गंडक्यामेकदेशे तु शालग्रामस्थलं महत् । पाषाणं तद्भवं पातु शालग्राममिति स्थितम्
In one region of the Gandaki, there is a great place of Shalagrama; the stone born there is established as Shalagrama and protects.
शालग्रामशिलास्पर्शात्कोटिजन्माघनाशनम् । किं पुनः पूजनं तत्र हरेः सांनिध्यकारणम्
The touch of a Shalagrama stone destroys the sins of millions of births; what then of worship there, which brings the presence of Hari?
शालग्रामैकयजनाच्छतलिंगीफलं लभेत् । बहुभिर्जन्मभिः पुण्यैर्यदिकृष्णशिलां लभेत्
By worshipping a single Shalagrama, one attains the fruit of worshipping a hundred lingas; if, through many births of merit, one obtains a Krishna stone.
गोष्पदेन च चिह्नेन जनुस्तेन समाप्यते । आदौ शिलां परीक्षेत स्निग्धां श्रेष्ठां च मेचकाम्
A person’s life is completed by the mark resembling a cow’s hoof; first, one should examine the stone, choosing one that is smooth, excellent, and shining.
आकृष्णा मध्यमा प्रोक्ता मिश्रा मिश्रफलप्रदा । सदा काष्ठे स्थितो वह्निर्मथनेन प्रकाश्यते
The black stone is said to be the middle type; the mixed one gives mixed results. Fire always resides in wood and is revealed by friction.
यथा तथा हरिर्व्यापी शालग्रामे प्रतीयते । प्रत्यहं द्वादशशिलाः शालग्रामस्य योऽर्चयेत्
Just so, Hari is present everywhere and is perceived in the Shalagrama. Whoever worships twelve Shalagramas daily.
द्वारवत्याः शिलायुक्ताः स वैकुंठे महीयते । शालग्रामशिलायां तु गह्वरं लक्षते नरः
Those marked with stones from Dvaravati are honored in Vaikuntha; in the Shalagrama stone, a person observes a cavity.
पितरस्तस्य तिष्ठंति तृप्ताः कल्पांतकं दिवि । वैकुंठभवनं तत्र यत्र द्वारावती शिला
His ancestors remain satisfied in heaven until the end of the kalpa; the Vaikuntha abode is where the Dvaravati stone is found.
मृतो विष्णुपुरं याति तत्तीर्थं योजनत्रयम् । जपः पूजा च होमश्च सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्
Upon death, one goes to Vishnu’s city; that holy place extends three yojanas. Recitation, worship, and offering all become a million times greater.
मनस्कामसमाभीष्टं क्रोशमात्रं न संशयः । कीटकोऽपि मृतिं याति वैकुंठभवनं यतः
Whatever one desires in mind is fulfilled within a krosha, without doubt; even an insect, upon death, attains the Vaikuntha abode there.
शालग्रामशिलायां यो मूल्यमुद्घाटयेन्नरः । विक्रेता चानुमंता च यः परीक्षानुमोदकः
Whoever sets a price on the Shalagrama stone, the seller, the approver, and the examiner who consents.
सर्वे ते नरकं यांति यावत्सूर्यश्च संप्लवः । अतस्तद्वर्जयेद्देवि चक्रक्रयणविक्रयम्
All of them go to hell until the sun is destroyed in the deluge; therefore, O Devi, one should avoid buying and selling the chakra.
शालग्रामोद्भवो देवो यो देवो द्वारकोद्भवः । उभयोः संगमो यत्र मुक्तिस्तत्र न संशयः
The deity born from Shalagrama and the deity born from Dvaraka; wherever both unite, there is liberation without doubt.
द्वारकोद्भवचक्राढ्यो बहुचक्रेण चिह्नितः । चक्रासनशिलाकारचित्स्वरूपो निरंजनः
Rich in Dvaraka-born chakras, marked with many chakras; the stone is shaped like the seat of the chakra, pure in form and consciousness.
नमोऽस्त्वोंकाररूपाय सदानंदस्वरूपिणे । शालग्राममहाभाग भक्तस्यानुग्रहं कुरु
Salutations to the one of Omkara form, embodiment of eternal bliss; O great Shalagrama, grant favor to your devotee.
तवानुग्रहकामस्य ऋणग्रस्तस्य मे प्रभो । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि तिलकस्य विधिं मुदा
Desiring your favor, burdened with debt, O Lord, I shall now joyfully declare the procedure for the tilaka.
यच्छ्रुत्वा मानवाः सर्वे विष्णुसारूप्यमाप्नुयुः । ललाटे केशवं विद्यात्कंठे श्रीपुरुषोत्तमम्
Hearing this, all people attain similarity to Vishnu; one should know Kesava on the forehead, Shri Purushottama on the throat.
नाभौ नारायणं देवं वैकुंठं हृदये तथा । दामोदरं वामपार्श्वे दक्षिणे च त्रिविक्रमम्
Narayana, the god, is at the navel, Vaikuntha likewise in the heart; Damodara on the left side, and Trivikrama on the right.
मूर्ध्नि चैव हृषीकेशं पद्मनाभं च पृष्ठतः । कर्णयोर्यमुनां गंगां बाह्वोः कृष्णं हरिं तथा
On the head, place Hṛṣīkeśa; behind, Padmanābha; at the ears, Yamunā and Gaṅgā; on the arms, Kṛṣṇa and Hari likewise.
यथास्थानेषु तुष्यंति देवता द्वादश स्मृताः । द्वादशैतानि नामानि कर्तव्ये तिलके पठेत्
The twelve deities, remembered in their proper places, are satisfied; these twelve names should be recited when applying the tilaka.
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति । ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रमूर्द्ध्वरेखं ललाटे यस्य दृश्यते
One whose forehead bears the upward mark, the ūrdhva-puṇḍra, is purified from all sins and attains the world of Viṣṇu.
चांडालोऽपि स शुद्धात्मा पूज्य एव न संशयः । यस्योर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं दृश्येत न ललाटे नरस्य हि
Even a cāṇḍāla, if his soul is pure and he bears the ūrdhva-puṇḍra on his forehead, is worthy of worship—there is no doubt.
तद्दर्शनं न कर्त्तव्यं दृष्ट्वा सूर्यं निरीक्षयेत् । त्रिपुंड्रं यस्य विप्रस्य ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं न दृश्यते
One should not look upon a person whose forehead does not bear the ūrdhva-puṇḍra; having seen such, gaze at the sun.
तं दृष्ट्वाप्यथवा स्पृष्ट्वा सचैलं स्नानमाचरेत् । सांतरालं प्रकर्त्तव्यं पुंड्रं हरिपदाकृति
If one sees or touches a brāhmaṇa whose forehead bears the tripuṇḍra but not the ūrdhva-puṇḍra, one should bathe with clothes on.
निरंतरालं यः कुर्यादूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं द्विजाधमः । ललाटे तस्य सततं शुनःपादो न संशयः
The mark should be made with a gap, resembling the footprint of Hari; one who makes the ūrdhva-puṇḍra without a gap is the lowest of twice-born, and his forehead is always like that of a dog-eater—there is no doubt.
नासादिकेशपर्यंतमूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं सुशोभनम् । मध्ये छिद्रसमायुक्तं तं विद्याद्धरिमंदिरम्
The beautiful ūrdhva-puṇḍra extends from the nose to the hairline; if there is a gap in the middle, know it as the abode of Hari.
वामभागे स्थितो ब्रह्मा दक्षिणे तु सदाशिवः । मध्ये विष्णुं विजानीयात्तस्मान्मध्यं न लेपयेत्
On the left side dwells Brahmā, on the right Sadāśiva; in the middle, recognize Viṣṇu—therefore, do not smear the middle.
वीक्ष्यादर्शे जले वापि यो विदध्यात्प्रयत्नतः । ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं महाभागः सयाति परमां गतिम्
Whoever carefully applies the ūrdhva-puṇḍra, whether seeing his reflection or in water, O fortunate one, attains the highest state.
अग्निरापश्च वेदाश्च चंद्रादित्यौ तथानिलः । विप्राणां नित्यमेते हि कर्णे तिष्ठंति दक्षिणे
Fire, water, the Vedas, moon, sun, and wind—these always reside in the right ear of brāhmaṇas.
गंगा च दक्षिणे श्रोत्रे नासिकायां हुताशनः । उभयोरपि संस्पर्शात्तत्क्षणादेव शुध्यति
Gaṅgā is in the right ear, fire in the nostril; by touching either, one is purified instantly.