O sage, hear of the supreme glory and sanctity of the sacred ash and the tripuṇḍra. No matter one’s stage of life—be it a celibate student, householder, forest-dweller, or renunciant—or one’s birth, whether brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or even among the fallen and lowest, all who properly apply the holy ash and mark themselves with the tripuṇḍra become pure. By this act, the heap of accumulated sins is cast away. Especially powerful is this practice: the one who wears the sacred ash is freed even from the gravest sins—such as killing women or cows, slaying a hero or a horse—there is no doubt of this. Sins arising from stealing another’s property, violating another’s wife, slandering others, seizing another’s field, or harming others; from stealing crops or gardens, burning houses, or acts like stealing cows, gold, buffaloes, sesame, blankets, or garments; from taking food, grain, water, and the like from the lowly, or consorting with prostitutes, women who keep elephants, outcast women, and dancers; from sexual union with menstruating women, maidens, or widows, or from the sale of flesh, skin, marrow, or salt; and from slander, false accusation, and bearing false witness—all these countless sins and offenses are instantly destroyed by the wearing of the tripuṇḍra. Yet, there are transgressions that not even penance can purify: the theft of Śiva’s offerings, blasphemy against Śiva anywhere, or slandering Śiva’s devotees. These stand apart. But know this: whoever wears rudrākṣa on the body and the tripuṇḍra on the forehead, even if they are an outcaste, should be honored as the best among all classes. Wherever the holy places of the world may be, wherever sacred rivers like the Gaṅgā flow, the person who bears the tripuṇḍra upon the forehead is as one who has bathed in them all. All the great mantras—seven crore in number, headed by the sacred pañcākṣara, and countless other mantras that lead to Śaiva liberation—along with the mantras of the gods that bestow happiness, all become subject to him who wears the tripuṇḍra. He who applies the tripuṇḍra not only uplifts himself, but also rescues a thousand of his ancestors, a thousand of his descendants, and his own kin. Here in this world, he enjoys all pleasures, lives long, is free from disease, and, when his end comes, he meets death with ease. Such a devotee is endowed with all eight forms of prosperity, attains a divine body, and ascends a celestial chariot, served by the gods themselves. Among the Vidyādharas, the mighty Gandharvas, and the guardians of the worlds led by Indra, he moves freely as he wishes. He enjoys abundant pleasures in the realms of the lords of creatures, and, upon reaching the abode of Brahmā, delights in the company of a hundred maidens. For the full span of Brahmā’s life he enjoys these pleasures, and in Viṣṇu’s world he remains for a hundred Brahmā-ages, experiencing supreme delight. Thereafter, he attains Śiva’s world, where he receives inexhaustible, desired boons and ultimately achieves union with Śiva himself—there is no doubt in this. Having thoroughly examined the essence of all the Upaniṣads, it is determined that the tripuṇḍra is the highest good. But beware: a brāhmaṇa or anyone else who reviles the sacred ash is condemned to a terrible hell for as long as the four-faced Brahmā exists. In all sacred acts—whether śrāddha, sacrifice, recitation, homa, offering to the gods, or worship—a man who bears the tripuṇḍra with a pure heart conquers death itself. Bathing in water removes physical dirt, but bathing with ash always purifies; bathing in mantra removes sin, and bathing in knowledge leads to the supreme state. Whatever merit is gained at all sacred waters is also obtained by one who bathes with ashes. Indeed, bathing with ashes is the supreme pilgrimage; bathing daily in the Gaṅgā is likewise so. Śiva himself is manifest as ash, and ash purifies the three worlds. No meditation, no contemplation, no charity, nor recitation, even if performed by a brāhmaṇa, is equal if done without the tripuṇḍra. For forest-dwellers, maidens, and the uninitiated, water is used before midday, but after midday, water is to be avoided. Thus, whoever applies the tripuṇḍra daily with a disciplined mind and devotion to Śiva attains both enjoyment and liberation. Even if one wears a single rudrākṣa, which bestows great merit, their life is rendered fruitless if they do not also wear the tripuṇḍra. O sage, I have thus briefly described to you the greatness of the tripuṇḍra; this secret, which concerns all beings, must be kept concealed by you. The three lines of the tripuṇḍra are to be made at prescribed places—on the forehead and other limbs—as taught by the wise. The measure for the tripuṇḍra on the forehead extends from the space between the eyebrows to the ends of the brows. To apply it, use the middle and ring fingers, drawing the line in a reverse direction with the thumb—this is the proper method of marking the tripuṇḍra. Carefully take the ash with the three middle fingers and, with devotion, apply the tripuṇḍra, for it bestows both supreme enjoyment and liberation. Each of the three lines is associated with nine deities. Listen as I explain: For the first line, the deities are the syllable ‘a’, the household fire, the earth, dharma, the quality of rajas, the Rigveda, the power of action, the morning libation, and Mahadeva. For the second line, the deities are the syllable ‘u’, the southern fire, the element of space, the Yajurveda, the midday libation, the power of will, and Maheśvara. Thus, the sacred practice of applying the tripuṇḍra, performed with devotion and understanding, brings the highest good to all beings.