उदरे दक्षिणे पार्श्वे विष्णुरित्यभिधीयते । तत्पार्श्वबाहुमध्ये च मधुसूदनमेव च
On the right side of the abdomen, Vishnu is named; in the middle of the arm and side, Madhusudana likewise.
त्रिविक्रमं कर्णदेशे वामकुक्षौ तु वामनम् । श्रीधरं बाहुके वामे हृषीकेशं तु कर्णके
Trivikrama at the region of the ear; Vamana on the left side of the abdomen; Sridhara on the left arm; Hrishikesha at the ear.
पृष्ठे च पद्मनाभं तु ककुद्दामोदरं स्मरेत् । द्वादशैतानि नामानि वासुदेवेति मूर्धनि
On the back, one should remember Padmanabha, and on the hump and the belly, Kakudda and Amodara; these twelve names, beginning with Vasudeva, are to be remembered on the head.
पूजाकाले च होमे च सायं प्रातः समाहितः । नामान्युच्चार्य विधिना धारयेदूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रकम्
At the time of worship, during the fire ritual, in the evening and morning, with focused mind, one should recite these names according to rule and wear the upward mark.
अशुचिर्वाप्यनाचारो मनसा पापमाचरेत् । शुचिरेव भवेन्नित्यं मूर्ध्नि पुण्ड्राङ्कितो नरः
Even if one is impure or of improper conduct, or commits sin in thought, a man marked with the tilaka on his head always becomes pure.
ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधरो मर्त्यो म्रियते यत्र कुत्रचित् । श्वपाकोऽपि विमानस्थो मम लोके महीयते
If a mortal wearing the upward tilaka dies anywhere, even a person of the lowest birth, dwelling in a celestial vehicle, is honored in my world.
एकान्तिनो महाभागा मत्स्वरूपविदोऽमलाः । सान्तरालान्प्रकुर्वन्ति पुण्ड्रान्विष्णुपदाकृतीन्
Those devoted solely to me, greatly fortunate, pure, and knowing my true form, make the marks of Vishnu's feet with spaces between them.
परमैकान्तिनोऽप्येवं मत्पादैकपरायणाः । हरिद्राचूर्णसंयुक्ताञ्छूलाकारांस्तु वामलान्
Even those of supreme devotion, intent only on my feet, make the leftward marks in the shape of a trident, mixed with turmeric powder.
अन्ये तु वैष्णवाः पुण्ड्रानच्छिद्रानपि भक्तितः । प्रकुर्वीरन्दीपपद्मवेणुपत्रोपमाकृतीन्
Other Vaishnavas, out of devotion, make unbroken marks resembling lamps, lotuses, flutes, or leaves.
अच्छिद्रानपि सच्छिद्रान् कुर्युः केवलवैष्णवाः । अच्छिद्रकरणे तेषां प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते
Some pure Vaishnavas make both broken and unbroken marks; in making unbroken marks, there is no fault for them.
एकान्तिनां प्रपन्नानां परमैकान्तिनामपि । अच्छिद्रपुण्ड्राकरणे प्रत्यवायो महान्भवेत्
But for those who are exclusively devoted and surrendered, even of the highest devotion, making an unbroken tilaka brings great fault.
ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं तु यः कुर्याद्दण्डाकारं तु शोभनम् । मध्ये छिद्रं वैष्णवाश्च नमोऽन्तैः केशवादिभिः
One who makes the upward tilaka in the beautiful form of a staff, with a space in the middle, and Vaishnavas with names like Keshava at the ends, is praised.
विमलान्यूर्ध्वपुण्ड्राणि सान्तरालानि यो नरः । करोति विपुलं तत्र मन्दिरं मे करोति सः
A man who makes pure upward tilakas with spaces between them creates for me there a great temple.
ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रस्य मध्ये तु विशाले सुमनोहरे । लक्ष्म्या साकं सहासीनो रमते विष्णुरव्ययः
In the broad and delightful middle of the upward tilaka, Vishnu, the imperishable, sits with Lakshmi and enjoys.
निरन्तरालं यः कुर्यादूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं द्विजाधमः । स हि तत्र स्थितं विष्णुं श्रियं चैव व्यपोहति
But if a lowly twice-born makes an upward tilaka without space, he drives away Vishnu and Sri who dwell there.
अच्छिद्रमूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं तु यः करोति विमूढधीः । स पर्यायेण तानेति नरकानेकविंशतिम्
He who, out of delusion, makes an unbroken upward tilaka, in due course attains twenty-one hells.
ऋजूनि स्फुटपार्श्वानि सान्तरालानि विन्यसेत् । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्राणि दण्डाब्जदीपमत्स्यनिभानि च
One should apply straight, clear-sided, and spaced upward tilakas, in the forms of staff, lotus, lamp, or fish.
शिखोपवीतवद्धार्यमूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं द्विजेन च । विना कृताश्चेद्विफलाः क्रियाः सर्वा महामुने
A twice-born should wear the upward tilaka as one wears the sacred thread on the topknot; without it, all rituals performed are fruitless, O great sage.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कार्येषु कार्यं विप्रस्य धीमतः । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं त्रिशूलं च वर्तुलं चतुरस्रकम्
Therefore, in all actions, the wise Brahmin should make the upward tilaka, the trident, the circle, or the square.
अर्धचन्द्रादिकं लिङ्गं वेदनिष्ठो न धारयेत् । जन्मना लब्धजातिस्तु वेदपन्थानमाश्रितः
A knower of the Vedas should not wear marks like the half-moon and others; one who is born into the Vedic path by birth should follow the Vedic way.
पुण्ड्रान्तरं भ्रमाद्वापि ललाटे नैव धारयेत् । ख्यातिकान्त्यादिसिद्ध्यर्थं चापि विष्ण्वागमादिषु
One should not wear the intermediate mark (puṇḍra) on the forehead, even by mistake; this is stated in the Viṣṇu scriptures and others for the sake of fame, beauty, and other attainments.
स्थितं पुण्ड्रान्तरं नैव धारयेद्वैदिको जनः । तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रं सन्त्यज्य श्रौतं कथमपि भ्रमात्
A Vedic person should not wear the intermediate mark; abandoning the horizontal tripuṇḍra, even mistakenly, is not in accordance with the śrauta tradition.
ललाटे भस्मना तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य च धारणम् । विना पुण्ड्रान्तरं मोहाद्धारयन्नारकी भवेत्
Wearing the horizontal tripuṇḍra with ash on the forehead, without the intermediate mark, out of delusion, makes one destined for hell.
वेदमार्गैकनिष्ठस्तु मोहेनाप्यङ्कितो यदि । पतत्येव न सन्देहस्तथा पुण्ड्रान्तरादपि
One who is firmly established in the Vedic path, if marked out of ignorance, certainly falls; there is no doubt, and likewise from the intermediate mark.
नाङ्कनं विग्रहे कुर्याद्वेदमार्गं समाश्रितः । श्रौतधर्मैकनिष्ठानां लिङ्गं तु श्रौतमेव हि
One who has embraced the Vedic path should not make marks on the body; for those steadfast in śrauta dharma, the sign should be only śrauta.
अश्रौतधर्मनिष्ठानामश्रौत लिङ्गमीरितम् । देवता वेदसिद्धा यास्तासां लिङ्गं तु वैदिकम्
For those steadfast in non-śrauta dharma, the sign is said to be non-śrauta; for deities established by the Vedas, their sign is Vedic.
अश्रौततन्त्रनिष्ठा यास्तासामश्रौतमेव हि । वेदसिद्धो महादेवः साक्षात्संसारमोचकः
For those devoted to non-śrauta tantra, their sign is indeed non-śrauta; Mahādeva, established by the Vedas, is directly the liberator from worldly existence.
भक्तानामुपकाराय श्रौतं लिङ्गं दधाति च । वेदसिद्धस्य विष्णोश्च श्रौतं लिङ्गं न चेतरत्
For the benefit of devotees, he assumes the śrauta sign; for Viṣṇu established by the Vedas, the sign is śrauta, not any other.
प्रादुर्भावविशेषाणामपि तस्य तदेव हि । श्रौतं लिङ्गं तु विज्ञेयं त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनादिकम्
Even in his special manifestations, that same śrauta sign should be understood; the śrauta sign is the tripuṇḍra and its application.
अश्रौतमूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रादि नैव तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् । वेदमार्गैकनिष्ठानां वेदोक्तेनैव वर्त्मना
The non-śrauta upright puṇḍra and others are not the horizontal tripuṇḍra; those steadfast in the Vedic path should follow only the course prescribed by the Vedas.