ययौ कैश्चित्सुरगणैः सहितः शङ्करालयम् । पार्वत्या सहितं देवं कोटिकन्दर्पसुन्दरम्
went with some groups of gods to the abode of Śaṅkara, where he saw the Lord, beautiful as a myriad of Cupids, together with Pārvatī.
रमणीयतमाङ्गं तं लावण्यखनिमद्भुतम् । सदा षोडशवर्षीयं नानालङ्कारभूषितम्
He saw that wondrous form, the most lovely body, a mine of beauty, ever sixteen years old, adorned with various ornaments,
नानागणैः परिवृतं लालयन्तं परां शिवाम् । ददर्श चन्द्रमौलिं स चतुर्वेदं ननाम ह
surrounded by various hosts, caressing the supreme Śivā; he saw the moon-crested one and bowed to the Lord of the Four Vedas.
वृत्तान्तं कथयामास चमत्कृतमतिस्फुटम् । एतस्य कारणं देव न जानीमः कथञ्चन
He narrated the entire astonishing event very clearly: 'O Lord, we do not know the cause of this at all.'
वद तत्कारणं देव सर्वज्ञोऽसि यतः प्रभो । विष्णुवाक्यं तदा श्रुत्वा प्रसन्नमुखपङ्कजः
'Tell us the cause of this, O Lord, for you are all-knowing, O Master.' Hearing Viṣṇu's words, his lotus face beaming,
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं मेघगम्भीरया गिरा । शृणु विष्णो तन्निमित्तं नाश्चर्यं त्वत्र विद्यते
he spoke sweet words in a voice deep as a cloud: 'Hear, O Viṣṇu, the reason for this; there is nothing wondrous here.'
भस्मनो महिमैवायं भस्मना किं भवेन्न हि । कुम्भीपाकं गतो द्रष्टुं दुर्वासाः शैवसम्मतः
This is indeed the greatness of ash; what is impossible for ash? Durvāsas, esteemed by the Śaivas, went to see Kumbhīpāka.
अवाङ्मुखो ददर्शाधस्तदा वायुवशाद्धरे । भालभस्मकणास्तत्र पतिता दैवयोगतः
There, facing downward by the force of the wind, he saw below; by divine arrangement, some particles of ash from his forehead fell there.
तेन जातमिदं सर्वं भस्मनो महिमा त्वयम् । इतः परं तु तत्तीर्थं पितृलोकनिवासिनाम्
Because of that, all this happened; this is the greatness of ash. From now on, that place will be a sacred ford for the dwellers of the ancestors' realm.
भविष्यति न सन्देहो यत्र स्नात्वा सुखी भवेत् । पितृतीर्थं तु तन्नाम्नाप्यत ऊर्ध्वं भविष्यति
Without doubt, whoever bathes there will become happy; from now on, it will be known by the name Pitṛtīrtha, the ancestors' ford.
मल्लिङ्गस्थापनं तत्र कार्यं देव्याश्च सत्तम । पूजयिष्यन्ति ते तत्र पितृलोकनिवासिनः
There, the best of goddesses' liṅga should be established; the dwellers of the ancestors' realm will worship it there.
त्रैलोक्ये यानि तीर्थानि तत्र श्रेष्ठमिदं भवेत् । पित्रीश्वरीपूजया तु त्रैलोक्यं पूजितं भवेत्
Of all the sacred fords in the three worlds, this will be the best; by worship of Pitṛīśvarī, the three worlds will be worshipped.
श्रीनारायण उवाच इति देववचः श्रुत्वा देवं मूर्ध्ना प्रणम्य च । तदनुज्ञां समादाय ययौ देवान्तिकं हरिः
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Having heard these words of the god, and bowing his head to the Lord, Hari, taking his permission, went to the assembly of the gods.
तत्सर्वं कथयामास कारणं शङ्करोदितम् । साधु साध्विति ते प्रोचुरमरा मौलिचालनैः
He narrated everything, the cause as spoken by Śaṅkara; the gods said, 'Excellent, excellent!' shaking their crested heads.
शशंसुर्भस्ममाहात्म्यं हरिब्रह्मादयः सुराः । पितरश्चैव सन्तुष्टास्तीर्थलाभात्परन्तप
Hari, Brahma, and the other gods, as well as the ancestors, praised the greatness of the ashes, O scorcher of foes, and were satisfied by attaining the holy place.
तत्तीर्थतीरे लिङ्गं च देव्या मूर्तिं यथाविधि । स्थापयामासुरमराः पूजयामासुरन्वहम्
At the bank of that holy place, the gods established a linga and an image of the Goddess according to proper rites, and worshipped them daily.
तत्र ये प्राणिनोऽभूवन्पापभोगार्थमास्थिताः । ते विमानं समारुह्य गताः कैलासमण्डलम्
Those living beings who were there, having taken up enjoyment of sin, ascended celestial vehicles and went to the region of Kailasa.
नाम्ना भद्रगणास्ते तु वसन्त्यद्यापि तत्र हि । पुनश्च दूरदेशे तु कुम्भीपाको विनिर्मितः
Known as the Bhadraganas, they still reside there today; and far away, the hell called Kumbhipaka was constructed.
निरुद्धं शैवगमनं देवैस्तत्र तु तद्दिनात् । इति ते सर्वमाख्यातं भस्ममाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
On that day, the gods blocked the path to Shiva; thus, O you, all has been told to you regarding the supreme greatness of the ashes.
नातः परतरं किञ्चिदधिकं विद्यते मुने । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रविधिं चैवाप्यधिकारिविभेदतः
O sage, there is nothing higher or greater than this; the method of applying the upward mark also varies according to eligibility.
प्रवक्ष्ये मुनिशार्दूल वैष्णवागमलोकनात् । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रप्रमाणानि दिव्यान्यङ्गुलिभेदतः
O tiger among sages, I will declare the divine measures of the upward mark, as taught in the Vaishnava scriptures, according to the differences in fingers.
वर्णाभिमन्त्रदेवांश्च प्रवक्ष्यामि फलानि च । पर्वताग्रे नदीतीरे शिवक्षेत्रे विशेषतः
I will explain the syllables, associated mantras, divine portions, and their results, especially at the mountain peak, river bank, and in Shiva's sacred places.
सिन्धुतीरे च वल्मीके तुलसीमूलमाश्रिते । मृद एतास्तु सङ्ग्राह्या वर्जयेदन्यमृत्तिकाः
On the bank of the Sindhu, in an anthill, or at the root of a tulasi plant, one should collect this clay; other types of earth should be avoided.
श्यामं शान्तिकरं प्रोक्तं रक्तं वश्यकरं भवेत् । श्रीकरं पीतमित्याहुर्धर्मदं श्वेतमुच्यते
Black is said to bring peace, red brings control, yellow brings prosperity, and white is declared to bestow righteousness.
अङ्गुष्ठः पुष्टिदः प्रोक्तो मध्यमायुष्करी भवेत् । अनामिकान्नदा नित्यं मुक्तिदा च प्रदेशिनी
The thumb is said to grant nourishment, the middle finger gives longevity, the ring finger always brings joy, and the index finger bestows liberation.
एतैरङ्गुलिभेदैस्तु कारयेन्न नखैः स्पृशेत् । वर्तिदीपावलिकृतिं वेणपत्राकृतिं तथा
Using these differences of fingers, one should apply the mark, not touching it with the nails; in the shape of a wick, a row of lamps, or a braid of leaves.
पद्मस्य मुकुलाकारं तथा कुर्यात्प्रयत्नतः । मत्स्यकूर्माकृतिं वापि शङ्खाकारं ततः परम्
One should carefully make it in the form of a lotus bud, or else in the shapes of a fish, tortoise, or conch.
दशाङ्गुलिप्रमाणं तु उत्तमोत्तममुच्यते । नवाङ्गुलं मध्यमं स्यादष्टाङ्गुलमतः परम्
A mark measuring ten fingers is called the highest of the highest; nine fingers is considered medium, and eight fingers is next.
सप्तषट्पञ्चभिः पुण्ड्रं मध्यमं त्रिविधं स्मृतम् । चतुस्त्रिद्व्यङ्गुलैः पुण्ड्रं कनिष्ठं त्रिविधं भवेत्
A mark of seven, six, or five fingers is remembered as the threefold medium; a mark of four, three, or two fingers is the threefold lowest.
ललाटे केशवं विद्यान्नारायणमथोदरे । माधवं हृदि विन्यस्य गोविन्दं कण्ठकूपके
On the forehead, one should know Kesava; then Narayana on the abdomen; Madhava placed on the heart; Govinda at the hollow of the throat.