योनित्यंभस्मपूतांगः शिवनामजपादरः संतरत्येवसंसारंसघोरमपिशौनक
O Śaunaka, one who is always purified with ashes and recites the name of Śiva with reverence crosses over even the most terrible cycle of worldly existence.
ब्रह्मस्वहरणंकृत्वाहत्वापिब्राह्मणान्बहून् नलिप्यतेनरः पापैःशिवनामजपादरः
Even if a person has stolen the wealth of Brahmins or killed many Brahmins, he is not tainted by sins if he recites the name of Śiva with reverence.
विलोक्यवेदानखिलाञ्छिवनामजपःपरम् संसारतारणोपाय इतिपूर्वैर्विनिश्चितः
Having examined all the Vedas, the recitation of the name of Śiva is declared by the ancients as the means to cross over worldly existence.
किंबहूक्त्यामुनिश्रेष्ठाः श्लोकेनैकेनवच्म्यहम् शिवनाम्नोमहिमानंसर्वपापापहारिणम्
Why speak at length, O best of sages? I will state in a single verse: the greatness of the name of Śiva is that it destroys all sins.
पापानांहरणेशंभोर्नामः शक्तिर्हिपावनी शक्नोतिपातकंतावत्कर्तुंनापिनरः क्वचित्
The purifying power of Śambhu's name in destroying sins is such that no person is ever able to commit a sin so great that it cannot be removed by it.
शिवनामप्रभावेणलेभेसद्गतिमुत्तमाम् इन्द्रद्युम्ननृपःपूर्वंमहापापः पुरामुने
By the power of Śiva's name, King Indradyumna, though previously a great sinner, attained the highest good, O sage.
तथाकाचिद्द्विजायोषासौमुनेबहुपापिनी शिवनामप्रभावेणलेभेसद्गतिमुत्तमाम्
Likewise, a certain twice-born woman, though greatly sinful, attained the highest good by the power of Śiva's name, O sage.
इत्युक्तंवोद्विजश्रेष्ठानाममाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् शृणुध्वंभस्ममाहात्म्यंसर्वपावनपावनम्
Thus the supreme glory of the name has been told to you, O best of twice-born. Now listen to the greatness of ash, the purifier of all that is impure.
द्विविधंभस्मसंप्रोक्तंसर्वमंगलदंपरम् तत्प्रकारमहंवक्ष्येसावधानतयाशृणु
Two kinds of ash are described, both supremely auspicious; I will now explain their forms—listen attentively.
एकंज्ञेयं महाभस्मद्वितीयंस्वल्पसंज्ञकम् महाभस्म इतिप्रोक्तंभस्मनानाविधंपरम्
One is known as 'great ash,' the other is called 'lesser.' The great ash is said to be of many supreme kinds.
तद्भस्मत्रिविधंप्रोक्तंश्रोतंस्मार्तंचलौकिकम् भस्मैव स्वल्पसज्ञाहिबहुधापरिकीर्तितम्
That ash is said to be of three types: śrauta, smārta, and laukika. The lesser ash is also described in many ways.
श्रौतंभस्मतथास्मार्तंद्विजानामेवकीर्तितम् अन्येषामपिसर्वेषामपरंभस्मलौकिकम्
Śrauta and smārta ash are prescribed only for twice-born men; for all others, the laukika ash is prescribed.
धारणंमंत्रतः प्रोक्तंद्विजानांमुनिपुंगवैः केवलंधारणंज्ञेयमन्येषांमंत्रवर्जितम्
The practice of dhāraṇa with mantra has been taught for the twice-born by eminent sages; for others, only the application without mantra is to be known.
आग्नेयमुच्यतेभस्मदग्धगोमयसंभवम् तदापिद्रव्यमित्युक्तंत्रिपुंड्रस्यमहामुने
That which arises from cow dung burned to ash is called 'āgneya'; this too is said to be the substance for the tripuṇḍra, O great sage.
अग्निहोत्रोत्थितंभस्मसंग्राह्यंवामनीषिभिः अन्ययज्ञोत्थितंवापित्रिपुण्ड्रस्यचधारणे
The ash produced from the agnihotra should be taken by those who know, or ash from other sacrifices, for the application of the tripuṇḍra.
अग्निरित्यादिभिर्मंत्रैर्जाबालोपनिषद्गतेः सप्तभिधूलनंकार्यंभस्मनासजलेनच
With mantras beginning with 'Agni', as found in the Jābāla Upaniṣad, one should sprinkle the ash seven times with water from the mouth.
वर्णानामाश्रमाणांचमंत्रतोमंत्रतोपि च त्रिपुंड्रोद्धूलनंप्रोक्तजाबालैरादरेणच
For the castes and stages of life, with mantra or without mantra, the application of the tripuṇḍra is prescribed by the Jābālas with reverence.
भस्मनोद्धूलनंचैवयथातिर्यक्त्रिपुंड्रकम् प्रमादादपिमोक्षार्थीनत्यजेदितिविश्रुतिः
The application of ash and the transverse tripuṇḍra, even if done by mistake, should not be abandoned by those seeking liberation, so declares the tradition.
शिवेनविष्णुनाचैवतथातिर्यक्त्रिपुंड्रकम् उमादेवीचलक्ष्मींश्चवाचान्याभिश्चनित्यशः
By Śiva, by Viṣṇu, and likewise by Umā Devī and Lakṣmī, and by other goddesses, the transverse tripuṇḍra is always worn.
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैः शूद्रैरपिचसंस्करैः अपभ्रंशैर्धृतंभस्मत्रिपुंड्रोद्धूलनात्मना
By brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras, whether refined or unrefined, the tripuṇḍra made of ash is to be applied by one's own hand.
उद्धूलनंत्रिपुंड्रंचश्रद्धयानाचरंतिये तेषांनास्तिसमाचारोवर्णाश्रमसमन्वितः
Those who apply the tripuṇḍra with faith, their conduct is not bound by caste or stage of life.
उद्धूलनंत्रिपुंड्रंचश्रद्धयानाचरंतिये तेषांनास्तिविनिमुंक्तिस्संसाराज्जन्मकोटिभिः
Those who apply the tripuṇḍra with faith are never released from saṃsāra even after millions of births.
उद्धूलनंत्रिपुंड्रंचश्रद्धयानाचरन्तिये तेषांनास्तिशिवज्ञानंकल्पकोटिशतैरपि
Those who apply the tripuṇḍra with faith do not attain knowledge of Śiva even after hundreds of millions of aeons.
उद्धूलनंत्रिपुंड्रं च श्रद्धयानाचरन्तिये तेमहापातकैर्युक्ता इतिशास्त्रीयनिर्णयः
Those who apply the tripuṇḍra with faith are said by the scriptures to be associated with great sins.
उद्धूलनंत्रिपुंड्रंचश्रद्धयानाचरन्ति ये तेषामाचरितं सर्वंविपरीतफलाय हि
Whatever is performed by those who apply the tripuṇḍra with faith, all of it leads to contrary results.
महापातकयुक्तानां जंतूनांशर्वविद्विषाम् त्रिपुंड्रोद्धूलनद्वेषोजायतेसुदृढं मुने
For those beings afflicted by great sins and haters of Śarva, a strong aversion arises towards the application of the tripuṇḍra, O sage.
शिवाग्निकार्यं यः कृत्वाकुर्यात्त्रियायुषात्मवित् मुच्यतेसर्वपापैस्तुस्पृष्टेनभस्मनानरः
He who, having performed the Śiva fire rite, applies the tripuṇḍra with ash, is freed from all sins, even if he has a short lifespan.
सितेनभस्मनाकुर्यात्त्रिसन्ध्यंयस्त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवेनसहमोदते
He who applies the tripuṇḍra with white ash at the three junctions of the day is freed from all sins and rejoices together with Śiva.
सितेनभस्मना कुर्यालाटे तु त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् योसावनादिभूतान्हिलोकानाप्तो मृतोभवेत्
He who applies the tripuṇḍra with white ash on the forehead attains the worlds beginning with Brahmā, and upon death, is liberated.
अकृत्वा भस्मनास्नानं न जपेद्वैषडक्षरम् त्रिपुंड्रं च रचित्वा तु विधिनाभस्मनाजपेत्
Without bathing with ash, one should not recite the six-syllable mantra; but having properly applied the tripuṇḍra with ash, one should recite it.