दीयतां भगवञ्छक्तिर्यदि भोस्त्वं वरप्रदः । अथ तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शिवो वाक्यमभाषत
O blessed one, if you are the bestower of boons, then grant the power; then, having heard those words, Shiva spoke.
शिव उवाच- विद्याशक्तिः समस्तानां शक्तिरित्यभिधीयते । गुणत्रयाश्रया विद्या अविद्या च तदाश्रया
Shiva said: The power of knowledge is called the power of all; knowledge is the support of the three qualities, and ignorance is also based on that.
गुणत्रयं च दग्ध्वैव तत्सारं धर्तुमर्हथ । यच्च किंचिद्भवेत्तत्र भवद्भिर्ध्रियतां हि तत्
Having burned the three qualities, you should bear their essence; whatever may exist there, let it be borne by you.
अथाहुस्तत्सुता वाक्यं न दाहो ज्वलनं विना । शिवः प्राह महेशस्य लोचने वह्निरस्ति वै
Then their sons said: There is no burning without fire; Shiva said: In the eyes of Mahesha, indeed, there is fire.
गुणत्रयमिदं धेनुर्विद्या स्याद्गोमयं शुभम् । मूत्रं चोपनिषत्प्रोक्तं कुर्याद्भस्म ततः परम्
This triad of qualities is the cow, knowledge is the auspicious cow-dung; urine is as declared in the Upanishads, and from that, one should make ash.
वत्सास्तु स्मृतयो यस्यास्तत्संभूतं तु गोमयम् । आगाव इति मंत्रेण धेनुं तत्राभिमंत्रयेत्
The calves are the Smritis, from which the cow-dung arises; with the mantra 'āgāva', one should consecrate the cow there.
गावो गावो गाव इति प्राशयेत्तु तृणं जलम् । उपोष्य च चतुर्द्दश्यां शुक्ले कृष्णेऽथवा व्रती
Saying 'gāvo gāvo gāva', one should feed her grass and water; having fasted on the fourteenth, whether in the bright or dark fortnight, the votary should do so.
परेद्युः प्रातरुत्थाय शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहितः । कृतस्नानो धौतवस्त्रो गोमयार्थं व्रजेत्तु गाम्
On the next day, rising early, pure and focused, having bathed and donned clean garments, one should go to the cow for cow-dung.
उत्थाप्य तां प्रयत्नेन गायत्र्या मूत्रमाहरेत् । सौवर्णे राजते ताम्रे धारयेन्मृन्मये घटे
Raising her carefully, one should collect her urine with the Gayatri; it should be kept in a golden, silver, copper, or earthen vessel.
पौष्करे वा पलाशे वा पात्रे गोशृंग एव वा । आदधीत हि गोमूत्रं गंधद्वारेति गोमयम्
Or in a vessel of lotus or palasha leaf, or even in a cow's horn; one should place the cow urine, and the cow-dung with the mantra 'gandhadvāra'.
अभूमिपातं गृह्णीयात्पात्रे पूर्वोदितेऽधिके । गोमयं शोधयेद्विद्वाञ्छ्रीर्मे भजतु मंत्रतः
One should take cow-dung from a place not fallen to the ground, in the vessel previously described; the wise should purify the cow-dung, invoking Shri with the mantra.
अलक्ष्मीर्मयीति मंत्रेण गोमयस्यापमार्जनम् । सं त्वा सिंचामि मंत्रेण गोमूत्रं गोमये क्षिपेत्
With the mantra 'alakṣmīr mayi', one should wipe the cow-dung; with the mantra 'saṃ tvā siṃcāmi', one should pour the cow urine onto the cow-dung.
पंचानां त्वेति मंत्रेण पिंडांश्चैव चतुर्द्दश । कुर्यात्संशोष्य किरणैस्तरणेराहरेत्तु तान्
With the mantra for the five, one should prepare fourteen balls, drying them with the rays of the sun, and then offer them.
निदध्यादथ पूर्वोक्तपात्रे गोमयपिंडकान् । स्वगृह्योक्तविधानेन प्रतिष्ठाप्याग्निमिंधयेत्
Then, placing the cow-dung balls in the previously mentioned vessel, one should establish the fire according to the prescribed ritual of one's own tradition.
पिंडान्विनिक्षिपेत्तत्तदर्णदेवाय पिंडकान् । आघारावाज्यभागौ च प्रक्षिप्य द्वौ हुनेत्सुधीः
One should deposit the balls for the respective deities, and after adding two portions—one of clarified butter and one of oblation—an intelligent person should offer them into the fire.
ततो निधनपतये त्रयोदशजयादयः । होतव्याः पंचब्रह्माणि नमो हिरण्यबाहवे
Then, for the Lord of Death, thirteen victorious offerings are to be made, along with five offerings to Brahman, reciting 'Salutations to the golden-armed.'
इति सर्वाहुतीर्हुत्वा चतुर्थ्यंतैस्तु मंत्रकैः । ततः शर्वाय रुद्राय यस्य वैकंकतीति च
After offering all oblations with the fourth-ending mantras, then to Sharva, Rudra, and to the one called Vaikanka, offerings are made.
एतैस्तु जुहुयाद्विद्वाननाज्ञातत्रयं तथा । व्याहृतीरथ हुत्वा तु ततः स्विष्टकृतं हुनेत्
With these mantras, the learned should offer for the three unknowns as well; after offering the Vyahritis, then the Svishtakrit oblation should be made.
इध्मशेषं तु निर्वर्त्य पूर्णपात्रोदकं ततः । पूर्णमासांतयजुषा जलेनान्येन बृंहयेत्
After completing the remaining fuel, one should fill a vessel with water; with the full-moon ending Yajus, one should augment it with another water.
ब्राह्मणेष्वमृतमिति तज्जलं शिरसि क्षिपेत् । प्राच्यामिति दिशां लिंगैर्दिक्षु तोयं विनिक्षिपेत्
Saying 'nectar among the Brahmins,' one should pour that water on their heads; and with the marks of the directions, one should sprinkle water in all quarters.
ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणां दत्वा शांते पुलकमाहरेत् । आहरिष्यामि देवानां सर्वेषां कर्मगुप्तये
Having given a gift to the Brahman, one should collect the pulaka grass in peace, saying, 'I will offer for the concealment of all the gods' actions.'
जातवेदसमेने त्वां पुलाकं च्छादयाद्य मे । मंत्रेणानेन तं वह्निं पुलाके छादयेदथ
With the mantra 'Jataveda, I cover you with pulaka today,' one should cover the fire with pulaka grass using this mantra.
त्रिदिनं ज्वलनस्थित्यै छादनं पुलकैः स्मृतम् । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेद्भक्त्या स्वयं भुंजीत वाग्यतः
Covering with pulaka grass is prescribed for the fire's persistence for three days; one should feed the Brahmins with devotion and eat oneself, observing silence.
भस्माधिकमभीप्संस्तु ह्यधिकं गोमयं हरेत् । दिनत्रयेण यदि वा एकस्मिन्दिवसे बहु
If one desires more ashes, one should add more cow-dung, whether over three days or in a single day, as much as is needed.
तृतीये वा चतुर्थे वा प्रातःस्नात्वा सितांबरः । शुक्लयज्ञोपवीती च शुक्लमाल्यानुलेपनः
On the third or fourth day, after bathing in the morning, wearing white garments, a white sacred thread, and adorned with white garlands and ointments,
शुक्लदंतो भस्मदिग्धो मंत्रेणानेन मंत्रवित् । तद्वेति चोच्चारयित्वा भस्मसत्यं न संत्यजेत्
With white teeth, smeared with ashes, and knowing the mantra, one should recite 'tadveti' and not abandon the ashes, declaring their truth.
तत आवाहनमुखा उपचारास्तु षोडश । कर्तव्या हुतदानेन ततोऽग्निमुपसंहरेत्
Then, beginning with invocation, sixteen services should be performed with the offering of oblations; after that, the fire should be withdrawn.
अग्ने भस्मेति मंत्रेण गृह्णीयाद्भस्म चोद्भवम् । अग्निरस्मीति मंत्रेण प्रमृज्य च ततः परम्
With the mantra 'Agni, ashes,' one should take the produced ashes; with the mantra 'Agni, I am,' one should then thoroughly rub them.
संयोज्य गंगासलिलैः कपिलापयसाथवा । चंद्रं कुंकुमकाश्मीरमुशीरं चंदनं तथा
Mixing them with water from the Ganges or with the milk of a tawny cow, and also with moonstone, saffron, vetiver, and sandalwood,
अगुरुद्वितयं चैव चूर्णयित्वा तु सूक्ष्मतः । क्षिपेद्भस्मनि तच्चूर्णमोमिति ब्रह्ममंत्रतः
And with two kinds of agarwood, finely powdered, one should sprinkle that powder onto the ashes, reciting the Brahma mantra 'Om.'