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with invocation, sixteen services should be performed with the offering of oblations; after that, the fire should be withdrawn.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.'
ततः पयः सेचने च गदितः कपिला मनुः । अमृतं देवि ते क्षीरं पवित्रमिह वर्द्धितम्
Then, during the sprinkling of milk, Kapila Manu declared: 'O Goddess, your milk here, increased and purified, is like nectar.'
तवप्रसादान्मुच्यंते मनुजाः सर्वपाप्मनः । प्रणवेनावहेद्विद्वान्भस्मनो वटकानथ
By your grace, humans are freed from all sins; the learned should apply the ashes with the syllable Om, forming pellets of ash.
अणोरणीयानिति हि मंत्रेण तु विचक्षणम् । शंभुरुवाच- इत्थं तु भस्मसंपाद्य शुष्कमादाय मंत्रवित्
With the mantra 'smaller than the smallest,' the wise one—Shambhu spoke—should prepare the dry ash in this way.
प्रणवेन विमृज्याथ सप्तप्रणवमंत्रितम् । ईशानेन शिरोदेशं मुखं तत्पुरुषेण च
Then, rubbing it with Om, and consecrating it with the sevenfold Om mantra, one should touch the head with the Īśāna mantra, and the face with the Tatpuruṣa mantra.
उरोदेशमघोरेण गुह्यं वामेन मंत्रयेत् । सद्योजातेन वै पादौ सर्वांगं प्रणवेन तु
The chest should be touched with the Aghora mantra, the secret part with the Vāmadeva mantra, the feet with the Sadyojāta mantra, and the whole body with Om.
तत उद्धूल्य सर्वांगमापादतलमस्तकम् । तत आचम्य वसनं धौतं श्वेतं प्रधारयेत्
Then, one should sprinkle the whole body from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head; after that, having sipped water, one should put on clean white clothing.
पुनराचम्य कर्म स्वं कर्तुमर्हति सर्वतः । ततो भस्मसमादाय प्रमृज्य प्रणवेन तु
Again sipping water, one is fit to perform all duties; then, taking the ash, one should rub it on with Om.
त्रिनेत्रं त्रिगुणाधारं त्रयाणां जनकं विभुम् । स्मरन्नमः शिवायेति ललाटे तु त्रिपुंड्रकम्
Remembering the three-eyed, the support of the three qualities, the lord, the father of the three worlds, and saying 'Salutations to Śiva,' one should apply the tripuṇḍra on the forehead.
नमः शिवाभ्यामित्युक्त्वा बाह्वोर्वापि त्रिपुंड्रकम् । अघोराय नम इति उभाभ्यां च प्रकोष्ठयोः
Saying 'Salutations to the two forms of Śiva,' one should apply the tripuṇḍra on both arms; saying 'Salutations to Aghora,' on both forearms.
भीमायेति ततः पृष्ठे शिरोधि पश्चिमे तथा । नीलकंठाय शिरसि क्षिपेत्सर्वात्मने नमः
Then, saying 'To Bhīma,' on the back, and on the back of the head; 'To Nīlakaṇṭha,' on the head; 'Salutations to the all-pervading,' as well.
प्रक्षाल्याथ ततो हस्तौ कर्मानुष्ठानमाचरेत् । शिव उवाच- यूयमेवं प्रकारेण भस्म कृत्वा प्रघृष्य च
Then, after washing the hands, one should perform the prescribed rites; Śiva said: 'You, in this manner, having prepared and rubbed on the ash—'
गुणान्धारयितुं शक्तास्ततः स्रक्ष्यथ वै प्रजाः । शंभुरुवाच- इत्थं शिवोदिता देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः
—'are able to bear the qualities, and thus you will indeed create beings.' Śambhu spoke: 'Thus, as Śiva instructed, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara—'
तथा कृत्वा च विधिना हमहमिकया तदा । अन्योन्यबोधनाशक्ताः प्रणम्य शिवमूचिरे
Having done so according to the rule, each with a sense of rivalry, being unable to understand one another, they bowed to Śiva and spoke.
कं गुणं धारयेत्को वा शिवः प्राह सुतानथ । कर्मशक्तिं तथा ज्ञानं मुखरेण्वैव नश्यति
'Which quality should one bear? Who, O Śiva, spoke to his sons, saying: Action and knowledge, when mixed with pride, are destroyed.'
अल्पायुर्दृश्यते ब्रह्मा मनुभिश्चास्य जीवितम् । योऽहं ब्रह्मांडमालाभिर्भूषितो ब्रह्मगोपनम्
'Brahmā is seen as short-lived, and his life is with Manu; I, adorned with the garland of universes, am the protector of Brahmā.'
रजोगुणमवष्टभ्य न च जानासि मां तदा । ब्रह्माधिकबलो विष्णुरायुषि ब्रह्मणोऽधिकः
'Though you are endowed with the quality of passion, you did not know me then; Viṣṇu, stronger than Brahmā, surpasses Brahmā in lifespan.'
ब्रह्मांडमालाभरणे महेशस्य ममैव तु । चतुर्निःश्वासमात्रेण विष्णोरायुरुदाहृतम्
'For Maheśa and myself, adorned with the garland of universes, the lifespan of Viṣṇu is said to be but four breaths.'
ब्रह्मणोऽधिकसत्वत्वात्सत्वमालंबतां हरिः । जानाति सर्वकालं मां क्वचिदेव न विस्मरेत्
'Because Viṣṇu is endowed with the quality of goodness, he relies on goodness; he knows me at all times and never forgets me.'
सात्विकैकैव पूजास्य राजसी तामसी न तु । शांतं शिवं सत्वगुणं रजवक्त्रावमानतः
Only the sāttvika form of worship belongs to him; not the rājasī or tāmasī. The peaceful, auspicious, sāttvika quality is diminished by the presence of rajas and tamas.
नभोनीलं तथा चैव गुणं शंभुस्तथाभजत् । सत्वं रजस्तमश्चापि दधार च पुरा किल
Just as the color of the sky is blue, so too Śambhu adopted that quality. In ancient times, he bore sattva, rajas, and tamas.