Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

वैश्यस्त्रियंबकेनैवशूद्रःपञ्चाक्षरेणतु अन्येषां विधवास्त्रीणां विधिः प्रोक्तश्चशूद्रवत्

A vaiśya should use the Triyambaka mantra, and a śūdra the Pañcākṣara; for others, widows, and women, the rule is as for the śūdra.

पञ्चब्रह्मादिमनुभिर्गृहस्थस्यविधीयते त्रियंबकेनमनुनाविधिर्वैब्रह्मचारिणः

For a householder, the application is prescribed with mantras beginning with the five Brahmas; for a brahmacārin, with the Triyambaka mantra.

अघोरेणाथमनुनाविपिनस्थविधिःस्मृतः यतिस्तुप्रणवेनैव त्रिपुंड्रादीनिकारयेत्

For one dwelling in the forest, the rule is with the Aghora mantra; but a renunciant should make the tripuṇḍra and other marks with the Praṇava alone.

अतिवर्णाश्रमीनित्यंशिवोहंभावनात्परात् शिवयोगी च नियतमीशानेनापि धारयेत्

One who always transcends caste and stage of life, by the supreme contemplation 'I am Śiva,' and the Śiva yogī as well, should regularly apply it with the Īśāna mantra.

न त्याज्यं सर्ववर्णैश्च भस्मधारणमुत्तमम् अन्यैरपि यथाजीवैस्सदेति शिवशासनम्

The supreme wearing of ash is never to be abandoned by any caste; for others too, as long as life lasts, this is the command of Śiva.

भस्मस्नानेनयावंतः कणाः स्वाङ्गेप्रतिष्ठिताः तावंति शिवलिंगानि तनौधत्तेहिधारकः

As many particles of ash as remain on one's own body after bathing in ash, so many liṅgas of Śiva does the wearer bear.

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रियावैश्याः शूद्राश्चापि च संकराः स्त्रियोथविधवाबालाः प्राप्ताः पाखंडिकास्तथा

Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, mixed castes, women, widows, children, and even heretics—

ब्रह्मचारीगृहीवन्यःसंन्यासीवाव्रतीतथा नार्योभस्मत्रिपुंड्रांकामुक्ता एवनसंशयः

Whether a celibate student, householder, forest-dweller, renunciant, or one observing vows, and women as well—those who bear the marks of ash and tripuṇḍra are liberated, without doubt.

ज्ञानधृज्ञानतोवापिवह्निदाहसमोयथा ज्ञानाज्ञानधृतंभस्मपावयेत्सकलंनरम्

Just as fire burns equally, whether it is fueled by knowledge or ignorance, so too does ash, worn with knowledge or ignorance, purify a person completely.

नाश्नीयाज्जलमन्नमल्पमपिवा भस्माक्षधृत्याविना भुक्त्वावाथगृहीवनीपतियतिर्वर्णीतथासंकरः एनोभुङ्नरकंप्रयातिसतदागायत्रिजापेनतद्वर्णानां तु यतेस्तु मुख्यप्रणवाजपेन मुक्तंभवेत्

One should not eat even a little water or food without wearing ash or tripuṇḍra; if one does so—whether householder, forest-dweller, king, renunciant, or of mixed caste—one goes to hell. But by reciting the Gāyatrī, those of the prescribed castes, and for renunciants by reciting the chief Praṇava, are freed.

त्रिपुंड्रं ये विनिंदंति निन्दन्तिशिवमेवते धारयंतिचयेभक्त्या धारयन्ति तमेवते

Those who revile the tripuṇḍra, revile Śiva himself; and those who wear it with devotion, truly wear him.

धिग्भस्मरहितं भालंधिग्ग्राममशिवालयम् धिगनीशार्चनं जन्मधिग्विद्यामशिवाश्रयाम्

Shame on a forehead without ash, shame on a village that is not a dwelling of Śiva, shame on worship of the Lord that is not genuine, and shame on knowledge that is rooted in what is not Śiva.

येनिंदंतिमहेश्वरंत्रिजगतामाधारभूतंहरं ये निन्दंतित्रिपुंड्रधारणकरं दोषस्तु तद्दर्शने तेवैसंकरसूकरासुरखरश्वक्रोष्टुकीटोपमाजाता एव भवंतिपापपरमास्तेनारकाः केवलम्

Those who revile the great Lord, the support of the three worlds, the destroyer, and those who revile the act of wearing tripuṇḍra—merely seeing them brings fault. They are born like outcastes, pigs, demons, donkeys, dogs, jackals, and worms, and are utterly sinful, destined only for hell.

तेदृष्ट्वा शशिभास्करौनिशि दिनेस्वप्नेपिनोकेवलंपश्यंतुश्रुतिरुद्रसूक्तजपतोमुच्येततेनादृताः सत्संभाषणतोभवेद्धिनरकंनिस्तारवानास्थितंयेभस्मादिविधारणंहिपुरुषंनिंदंतिमंदाहिते

If such people are seen by the moon or sun, by night or day, or even in a dream, one should at once recite the Rudra Sūkta from the Vedas; by doing so, one is freed. Through respectful conversation with the virtuous, one is delivered from hell. But those who revile the practice of wearing ash and the like are certainly bound for hell.

नतांत्रिकस्त्वधिकृतोनोर्ध्वपुंड्रधरोमुने संतप्तचक्रचिह्नोत्रशिवयज्ञेबहिष्कृतः

O sage, one who is not a follower of the Tantras, nor authorized, but wears the upward-marked tripuṇḍra, or the mark of a heated disc, is excluded from Śiva's sacrifices.

तत्रैतेबहवोलोकाबृहज्जाबालचोदिताः तेविचार्याःप्रयत्नेनततोभस्मरतोभवेत्

There are many people, as taught in the Bṛhadjābāla, who are to be carefully examined; only those devoted to ash should be accepted.

यच्चंदनैश्चंदनकेपिमिश्रंधार्यंहिभस्मैवत्रिपुंड्रभस्मना विभूतिभालोपरिकिंचनापिधार्यंसदानोयदिसंतिबुद्धयः

If ash is mixed with sandalwood or sandal paste and applied as tripuṇḍra, nothing else should ever be placed above the ash on the forehead, if one has discernment.

स्त्रीभिस्त्रिपुण्ड्रमलकावधि धारणीयं भस्मद्विजादिभिरथो विधवाभिरेवम् तद्वत्सदाश्रमवतां विशदाविभूतिर्धार्यापवर्गफलदासकलाघहन्त्री

Women should wear the tripuṇḍra up to the hairline; ash should be worn by twice-born and others, as well as by widows. Likewise, those in the four stages of life should always wear clear vibhūti, which grants liberation and destroys all sins.

त्रिपुण्ड्रंकुरुतेयस्तु भस्मना विधिपूर्वकम् महापातकसंघातैर्मुच्यते चोपपातकैः

Whoever properly applies the tripuṇḍra with ash according to the rite is freed from the mass of great sins and also from lesser transgressions.

ब्रह्मचारीगृहस्थोवावानप्रस्थोथवायतिः ब्रह्मक्षत्त्राश्चविट्शूद्रास्तथान्ये पतिताधमाः

Whether celibate student, householder, forest-dweller, or renunciant; whether brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or even the fallen and lowest—

उद्धूलनंत्रिपुंड्रं च धृत्वाशुद्धाभवंतिच भस्मनोविधिना सम्यक्पापराशिंविहाय च

By properly applying the sprinkling and tripuṇḍra with ash, they become pure, having cast off the heap of sins.

भस्मधारी विशेषेण स्त्रीगोहत्यादिपातकैः वीरहत्याश्वहत्याभ्यां मुच्यतेनात्र संशयः

Especially, the wearer of ash is freed from the sins of killing women or cows, and from the sins of killing a hero or a horse—there is no doubt of this.

परद्रव्यापहरणं परदाराभिमर्शनम् परनिन्दा परक्षेत्रहरणं परपीडनम्

Stealing another's property, touching another's wife, slandering others, taking another's field, and harming others—

सस्यारामादिहरणं गृहदाहादिकर्म च गोहिरण्यमहिष्यादितिलकम्बलवाससाम्

Stealing crops or gardens, burning houses, and acts such as stealing cows, gold, buffaloes, sesame, blankets, or garments—

अन्नधान्यजलादीनां नीचेभ्यश्चपरिग्रहः दशवेश्यामतंगीषु वृषलीषु नटीषु च

Taking food, grain, water, and the like from the lowly, and consorting with prostitutes, elephant-women, outcast women, and dancers—

रजस्वलासु कन्यासु विधवासु च मैथुनम् मांसचर्मरसादीनां लवणस्य च विक्रयः

Sexual union with menstruating women, maidens, or widows, and the sale of flesh, skin, marrow, or salt—

पैशुन्यं कूटवादश्च साक्षिमिथ्याभिलाषिणाम् एवमादीन्यसंख्यानि पापानि विधानि च सद्य एव विनश्यंति त्रिपुंड्रस्य च धारणात्

Slander, false accusation, and bearing false witness—such countless sins and offenses are instantly destroyed by the wearing of tripuṇḍra.

शिवद्रव्यापहरणंशिवनिंदाचकुत्रचित् निंदाचशिवभक्तानांप्रायश्चित्तैर्नशुद्ध्यति

The theft of Śiva's offerings, blasphemy against Śiva anywhere, and the slander of Śiva's devotees—these are not purified even by penances.

रुद्राक्षं यस्य गात्रेषु ललाटे तु त्रिपंड्रकम् सचांडालोपिसंपूज्यस्सर्ववर्णोत्तमोत्तमः

He who wears rudrākṣa on his body and tripuṇḍra on his forehead, even if he is an outcaste, is to be honored as the best among all classes.