Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

एवंत्रिपुंड्रमाहात्म्यंसमासात्कथितंमया रहस्यंसर्वजंतूनां गोपनीयमिदं त्वया

Thus, I have briefly described to you the greatness of the tripuṇḍra; this secret, which concerns all beings, must be kept concealed by you.

तिस्रोरेखाभवंत्येवस्थानेषुमुनिपुंगवाः ललाटादिषुसर्वेषुयथोक्तेषुबुधैर्मुने

O best of sages, three lines are to be made at the prescribed places, such as the forehead and others, as taught by the wise.

भ्रुवोर्मध्यंसमारभ्ययावदंतोभवेद्भ्रुवोः तावत्प्रमाणंसंधार्यं ललाटे च त्रिपुंड्रकम्

Beginning from the space between the eyebrows and extending to the ends of the brows, that is the measure to be maintained for the tripuṇḍra on the forehead.

मध्यमानामिकांगुल्यामध्येतुप्रतिलोमतः अंगुष्ठेन कृतारेखा त्रिपुंड्राख्या भिधीयते

With the middle and ring fingers, in a reverse direction, a line is drawn with the thumb; this is called the tripuṇḍra.

मध्येंगुलिभिरादाय तिसृभिर्भस्मयत्नतः त्रिपुण्ड्रधारयेद्भक्त्याभुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदंपरम्

Taking ash carefully with the three fingers in the middle, one should apply the tripuṇḍra with devotion; it bestows the highest enjoyment and liberation.

तिसृणामपि रेखानां प्रत्येकंनवदेवताः सर्वत्रांगेषुतावक्ष्येसावधानतया शृणु

For each of the three lines, there are nine deities; I will now tell you about them for all the limbs—listen attentively.

अकारो गार्हपत्याग्निर्भूधर्मश्च रजोगुणः ऋग्वेदश्च क्रियाशक्तिः प्रातःसवनमेव च

The syllable 'a', the household fire, the earth, dharma, the quality of rajas, the Rigveda, the power of action, and the morning libation—

महदेवश्च रेखायाः प्रथमायाश्च देवता विज्ञेया मुनिशार्दूलाः शिवदीक्षापरायणैः

—and Mahadeva are to be known as the deities of the first line, O best of sages, by those devoted to Shiva's initiation.

उकारो दक्षिणाग्निश्च नभस्तत्त्वं यजुस्तथा मध्यंदिनं च सवनमिच्छाशक्त्यंतरात्मकौ

The syllable 'u', the southern fire, the element of space, the Yajurveda, the midday libation, and the power of will are inherent in the second line.

महेश्वरश्च रेखाया द्वितीयायाश्च देवता विज्ञेयामुनिशार्दूल शिवदीक्षापरायणैः

And Maheśvara is to be known as the deity of the second line, O best of sages, by those devoted to Shiva's initiation.