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head; by practicing this daily, he quickly attains yoga.