Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

पूजांतेस्थापयेल्लिंगंसंपुटेषुपृथग्गृहे करपूजानिवृत्तानांस्वभोज्यंतुनिवेदयेत्

At the end of worship, one should place the liṅga in a container or in a separate house; for those who are inactive, their own food should be offered.

निवृत्तानांपरंसूक्ष्मलिंगमेवविशिष्यते विभूत्यभ्यर्चनं कुर्याद्विभूतिंचनिवेदयेत्

For those who are inactive, the subtle liṅga is especially distinguished; one should worship with vibhūti and offer vibhūti as well.

पूजांकृत्वाथतल्लिंगंशिरसाधारयेत्सदा विभूतिस्त्रिविधाप्रोक्तालोकवेदशिवाग्निभिः

After worship, one should always place that liṅga on the head; vibhūti is said to be threefold, from worldly, Vedic, and Shiva fires.

लोकाग्निजमथो भस्मद्रव्यशुद्ध्यर्थमावहेत् मृद्दारुलोहरूपाणांधान्यानांचतथैवच

Ash produced from worldly fire is used for purifying substances; of clay, wood, metal forms, grains, and likewise.

तिलादीनां च द्रव्याणांवस्त्रादीनांतथैव च तथापर्युषितानांचभस्मनाशिद्धिरिष्यते

Of sesame and other substances, and of cloth and the like, and also of those that are stale, purification by ash is desired.

श्वादिभिर्दूषितानांचभस्मनाशुद्धिरिष्यते सजलंनिर्जलंभस्म यथायोग्यं तु योजयेत्

For those defiled by dogs and others, purification by ash is desired; one should apply ash, with or without water, as appropriate.

वेदाग्निजंतथाभस्मतत्कर्मांतेषु धारयेत् मंत्रेणक्रिययाजन्यंकर्माग्नौ भस्मरूपधृक्

One should wear ash produced from Vedic fire at the end of rituals; ash generated by mantra and ritual, taken from the ritual fire.

तद्भस्मधारणात्कर्म स्वात्मन्यारोपितं भवेत् अघोरेणात्मंत्रेण बिल्वकाष्ठंप्रदाहयेत्

By wearing that ash, the ritual is established in oneself; with the aghora mantra, one should burn bilva wood.

शिवाग्निरितिसंप्रोक्तस्तेनदग्धंशिवाग्निजम् कपिलागोमयं पूर्वं केवलं गव्यमेव वा

It is called Shiva fire; that which is burned by it is Shiva-fire ash; first, use the dung of a tawny cow, or simply cow dung.

शम्यस्वत्थपलाशान्वावटारम्वधबिल्वकान् शिवाग्निनादहेच्छुद्धंतद्वैभस्म शिवाग्निजम्

Ashes produced from burning the wood of the shami, asvattha, palasha, audumbara, vata, bilva, and similar trees in the sacred fire of Shiva, after purification, are indeed called bhasma, born from Shiva's fire.

दर्भाग्नौ वादहेत्काष्ठंशिवमंत्रंसमुच्चरन् सम्यक्संशोध्यवस्त्रेणनवकुंभेनिधापयेत्

Or, by burning darbha grass or other suitable wood in fire, while reciting the Shiva mantra, and properly purifying it with a clean cloth, one should place the fresh ashes in a new vessel.

दीप्त्यर्थं तत्तु संग्राह्यं मन्यते पूज्यतेपि च भस्मशब्दार्थ एवं हि शिवःपूर्वंतथा ऽकरोत्

For the sake of brilliance, that (ash) should be collected and is considered worthy of worship; this is the meaning of the word 'bhasma,' for Shiva himself formerly did thus.

यथास्वविषयेराजासारंगृह्णातियत्करम् यथामनुष्याःसस्यादीन्दग्ध्वासारंभजंतिवै

Just as a king in his own domain takes the essence that is useful to him, and as people, after burning grains and the like, partake of the best part,

यथाहिजाठराग्निश्चभक्ष्यादीन्विविधान्बहून् दग्ध्वासारतरंसारात्स्वदेहंपरिपुष्यति

Just as the digestive fire in the belly, after burning up many and various foods, nourishes its own body with the finest essence from them,

तथाप्रपञ्चकर्तापिसशिवःपरमेश्वरः स्वाधिष्ठेयप्रपञ्चस्यदग्ध्वासारंगृहीतवान्

So too, the creator of the universe, Shiva, the Supreme Lord, after burning up the essence of the manifest world under his own control, has taken up that essence.

दग्ध्वाप्रपञ्चंतद्भस्मस्वात्मन्यारोपयच्छिवः उद्धूलनेनव्याजेन जगत्सारं गृहीतवान्

Having burned the universe, Shiva placed that ash upon himself; under the pretext of smearing, he has taken up the essence of the world.

स्वरत्नंस्थापयामास स्वकीयेहिशरीरके केशमाकाशसारेणवायुसारेणवैमुखम्

He established his own jewel (essence) in his body: his hair with the essence of space, his face with the essence of wind, turned away (from the world).

हृदयंचाग्निसारेणत्वपांसारेणवैकटिम् जानुचावनिसारेणतद्वत्सर्वं तदंगकम्

His heart with the essence of fire, his skin with the essence of earth, his knees with the essence of water; thus, all his limbs likewise.

ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोश्चरुद्राणांसारंचैवत्रिपुंड्रकम् तथातिलकरूपेणललाटान्तेमहेश्वरः

The essence of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra is the tripundra; likewise, as a mark upon the forehead, Maheshvara (the Great Lord) wears it.

भवृद्ध्यासर्वमेतद्धिमन्यतेस्वयमैत्यसौ प्रपञ्चसारसर्वस्वमनेनैववशीकृतम्

He himself considers all this as his own expansion; thus, the entire essence of the universe is subdued by him through this.

तस्मादस्यवशीकर्तानास्तीतिसशिवःस्मृतः यथासर्वमृगाणांचहिंसकोमृगहिंसकः

Therefore, he is called the subduer of all, just as among all animals, the lion is called the subduer of beasts.

अस्यहिंसामृगोनास्तिततस्मात्सिंह इतीरितः शं नित्यंसुखमानंदमिकारः पुरुषः स्मृतः

Because there is no beast that does not fear him, he is called the lion; 'sha' always means happiness and bliss, and 'ma' is known as the person (purusha).

वकारः शक्तिरमृतंमेलनंशिव उच्यते तस्मादेवंस्वमात्मानं शिवंकृत्वार्चयेच्छिवम्

'Va' is said to be Shakti, immortality, and union; thus, one should worship Shiva by making one's own self Shiva in this way.

तस्मादुद्धूलनंपूर्वं त्रिपुंड्रंधारयेत्परम् पूजाकालेहिसजलंशुद्ध्यर्थंनिर्जलंभवेत्

Therefore, before smearing (the ash), one should wear the tripundra in the highest manner; at the time of worship, with water for purification, or without water.

दिवावा यदिवारात्रौनारीवाथनरोपिवा पूजार्थंसजलंभस्मत्रिपुंड्रेणैवधारयेत्

Whether by day or night, whether woman or man, for the purpose of worship, one should wear the tripundra of bhasma with water.

त्रिपुंड्रंसजलंभस्मधृत्वापूजांकरोतियः शिवपूजांफलंसांगंतस्यैवहिसुनिश्चितम्

Whoever, having worn the tripundra of bhasma with water, performs worship, certainly attains the complete fruit of Shiva worship.

भस्मवैशिवमंत्रेणधृत्वाह्यत्याश्रमीभवेत् शिवाश्रमीतिसंप्रोक्तः शिवैकपरमोयतः

Having worn the bhasma with the Shiva mantra, one becomes truly an ascetic; he is called a follower of Shiva, for he is devoted solely to Shiva.

शिवव्रतैकनिष्ठस्यनाशौचंनचसूतकम् ललाटे ऽग्रेसितंभस्मतिलकंधारयेन्मृदा

One devoted solely to the Shiva vow need not observe impurity or birth pollution; he should wear a mark of sacred ash on his forehead, applied with earth.

स्वहस्ताद्गुरुहस्ताद्वाशिवभक्तस्यलक्षणम् गुणान्रुंध इति प्रोक्तोगुरुशब्दस्यविग्रहः

Whether applied by his own hand or by the hand of his guru, this is the sign of a Shiva devotee; it is said to restrain qualities, and this is the meaning of the word 'guru.'