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.
अतोऽस्य विविधा पूजा शंकरस्य विधीयते । रजश्च तमसायुक्तं दारुणं परिकीर्तितम्
Therefore, various forms of worship are prescribed for Śaṃkara. Rajas, when joined with tamas, is described as harsh.
दारुणापि ततः पूजा शंकरे गतिदा मता । रजश्च तमसायुक्तमलं शास्त्रप्रवर्तकम्
Even harsh worship is considered to grant liberation when offered to Śaṃkara. Rajas joined with tamas is entirely established by scripture.
विच्छिन्नापि ततः पूजा शंकरे फलदा मता । तमश्च सत्वसंयुक्तं मिश्रकं च प्रवर्तकम्
Even interrupted worship is regarded as fruitful when offered to Śaṃkara. Tamas joined with sattva, and the mixed form, are also established.
मिश्रपूजा विफलदा शंकरे लोकशंकरे । यादृशं तादृशं वापि नियमेनार्चनं विभोः
Mixed worship yields no fruit for Śaṃkara, the benefactor of the world. Whatever form of worship is performed for the Lord, according to rule—
शंकरस्याशुफलदं यादृशस्यापि देहिनः । शंभुरुवाच- एतत्संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तं विधानं भस्मनोऽनघ
Śaṃkara quickly grants the fruit, whatever the nature of the worshipper. Śambhu said: This is the concise account of the procedure for ashes, O sinless one.
वक्तृश्रोतृजनानां च समस्ताघविनाशनम्
It destroys all sins of those who speak and those who listen.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शिवराघवसंवादे भस्मोत्पत्तिविधानं नामाष्टोत्तरशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and eighth chapter, named 'The Origin and Procedure of Ashes,' in the dialogue between Śiva and Rāghava, in the Pātāla section of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
शंभुरुवाच- अत्र ते कीर्तयिष्यामि कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । श्रुत्वा यां प्राप धर्मात्मा शिवभक्तिमनुत्तमाम्
Śambhu said: Here I will recount to you a story that destroys sin; by hearing it, a righteous soul attained supreme devotion to Śiva.
इक्ष्वाकुर्नाम विप्रेंद्रो महाविद्यो महामतिः । बहुशास्त्रप्रवीणश्च नीतिशास्त्रविशारदः
There was a king of Brahmins named Ikṣvāku, greatly learned and wise, skilled in many scriptures, and expert in the science of ethics.
न यष्टा न च दाता च न देवानां च पूजकः । न चाध्यापयिता वेदं न व्याख्याता श्रुतस्य च
He was neither a sacrificer nor a giver, nor a worshipper of the gods; nor did he teach the Veda or explain what was heard.