Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

पीत्वा स्थितं यथाकामं दृष्ट्वा वै मातुलात्मजम् उपमन्युर्व्याघ्रपादिः प्रीत्या प्रोवाच मातरम्

After drinking as much as he wished, seeing his uncle's son content, Upamanyu, son of Vyāghrapāda, joyfully spoke to his mother.

मातर्मातर्महाभागे मम देहि तपस्विनि गव्यं क्षीरमतिस्वादु नाल्पमुष्णं पिबाम्यहम्

"Mother, O greatly fortunate ascetic, give me cow's milk; I do not drink a little, lukewarm milk, but desire the very sweet kind."

तच्छ्रुत्वा पुत्रवचनं तन्माता च तपस्विनी व्याघ्रपादस्य महिषी दुःखमापत्तदा च सा

Hearing her son's words, his ascetic mother, the wife of Vyāghrapāda, was overcome with sorrow.

उपलाल्याथ सुप्रीत्या पुत्रमालिंग्य सादरम् दुःखिता विललापाथ स्मृत्वा नैर्धन्यमात्मनः

Then, embracing her son with great affection, she, distressed, lamented, recalling her own poverty.

स्मृत्वास्मृत्वा पुनः क्षीरमुपमन्युस्स बालकः देहि देहीति तामाह रुद्रन्भूयो महाद्युतिः

Remembering and forgetting, again and again, the child Upamanyu repeatedly said to her, "Give, give," shining greatly like Rudra.

तद्धठं सा परिज्ञाय द्विजपत्नी तपस्विनी शान्तये तद्धठस्याथ शुभोपायमरीरचत्

Recognizing his insistence, the ascetic wife of the sage devised a good means to quiet his demand.

उञ्छवृत्त्यार्जितान्बीजान्स्वयं दृष्ट्वा च सा तदा बीजपिष्टमथालोड्य तोयेन कलभाषिणी

Then, seeing some seeds she had obtained by gleaning, she ground them, mixed them with water, and spoke gently.

एह्येहि मम पुत्रेति सामपूर्वं ततस्सुतम् आलिंग्यादाय दुःखार्ता प्रददौ कृत्रिमं पयः

She called her son kindly, saying, "Come, come, my child," embraced him, and, afflicted with sorrow, gave him the artificial milk.

पीत्वा च कृत्रिमं क्षीरं मात्रां दत्तं स बालकः नैतत्क्षीरमिति प्राह मातरं चातिविह्वलः

After drinking the artificial milk given by his mother, the boy, greatly distressed, said to her, "This is not milk."

दुःखिता सा तदा प्राह संप्रेक्ष्याघ्राय मूर्धनि समार्ज्य नेत्र पुत्रस्य कराभ्यां कमलायते

Then, seeing him, she, sorrowful, smelled his head, wiped his lotus-like eyes with her hands, and spoke.