अप्यकार्यसहस्राणि कृत्वा यः स्नाति भस्मना । तत्सर्वं दहते भस्म यथाग्निस्तेजसा वनम्
Even if one has committed thousands of improper acts, if he bathes with ash, the ash burns them all, just as fire burns a forest with its energy.
कृत्वापि चातुलं पापं मृत्युकालेऽपि यो द्विजः । भस्मस्नायी भवेत्कश्चित्क्षिप्रं पापैः प्रमुच्यते
Even if a twice-born commits great sin, even at the time of death, if he bathes with ash, he is quickly freed from sins.
भस्मस्नानाद्धि शुद्धात्मा जितक्रोधो जितेन्द्रियः । मत्समीपं समागम्य न स भूयोऽभिवर्तते
By bathing with ash, one becomes pure in self, conquers anger and the senses; coming near to me, he does not return again.
वनस्पतिगते सोमे भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहः । अर्चितं शङ्करं दृष्ट्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
When the soma is on the trees, one whose body is dusted with ash, seeing and worshipping Śaṅkara, is freed from all sins.
आयुष्कामोऽथवा विद्वान्भूतिकामोऽथवा नरः । नित्यं वै धारयेद्भस्म मोक्षकामी च वै द्विजः
Whether desiring long life, wisdom, prosperity, or liberation, one should always wear the sacred ash, O twice-born.
त्रिपुण्ड्रं परमं पुण्यं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मकम् । ये घोरा राक्षसाः प्रेता ये चान्ये क्षुद्रजन्तवः
The three-lined mark is supremely holy, embodying Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva; those fierce demons, spirits, and other small creatures—
त्रिपुण्ड्रधारणं दृष्ट्वा पलायन्ते न संशयः । कृत्वा शौचादिकं कर्म स्नात्वा तु विमले जले
Upon seeing the wearing of the three-lined mark, they flee without doubt; after performing purification and bathing in pure water—
भस्मनोद्धूलनं कार्यमापादतलमस्तकम् । केवलं वारुणं स्नानं देहे बाह्यमलापहम्
One should apply the ash from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head; even the Varuna bath only removes external impurity from the body.
विभूतिस्तानमनघं बाह्यान्तरमलापहम् । त्यक्त्वापि वारुणं स्नानं तत्परः स्यान्न संशयः
The sacred ash is faultless and removes both external and internal impurity; even if the Varuna bath is abandoned, one devoted to this remains without doubt.
कृतमप्यकृतं सत्यं भस्मस्नानं विना मुने । भस्मस्नानं श्रुतिप्रोक्तमाग्नेयं स्नानमुच्यते
Even if bathing is performed, it is not truly accomplished without the ash bath, O sage; the ash bath, spoken of in the scriptures, is called the fire bath.
अन्तर्बहिश्च संशुद्धं शिवपूजाफलं लभेत् । यद्बाह्यमलमात्रस्य नाशकं स्तानमस्ति तत्
Purified within and without, one attains the fruit of Shiva worship; for the removal of only external impurity, there is a place for that.
तन्नाशयति तीव्रेण प्राणिबाह्यान्तरं मलम् । कृत्वापि कोटिशो नित्यं वारुणं स्नानमादरात्
That ash intensely destroys the impurity within and without living beings; even if one performs the Varuna bath countless times with devotion—
न भवत्येव पूतात्मा भस्मस्नानं विना मुने । यद्भस्मस्नानमाहाम्यं तद्वेदो वेद तत्त्वतः
One does not become truly pure without the ash bath, O sage; the ash bath is declared in the Vedas, and the Veda knows its essence.
यद्वा वेद महादेवः सर्वदेवशिखामणिः । भस्मस्नानमकृत्वैव यः कुर्यात्कर्म वैदिकम्
Whatever the Veda or Mahadeva, the crest-jewel of all gods, declares; if one performs Vedic rites without the ash bath—
स तत्कर्मकलार्धार्धमपि नाप्नोति वस्तुतः । यः करिष्यति यत्नेन भस्मस्नानं यथाविधि
He does not truly attain even a fraction of the merit of that action; but whoever diligently performs the ash bath according to the rule—
स एवैकः सर्वकर्मस्वधिकारी श्रुतिश्रुतः । पावनं पावनानां च भस्मस्नानं श्रुतिश्रुतम्
He alone, heard in the scriptures, is qualified for all actions; the ash bath, spoken of in the scriptures, is the purifier of purifiers.
न करिष्यति यो मोहात्स महापातकी भवेत् । अनन्तैर्वारुणैः स्नानैर्यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते द्विजैः
Whoever neglects it out of delusion becomes a great sinner; whatever merit is gained by twice-born through countless Varuna baths—
ततोऽनन्तगुणं पुण्यं भस्मस्नानादवाप्यते । कालत्रयेऽपि कर्तव्यं भस्मस्नानं प्रयत्नतः
Even greater merit, multiplied endlessly, is attained from the ash bath; the ash bath should be performed diligently at all three times of day.
भस्मस्नानं स्मृतं श्रौतं तत्त्यागी पतितो भवेत् । मूत्राद्युत्सर्जनान्ते तु भस्मस्नानं प्रयत्नतः
The ash bath is remembered and prescribed in the scriptures; one who abandons it becomes fallen; after urination and other excretions, the ash bath should be performed diligently.
कर्तव्यमन्यथा पूता न भविष्यन्ति मानवाः । विधिवत्कृतशौचोऽपि भस्मस्नानं विना द्विजः
Otherwise, men will not become pure; even if purification is performed according to rule, a twice-born without the ash bath—
न भविष्यति पूतात्मा नाधिकार्यपि कर्मणि । अपानवायुनिर्याते जृम्भणे स्कन्दने क्षुते
He does not become pure in soul, nor is he qualified for ritual action; after the expulsion of wind, yawning, sneezing—
श्लेष्मोद्गारेऽपि कर्तव्यं भस्मस्नानं प्रयत्नतः । श्रीभस्मस्नानमाहात्म्यस्यैकदेशोऽत्र वर्णितः
Even after expectoration, the ash bath should be performed diligently; here a portion of the glory of the sacred ash bath has been described.
पुनश्च सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि भस्मस्नानोत्थितं फलम् । सावधानेन मनसा श्रोतव्यं मुनिपुङ्गव
Again, I shall declare the result that arises from bathing with ashes; O best of sages, listen with attentive mind.
त्रिपुण्ड्रोर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधारणविधिवर्णनम् त्रिपुण्ड्रोर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधारणविधिवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच अग्निरित्यादिभिर्मन्त्रैर्भस्म संशोध्य सादरम् । धारणीयं ललाटादौ त्रिपुण्ड्रं केवलं द्विजैः
Description of the method for applying tripuṇḍra and ūrdhvapuṇḍra. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: With the mantras beginning with 'Agni', one should respectfully purify the ashes; then, only the twice-born should apply the tripuṇḍra on the forehead and other places.
ब्रह्मक्षत्रियवैश्याश्च एते सर्वे द्विजाः स्मृताः । तस्माद्द्विजैः प्रयत्नेन त्रिपुण्ड्रं धार्यमन्वहम्
Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, and Vaiśyas—all these are considered twice-born; therefore, the twice-born should diligently wear the tripuṇḍra every day.
यस्योपनयनं ब्रह्मन् स एव द्विज उच्यते । तस्माच्छ्रौतं द्विजैः कार्यं त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य च धारणम्
He whose initiation (upanayana) has been performed, O Brahmin, is called a twice-born; therefore, the twice-born should perform the prescribed wearing of tripuṇḍra.
विभूतिधारणं त्यक्त्वा यः सत्कर्म समाचरेत् । तत्कृतं चाकृतप्रायं भवत्येव न संशयः
Whoever abandons the wearing of sacred ash and performs righteous acts, those acts are mostly rendered fruitless—there is no doubt of this.
न गायत्र्युपदेशोऽपि भस्मनो धारणं विना । ततो धृत्वैव भस्माङ्गे गायत्रीजपमाचरेत्
Even the instruction in the Gāyatrī is not to be given without the wearing of ash; therefore, having applied ash to the body, one should recite the Gāyatrī.
गायत्रीं मूलमेवाहुर्ब्राह्मण्ये मुनिपुङ्गव । सा भस्मधारणाभावे न केनाप्युपदिश्यते
O best of sages, they say the Gāyatrī is the very root of Brāhmaṇahood; but in the absence of wearing ash, it is not to be imparted by anyone.
न तावदधिकारोऽस्ति गायत्रीग्रहणे मुने । यावन्न भस्म भालादौ धृतमग्निसमुद्भवम्
There is no eligibility, O sage, for receiving the Gāyatrī until the ash, born of fire, is applied to the forehead and other places.