Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

यानितीर्थानिलोकेस्मिन्गंगाद्यास्सरितश्चयोः स्नातोभवतिसर्वत्रललाटेयस्त्रिपुंड्रकम्

Wherever there are holy places in this world, wherever there are rivers like the Gaṅgā, one who wears tripuṇḍra on the forehead is considered to have bathed in them all.

सप्तकोटि महामंत्राः पञ्चाक्षरपुरस्सराः तथान्ये कोटिशो मंत्राः शैवकैवल्यहेतवः

Seven crore great mantras, headed by the pañcākṣara, and countless other mantras that lead to Śaiva liberation—

अन्ये मंत्राश्च देवानां सर्वसौख्यकरामुने ते सर्वे तस्य वश्याः स्युर्यो बिभर्ति त्रिपुंड्रकम्

And other mantras of the gods that bestow all happiness, O sage—all these become subject to him who bears tripuṇḍra.

सहस्रं पूर्वजातानां सहस्रं जनयिष्यताम् स्ववंशजानां ज्ञातीनामुद्धरेद्यस्त्रिपुण्ड्रकृत्

He who applies tripuṇḍra rescues a thousand of his ancestors and a thousand of his future descendants, as well as his own kin.

इह भुक्त्वाखिलान्भोगान्दीर्घायुर्व्याधिवर्जितः जीवितांते च मरणं सुखेनैव प्रपद्यते

Here, enjoying all pleasures, long-lived and free from disease, at the end of life he attains death with ease.

अष्टैश्वर्यगुणोपेतंप्राप्यदिव्यवपुः शिवम् दिव्यंविमानमारुह्यदिव्यत्रिदशसेवितम्

Endowed with the eight qualities of prosperity, attaining a divine body, he ascends a celestial chariot, served by the gods.

विद्याधराणांसर्वेषांगंधर्वाणांमहौजसाम् इंद्रादिलोकपालानांलोकेषुचयथाक्रमम्

Among all the Vidyādharas, the mighty Gandharvas, and the guardians of the worlds led by Indra, he moves as he wishes in their realms.

भुक्त्वा भोगान्सुविपुलान्प्रजेशानां पदेषु च ब्रह्मणः पदमासाद्यतत्रकन्याशतंलमेत्

Enjoying abundant pleasures in the realms of the lords of creatures, attaining the abode of Brahmā, there he delights in a hundred maidens.

तत्र ब्रह्मायुषोमानंभुक्त्वाभोगाननेकशः विष्णोर्लोकेलभेद्भोगंयावद्ब्रह्मशतात्ययः

There, enjoying pleasures for the span of Brahmā's life, and in Viṣṇu's world experiencing pleasures until a hundred Brahmā-ages pass—

शिवलोकं ततः प्राप्य लब्ध्वेष्टं काममक्षयम् शिवसायुज्यमाप्नोतिसंशयोनात्रजायते

Then, attaining Śiva's world, obtaining his desired, inexhaustible wishes, he achieves union with Śiva; there is no doubt about this.

सर्वोपनिषदांसारंसमालोक्यमुहुर्मुहुः इदमेव हि निर्णीतं परं श्रेयस्त्रिपुंड्रकम्

Having thoroughly examined the essence of all the Upaniṣads, this alone is determined: tripuṇḍra is the supreme good.

विभूतिंनिंदतेयोवैब्राह्मणः सोन्यजातकः यातिचनरकेघोरेयावद्ब्रह्मा चतुर्मुखः

A brāhmaṇa or anyone else who reviles the sacred ash goes to a terrible hell for as long as Brahmā with four faces exists.

श्राद्धेयज्ञेजपेहोमेवैश्वदेवेसुरार्चने धृतत्रिपुंड्रःपूतात्मामृत्युंजयतिमानवः

In śrāddha, sacrifice, recitation, homa, offering to the gods, and worship, a man who bears tripuṇḍra, with a pure heart, conquers death.

जलस्नानं मलत्यागेभस्मस्नानंसदाशुचि मंत्रस्नानंहरेत्पापंज्ञानस्नानेपरंपदम्

Bathing in water removes dirt, bathing in ash always purifies, bathing in mantra removes sin, and bathing in knowledge leads to the supreme state.

सर्वतीर्थेषुयत्पुण्यंसर्वतीर्थेषुयत्फलम् तत्फलंसमवाप्नोतिभस्मस्नानकरोनरः

Whatever merit and reward is gained at all sacred waters, that same reward is obtained by a person who bathes with ashes.

भस्मस्नानं परं तीर्थंगंगास्नानंदिनेदिने भस्मरूपीशिवःसाक्षाद्भस्म त्रैलोक्यपावनम्

Bathing with ashes is the supreme pilgrimage; bathing in the Ganga every day is likewise so. Shiva himself is manifest as ash, and ash purifies the three worlds.

नतदूनंनतद्ध्यानंनतद्दानंजपोनसः त्रिपुंड्रेणविनायेन विप्रेण यदनुष्ठितम्

No meditation, no contemplation, no charity, nor recitation performed by a Brahmin is equal, if done without the tripuṇḍra.

वानप्रस्थस्यकन्यानांदीक्षाहीननृणां तथा मध्याह्नात्प्राग्जलैर्युक्तंपरतोजलवर्जितम्

For forest-dwellers, maidens, and those without initiation, before midday, water is used; after that, water is to be avoided.

एवं त्रिपुंड्रं यः कुर्यान्नित्यंनियतमानसः शिवभक्तः सविज्ञेयो भुक्तिमुक्तिं च विंदति

Thus, whoever applies the tripuṇḍra daily with a disciplined mind, and is a devotee of Shiva, is to be known as one who attains both enjoyment and liberation.

यस्यांगेनैवरुद्राक्ष एकोपिबहुपुण्यदः तस्यजन्मनिरर्थंस्यात्त्रिपुंड्ररहितो यदि

If someone wears even a single rudrākṣa on their body, which bestows much merit, their life is rendered fruitless if they are without the tripuṇḍra.