Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

स कथं शिशुको लेभे शिवशास्त्रप्रवक्तृताम् कथं वा शिवसद्भावं ज्ञात्वा तपसि निष्ठितः

How did that child attain the role of expounder of Shiva's teachings? Or, having realized the true nature of Shiva, how did he become steadfast in austerity?

कथं च लब्धविज्ञानस्तपश्चरणपर्वणि रुद्राग्नेर्यत्परं वीर्यं लभे भस्म स्वरक्षकम्

And how, having gained knowledge during the course of his austerities, did he obtain the supreme power of Rudra's fire—the ash that protects oneself?

न ह्येष शिशुकः कश्चित्प्राकृतः कृतवांस्तपः मुनिवर्यस्य तनयो व्याघ्रपादस्य धीमतः

For this child was not an ordinary one who performed austerity; he was the son of the eminent sage Vyaghrapada, wise among sages.

जन्मान्तरेण संसिद्धः केनापि खलु हेतुना स्वपदप्रच्युतो दिष्ट्या प्राप्तो मुनिकुमारताम्

Perfected in a previous birth by some cause, he had, by destiny, fallen from his own state and attained the status of a sage's son.

महादेवप्रसादस्य भाग्यापन्नस्य भाविनः दुग्धाभिलाषप्रभवद्वारतामगमत्तपः

Because of the favor of Mahadeva, and due to his good fortune, he undertook austerity prompted by the desire for milk.

अतः सर्वगणेशत्वं कुमारत्वं च शाश्वतम् सह दुग्धाब्धिना तस्मै प्रददौ शंकरः स्वयम्

Therefore, together with the ocean of milk, Shankara himself granted him lordship over all the hosts and eternal youth.

तस्य ज्ञानागमोप्यस्य प्रसादादेव शांकरात् कौमारं हि परं साक्षाज्ज्ञानं शक्तिमयं विदुः

Even the knowledge of the sacred tradition was obtained by him solely through the grace of Śaṅkara; for the supreme knowledge, directly manifest, is known to be of Kumāra, consisting of power.

शिवशास्त्रप्रवक्तृत्वमपि तस्य हि तत्कृतम् कुमारो मुनितो लब्धज्ञानाब्धिरिव नन्दनः

His role as a proclaimer of the teachings of Śiva was also established by that; Kumāra, having received the ocean of knowledge from the sage, was like Nandana.

दृष्टं तु कारणं तस्य शिवज्ञानसमन्वये स्वमातृवचनं साक्षाच्छोकजं क्षीरकारणात्

The reason for his absorption in the knowledge of Śiva is seen: his own mother's words, directly arising from sorrow, were the cause, just as milk is produced.

कदाचित्क्षीरमत्यल्पं पीतवान्मातुलाश्रमे ईर्षयया मातुलसुतं संतृप्तक्षीरमुत्तमम्

Once, while staying at his uncle's hermitage, he drank only a little milk out of jealousy, seeing his cousin fully satisfied with excellent milk.