उचितां निष्कृतिं कुर्यात्पूजाहोमजपादिभिः आसमाप्तेर्व्रतस्यैवमाचरेन्न प्रमादतः
One should perform the appropriate expiation through worship, offerings into the fire, recitation, and similar acts; thus, until the vow is completed, one should observe this without negligence.
गोदानं च वृषोत्सर्गं कुर्यात्पूजां च संपदा भक्तश्च शिवप्रीत्यर्थं सर्वकामविवर्जितः
One should give cows, release a bull, perform worship according to one's means, and, being devoted and intent on pleasing Shiva, renounce all desires.
सामान्यमेतत्कथितं व्रतस्यास्य समासतः प्रतिमासं विशेषं च प्रवदामि यथाश्रुतम्
This general outline of the vow has been described in brief; now I will state, as I have heard, the specific details for each month.
वैशाखे वज्रलिंगं तु ज्येष्ठे मारकतं शुभम् आषाढे मौक्तिकं विद्याच्छ्रावणे नीलनिर्मितम्
In Vaiśākha, the liṅga should be of diamond; in Jyeṣṭha, of auspicious emerald; in Āṣāḍha, it should be of pearl; in Śrāvaṇa, made of sapphire.
मासे भाद्रपदे चैव पद्मरागमयं परम् आश्विने मासि विद्याद्वै लिंगं गोमेदकं वरम्
In the month of Bhādrapada, it should be of the finest ruby; in Āśvina, one should know the liṅga to be of excellent hessonite.
कार्तिक्यां वैद्रुमं लिंगं वैदूर्यं मार्गशीर्षके पुष्परागमयं पौषे माघे द्युमणिजन्तथा
In Kārtika, the liṅga should be of coral; in Mārgaśīrṣa, of cat's eye; in Pauṣa, of topaz; and in Māgha, likewise of crystal.
फाल्गुणे चन्द्रकान्तोत्थं चैत्रे तद्व्यत्ययो ऽथवा सर्वमासेषु रत्नानामलाभे हैममेव वा
In Phālguna, it should be made from moonstone; in Caitra, there may be an interchange; or, if gems are not available in any month, it may be made of gold.
हैमाभावे राजतं वा ताम्रजं शैलजन्तथा मृन्मयं वा यथालाभं जातुषं चान्यदेव वा
If gold is unavailable, then of silver, copper, stone, clay as obtainable, or even of lac or some other material.
सर्वगंधमयं वाथ लिंगं कुर्याद्यथारुचि व्रतावसानसमये समाचरितनित्यकः
Or, one may make the liṅga entirely of fragrant substances, as desired, at the conclusion of the vow, having performed the regular observances.
कृत्वा वैशेषिकीं पूजां हुत्वा चैव यथा पुरा संपूज्य च तथाचार्यं व्रतिनश्च विशेषतः
Having performed the special worship and made the offerings as before, and having honored the teacher and especially the vow-observer,
देशिकेनाप्यनुज्ञातः प्राङ्मुखो वाप्युदङ्मुखः दर्भासनो दर्भपाणिः प्राणापानौ नियम्य च
Having received permission from the preceptor, facing east or north, seated on darbha grass and holding darbha in hand, having controlled the in-breath and out-breath,
जपित्वा शक्तितो मूलं ध्यात्वा साम्बं त्रियम्बकम् अनुज्ञाप्य यथापूर्वं नमस्कृत्य कृताञ्जलिः
Reciting the root mantra to the best of one's ability, meditating on Triambaka with Ambā, and, having obtained permission as before, bowing with joined palms,
समुत्सृजामि भगवन्व्रतमेतत्त्वदाज्ञया इत्युक्त्वा लिंगमूलस्थान्दर्भानुत्तरतस्त्यजेत्
One should say, 'O Lord, by your command I relinquish this vow,' and then place the darbha grass, which was at the base of the liṅga, to the north.
ततो दण्डजटाचीरमेखला अपि चोत्सृजेत् पुनराचम्य विधिवत्पञ्चाक्षरमुदीरयेत्
Then, one should remove the staff, matted locks, and girdle; after performing purification again according to rule, one should recite the five-syllable mantra.
यः कृत्वात्यंतिकीं दीक्षामादेहान्तमनाकुलः व्रतमेतत्प्रकुर्वीत स तु वै नैष्ठिकः स्मृतः
He who, having undergone the final initiation, observes this vow without agitation until the end of his body—he is known as a Naiṣṭhika.
सो ऽत्याश्रमी च विज्ञेयो महापाशुपतस्तथा स एव तपतां श्रेष्ठ स एव च महाव्रती
He is to be understood as beyond all stages of life, as a great Pāśupata; he alone is the foremost of ascetics, and he alone is the great vow-holder.
न तेन सदृशः कश्चित्कृतकृत्यो मुमुक्षुषु यो यतिर्नैष्ठिको जातस्तमाहुर्नैष्ठिकोत्तमम्
Among those seeking liberation, there is no one accomplished like him; the ascetic who has become a Naiṣṭhika is called the highest among Naiṣṭhikas.
यो ऽन्वहं द्वादशाहं वा व्रतमेतत्समाचरेत् सो ऽपि नैष्ठिकतुल्यः स्यात्तीव्रव्रतसमन्वयात्
He who observes this vow daily or for twelve days is also considered equal to a Naiṣṭhika, due to his connection with an intense vow.
घृताक्तो यश्चरेदेतद्व्रतं व्रतपरायणः द्वित्रैकदिवसं वापि स च कश्चन नैष्ठिकः
Whoever, devoted to vows, performs this observance anointed with ghee, even for two, three, or just one day, is indeed a true renunciant.
कृत्यमित्येव निष्कामो यश्चरेद्व्रतमुत्तमम् शिवार्पितात्मा सततं न तेन सदृशः क्वचित्
Whoever, without desire, performs this supreme vow simply as a duty, with his self always offered to Shiva, there is no one anywhere equal to him.
भस्मच्छन्नो द्विजो विद्वान्महापातकसंभवैः पापैस्सुदारुणैस्सद्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
A learned twice-born, covered in ash, is instantly freed from the most terrible sins arising from great transgressions—of this there is no doubt.
रुद्राग्निर्यत्परं वीर्यन्तद्भस्म परिकीर्तितम् तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु वीर्यवान्भस्मसंयुतः
That which is called the supreme power of Rudra's fire is this ash; therefore, at all times, one endowed with ash possesses that power.
भस्मनिष्ठस्य नश्यन्ति देषा भस्माग्निसंगमात् भस्मस्नानविशुद्धात्मा भस्मनिष्ठ इति स्मृतः
For one established in ash, faults are destroyed by the union of ash and fire; one whose mind is purified by bathing in ash is known as established in ash.
भस्मना दिग्धसर्वांगो भस्मदीप्तत्रिपुंड्रकः भस्मस्नायी च पुरुषो भस्मनिष्ठ इति स्मृतः
A person whose whole body is smeared with ash, who bears the shining three lines of ash, and who bathes in ash, is remembered as established in ash.
भूतप्रेतपिशासाश्च रोगाश्चातीव दुस्सहाः भस्मनिष्ठस्य सान्निध्याद्विद्रवंति न संशयः
Ghosts, spirits, demons, and even extremely unbearable diseases flee from the presence of one established in ash—there is no doubt.
भासनाद्भासितं प्रोक्तं भस्म कल्मषभक्षणात् भूतिभूतिकरी चैव रक्षा रक्षाकरी परम्
Because it illumines, it is called 'bhasma'; because it consumes impurities, it is called 'bhasma'; it is the essence of being, the maker of being, the highest protection, the giver of protection.
किमन्यदिह वक्तव्यं भस्ममाहात्म्यकारणम् व्रती च भस्मना स्नातस्स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः
What more needs to be said about the greatness of ash? Even the god Maheshvara himself, devoted to vows, bathes in ash.
परमास्त्रं च शैवानां भस्मैतत्पारमेश्वरम् धौम्याग्रजस्य तपसि व्यापदो यन्निवारिताः
This ash, belonging to the Supreme Lord, is the highest weapon of the Shaivas, by which the calamities in the austerity of Dhaumya's elder brother were averted.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कृत्वा पाशुपतव्रतम् धनवद्भस्म संगृह्य भस्मस्नानरतो भवेत्
Therefore, with all effort, having performed the Pashupata vow, one should collect the ash as if it were wealth and be devoted to bathing in ash.
धौम्याग्रजेन शुशुना क्षीरार्थं हि तपः कृतम् तस्मात् क्षीरार्णवो दत्तस्तस्मै देवेन शूलिना
By Dhaumya's elder brother, Shushuna, austerity was performed for the sake of milk; therefore, the ocean of milk was given to him by the god with the trident.