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.
भस्मस्नानेन पुरुषः कुलस्योद्धारको भवेत् । भस्मस्नानं जलस्नानादसंख्येयगुणान्वितम्
Through bathing with ash, a person becomes the redeemer of his lineage; the ash bath possesses countless virtues beyond those of bathing with water.
सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्फलम् । तत्फलं लभते सर्वं भस्मस्नानान्न संशयः
Whatever merit and result is gained at all sacred places, all of that is attained through the ash bath—there is no doubt.
महापातकयुक्तो वा युक्तो वाप्युपपातकैः । भस्मस्नानेन तत्सर्वं दहत्यग्निरिवेन्धनम्
Even one afflicted with great or minor sins, through bathing with ash, burns them all as fire burns fuel.
भस्मस्नानात्परं स्नानं पवित्रं नैव विद्यते । एवमुक्तं शिवेनादौ तदा स्नातः स्वयं शिवः
There is no purifying bath superior to the ash bath; thus it was declared by Śiva in the beginning, and Śiva himself bathed in this way.
तदाप्रभृति ब्रह्माद्या मुनयश्च शिवार्थिनः । सर्वकर्मसु यत्नेन भस्मस्नानं प्रचक्रिरे
From that time onward, Brahmā and other sages devoted to Śiva, with effort, performed the ash bath in all their rituals.
तस्मादेतच्छिरःस्नानमाग्नेयं यः समाचरेत् । अनेनैव शरीरेण स हि रुद्रो न संशयः
Therefore, whoever performs this head bath with fire-born ash, in this very body becomes Rudra—there is no doubt.
ये भस्मधारिणं दृष्ट्वा परितृप्ता भवन्ति ते । देवासुरमुनीन्द्रैश्च पूज्या नित्यं न संशयः
Those who are satisfied upon seeing one who bears ash are always worthy of worship by gods, demons, and great sages—there is no doubt.
भस्मसञ्छन्नसर्वाङ्गं दृष्ट्वोत्तिष्ठति यः पुमान् । तं दृष्ट्वा देवराजोऽपि दण्डवत्प्रणमिष्यति
Whoever, seeing a man whose whole body is covered with ash, rises up, even the king of the gods will bow to him in reverence.
अभक्ष्यभक्षणं येषां भस्मधारणपूर्वकम् । तेषां तद्भक्ष्यमेव स्यान्मुने नात्र विचारणा
O sage, for those whose eating of forbidden food is preceded by bearing ash, that food becomes permitted—there is no question.
यः स्नाति भस्मना नित्यं जले स्नात्वा ततः परम् । ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थो वा वानप्रस्थोऽऽथवादरात्
Whoever bathes daily with ash after bathing in water, whether a celibate, householder, forest-dweller, or renunciate,