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.
न पुराणेतिहासानां श्रुतीनामागमस्य वा । यत्नाद्भोक्ता तथा देहसंस्कारैकप्रवर्तकः
He did not study Purāṇas, Itihāsas, Śrutis, or Āgamas; he was diligent only in eating and in bodily rites.
तादृशस्य द्विजस्याथ समालक्ष्यायुरत्यगात् । लक्षांतरे तथैकस्मिन्वत्सरे मासि पंचमे
Observing such a twice-born, his lifespan ended; after a hundred thousand years, in one year, in the fifth month—
तृतीय दिवसे रात्र्यां पुराणं श्रुतवानिदम् । स्वसंपादितवित्तस्य येन दानं न वै कृतम्
On the third night, he heard this Purāṇa; yet, though possessing wealth, he did not give charity.
दिनेदिने भुज्यमानं निःसारं स्यात्क्रमेण हि । वर्षाण्येव च तावंति नरके पच्यते ध्रुवम्
Day by day, what is eaten becomes devoid of essence, gradually; for as many years, he is certainly cooked in hell.
कृमियोनिसहस्रं च अनुभूय ततः परम् । दरिद्रो व्याधितोऽबंधुर्दुष्टभार्यो बहुप्रजः
After experiencing a thousand worm births, then afterwards, he becomes poor, diseased, friendless, with a wicked wife and many children.
दिनेदिने भिक्षितेन याचितेन च जीवनम् । यन्न क्वापि च बीजानां मग्नानामथ मार्गणात्
Day by day, living by begging and what is asked for; and nowhere, even among seeds sunk and searched for—
लब्धेनजीवनं कर्म भृत्यानामथ जीवनम् । मध्ये श्रोत्रविहीनश्च नेत्रहीनः स्खलन्मलः
The livelihood obtained is for the work of servants, and likewise their sustenance; among them, one is deaf, another blind, another stumbles, and another is impure.
एवं पुराणं श्रुत्वा साविक्ष्वाकुर्भृशदुःखितः । मनसा चिंतयच्चेदं स्मारं स्मारं द्विजाधमः
Having heard thus the Purāṇa, Sāvikṣvāku was greatly distressed; that lowest of the twice-born kept pondering this again and again in his mind.
रूपपुष्पैर्माहिष्मयी दुर्गापि फलवर्जिता । तथा पुराणरहिता विद्या नो गतिदर्शनी
Even the goddess Durgā, worshipped with beautiful flowers, yields no fruit if the offering is from a buffalo; likewise, knowledge without the Purāṇa does not reveal the path.
बहुशास्त्रं समभ्यस्य बहुवेदान्सविस्तरान् । पुंसोश्रुतपुराणस्य सम्यग्याति न दर्शनम्
Even after studying many śāstras and the Vedas in detail, for a person who has not heard the Purāṇa, true understanding does not arise.
शंभुरुवाच- एवं चिंतयतस्तस्य अकालमरणं त्वभूत् । यमलोकं गतश्चाथ यमेन परिभाषितः
Śambhu said: While he was thinking thus, untimely death befell him; he went to the realm of Yama and was addressed by Yama.
यम उवाच- अनेकपापयुक्तोसि पुण्यं नैव महत्तव । न वेदाध्यापनात्प्राप्तं पापं च विदितं तव
Yama said: You are engaged in many sins, and your merit is not great; you have not gained merit from teaching the Veda, and your sins are known.
कोटिवर्षाणि नरके तवस्थितिरिति द्विज । आयुरस्ति तवात्यल्पं गम्यतां पौर्विकीं तनुम्
O twice-born, your stay in hell will be for ten million years; your lifespan is very short—go and take up your former body.
कुरु पुण्यं हितं दानं देवतापूजनं जपम् । सांगमध्यापनं विप्र भोजनं भस्मधारणम्
Perform meritorious acts, give charity, worship the deities, recite mantras, teach with proper method, feed the Brahmins, and wear sacred ash.
भज विश्वेश्वरं देवं देवदेवमुमापतिम् । तस्य प्रयत्नमात्रेण मम लोकं न गच्छसि
Worship Viśveśvara, the god of gods, the consort of Umā; by merely making the effort, you will not come to my realm.
यत्किंचित्प्रत्यहं पापिन्पुराणं शृणु सादरम् । ततस्तच्छ्रवणादेव नेक्षसे मम यातनाः
O sinner, listen with reverence to even a little of the Purāṇa every day; from that very hearing, you will not see my torments.
यमस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणः स्वां ययौ तनुम् । अथेशपूजनकृते यत्नमास्थाय स द्विजः
Hearing Yama’s words, the Brāhmaṇa returned to his own body; then, that twice-born made effort to worship the Lord.
अगमन्मुनिवर्यं तु जाबालिशिवपूजकम् । तपः स्वाध्यायसंपन्नं श्रुतिस्मृतिविवेचकम्
He approached the eminent sage Jābāli, a worshipper of Śiva, accomplished in austerity and study, and skilled in discerning the meaning of śruti and smṛti.
पुराणतत्त्ववेत्तारं लक्षशिष्यसमावृतम् । जराशिथिलसर्वांगं वेदवेदांगपारगम्
He was a knower of Purāṇic truth, surrounded by hundreds of disciples, his body weakened by old age, but accomplished in the Vedas and their branches.
द्रष्टुकामो ययौ शैलं मंदरं चारुकंदरम् । नानाविहंगसंपूर्णं नानापुष्पलतावृतम्
Desiring to see him, he went to the charming Mandara mountain, filled with various birds and covered with diverse flowering creepers.