Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 13
Sourceत्रिपुण्डधारणमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच महापातकसङ्घाश्च पातकान्यपराण्यपि । नश्यन्ति मुनिशार्दूल सत्यं सत्यं न चान्यथा ॥ १ ॥ एकं भस्म धृतं येन तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु । यतीनां ज्ञानदं प्रोक्तं वानस्थानां विरक्तिदम् ॥ २ ॥ गृहस्थानां मुने तद्वद्धर्मवृद्धिकरं तथा । ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमस्थानां स्वाध्यायप्रदमेव च ॥ ३ ॥ शूद्राणां पुण्यदं नित्यमन्येषां पापनाशनम् । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् ॥ ४ ॥ रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् ॥ ५ ॥ यज्ञत्वेनैव सर्वेषां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् ॥ ६ ॥ सर्वधर्मतया तेषां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् ॥ ७ ॥ माहेश्वराणां लिङ्गार्थं विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । भस्मनोद्धूलनं चैव तथा तिर्यक् त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् ॥ ८ ॥ विज्ञानार्थं च सर्वेषां विधत्ते वैदिकी श्रुतिः । शिवेन विष्णुना चैव ब्रह्मणा वज्रिणा तथा ॥ ९ ॥ हिरण्यगर्भेण तदवतारैर्वरुणादिभिः । देवताभिर्धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मकम् ॥ १० ॥ उमादेव्या च लक्ष्या च वाचा चान्याभिरास्तिकैः । सर्वस्त्रीभिर्धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मना ॥ ११ ॥ यक्षराक्षसगन्धर्वसिद्धविद्याधरादिभिः । मुनिभिश्च धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मना ॥ १२ ॥ ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैः शूद्रेरपि च सङ्करैः । अपभ्रंशैर्धृतं भस्म त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनात्मना ॥ १३ ॥ उद्धूलनं त्रिपुण्ड्रं च यैः समाचरितं मुदा । त एव शिष्टा विद्वांसो नेतरे मुनिपुङ्गव ॥ १४ ॥ शिवलिङ्गं मणिः सख्यं मन्त्रः पञ्चाक्षरस्तथा । विभूतिरौषधं पुंसां मुक्तिस्त्रीवश्यकर्मणि ॥ १५ ॥ भुनक्ति यत्र भस्माङ्गो मूर्खो वा पण्डितोऽपि वा । तत्र भुङ्क्ते महादेवः सपत्नीको वृषध्वजः ॥ १६ ॥ भस्मसञ्छन्नसर्वाङ्गमनुगच्छति यः पुमान् । सर्वपातकयुक्तोऽपि पूजितो मानवोऽचिरात् ॥ १७ ॥ भस्मसञ्छन्नसर्वाङ्गं यः स्तौति श्रद्धया सह । सर्वपातकयुक्तोऽपि पूज्यते मानवोऽचिरात् ॥ १८ ॥ त्रिपुण्ड्रधारिणे भिक्षाप्रदानेन हि केवलम् । तेनाधीतं श्रुतं तेन तेन सर्वमनुष्ठितम् ॥ १९ ॥ येन विप्रेण शिरसि त्रिपुण्ड्रं भस्मना कृतम् । कीकटेष्वपि देशेषु यत्र भूतिविभूषणः ॥ २० ॥ मानवस्तु वसेन्नित्यं काशीक्षेत्रसमं हि तत् । दुःशीलः शीलयुक्तो वा योगयुक्तोऽप्यलक्षणः ॥ २१ ॥ भूतिशासनयुक्तो वा स पूज्यो मम पुत्रवत् । छद्मनापि चरेद्यो हि भूतिशासनमैश्वरम् ॥ २२ ॥ सोऽपि यां गतिमाप्नोति न तां यज्ञशतैरपि । सम्पर्काल्लीलया वापि भयाद्वा धारयेत्तु यः ॥ २३ ॥ विधियुक्तो विभूतिं तु स च पूज्यो यथा ह्यहम् । शिवस्य विष्णोर्देवानां ब्रह्मणस्तृप्तिकारणम् ॥ २४ ॥ पार्वत्याश्च महालक्ष्या भारत्यास्तृप्तिकारणम् । न दानेन न यज्ञेन न तपोभिः सुदुर्लभैः ॥ २५ ॥ न तीर्थयात्रया पुण्यं त्रिपुण्ड्रेण च लभ्यते । दानं यज्ञाश्च धर्माश्च तीर्थयात्राश्च नारद ॥ २६ ॥ ध्यानं तपस्त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् । यथा राजा स्वचिह्नाङ्कं स्वजनं मन्यते सदा ॥ २७ ॥ तथा शिवस्त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कं स्वकीयमिव मन्यते । द्विजातिर्वान्यजातिर्वा शुद्धचित्तेन भस्मना ॥ २८ ॥ धारयेद्यस्त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कं रुद्रस्तेन वशीकृतः । त्यक्तसर्वाश्रमाचारो लुप्तसर्वक्रियोऽपि सः ॥ २९ ॥ सकृत्तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कं धारयेत्सोऽपि मुच्यते । नास्य ज्ञानं परीक्षेत न कुलं न व्रतं तथा ॥ ३० ॥ त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कितभालेन पूज्य एव हि नारद । शिवमन्त्रात्परो मन्त्रो नास्ति तुल्यं शिवात्परम् ॥ ३१ ॥ शिवार्चनात्परं पुण्यं न हि तीर्थं च भस्मना । रुद्राग्नेर्यत्परं तीर्थं तद्भस्म परिकीर्तितम् ॥ ३२ ॥ ध्वंसनं सर्वदुःखानां सर्वपापविशोधनम् । अन्त्यजो वाधमो वापि मूर्खो वा पण्डितोऽपि वा ॥ ३३ ॥ यस्मिन्देशे वसेन्नित्यं भूतिशासनसंयुतः । तस्मिन्सदाशिवः सोमः सर्वभूतगणैर्वृतः । सर्वतीर्थेश्च संयुक्तः सान्निध्यं कुरुते सदा ॥ ३४ ॥ एतानि पञ्चशिवमन्त्रपवित्रितानि भस्मानि कामदहनाङ्गविभूषितानि । त्रैपुण्ड्रकाणि रचितानि ललाटपट्टे लुम्पन्ति दैवलिखितानि दुरक्षराणि ॥ ३५ ॥
tripuṇḍadhāraṇamāhātmyavarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca mahāpātakasaṅghāśca pātakānyaparāṇyapi | naśyanti muniśārdūla satyaṃ satyaṃ na cānyathā || 1 || ekaṃ bhasma dhṛtaṃ yena tasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu | yatīnāṃ jñānadaṃ proktaṃ vānasthānāṃ viraktidam || 2 || gṛhasthānāṃ mune tadvaddharmavṛddhikaraṃ tathā | brahmacaryāśramasthānāṃ svādhyāyapradameva ca || 3 || śūdrāṇāṃ puṇyadaṃ nityamanyeṣāṃ pāpanāśanam | bhasmanoddhūlanaṃ caiva tathā tiryak tripuṇḍrakam || 4 || rakṣārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ vidhatte vaidikī śrutiḥ | bhasmanoddhūlanaṃ caiva tathā tiryak tripuṇḍrakam || 5 || yajñatvenaiva sarveṣāṃ vidhatte vaidikī śrutiḥ | bhasmanoddhūlanaṃ caiva tathā tiryak tripuṇḍrakam || 6 || sarvadharmatayā teṣāṃ vidhatte vaidikī śrutiḥ | bhasmanoddhūlanaṃ caiva tathā tiryak tripuṇḍrakam || 7 || māheśvarāṇāṃ liṅgārthaṃ vidhatte vaidikī śrutiḥ | bhasmanoddhūlanaṃ caiva tathā tiryak tripuṇḍrakam || 8 || vijñānārthaṃ ca sarveṣāṃ vidhatte vaidikī śrutiḥ | śivena viṣṇunā caiva brahmaṇā vajriṇā tathā || 9 || hiraṇyagarbheṇa tadavatārairvaruṇādibhiḥ | devatābhirdhṛtaṃ bhasma tripuṇḍroddhūlanātmakam || 10 || umādevyā ca lakṣyā ca vācā cānyābhirāstikaiḥ | sarvastrībhirdhṛtaṃ bhasma tripuṇḍroddhūlanātmanā || 11 || yakṣarākṣasagandharvasiddhavidyādharādibhiḥ | munibhiśca dhṛtaṃ bhasma tripuṇḍroddhūlanātmanā || 12 || brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyairvaiśyaiḥ śūdrerapi ca saṅkaraiḥ | apabhraṃśairdhṛtaṃ bhasma tripuṇḍroddhūlanātmanā || 13 || uddhūlanaṃ tripuṇḍraṃ ca yaiḥ samācaritaṃ mudā | ta eva śiṣṭā vidvāṃso netare munipuṅgava || 14 || śivaliṅgaṃ maṇiḥ sakhyaṃ mantraḥ pañcākṣarastathā | vibhūtirauṣadhaṃ puṃsāṃ muktistrīvaśyakarmaṇi || 15 || bhunakti yatra bhasmāṅgo mūrkho vā paṇḍito'pi vā | tatra bhuṅkte mahādevaḥ sapatnīko vṛṣadhvajaḥ || 16 || bhasmasañchannasarvāṅgamanugacchati yaḥ pumān | sarvapātakayukto'pi pūjito mānavo'cirāt || 17 || bhasmasañchannasarvāṅgaṃ yaḥ stauti śraddhayā saha | sarvapātakayukto'pi pūjyate mānavo'cirāt || 18 || tripuṇḍradhāriṇe bhikṣāpradānena hi kevalam | tenādhītaṃ śrutaṃ tena tena sarvamanuṣṭhitam || 19 || yena vipreṇa śirasi tripuṇḍraṃ bhasmanā kṛtam | kīkaṭeṣvapi deśeṣu yatra bhūtivibhūṣaṇaḥ || 20 || mānavastu vasennityaṃ kāśīkṣetrasamaṃ hi tat | duḥśīlaḥ śīlayukto vā yogayukto'pyalakṣaṇaḥ || 21 || bhūtiśāsanayukto vā sa pūjyo mama putravat | chadmanāpi caredyo hi bhūtiśāsanamaiśvaram || 22 || so'pi yāṃ gatimāpnoti na tāṃ yajñaśatairapi | samparkāllīlayā vāpi bhayādvā dhārayettu yaḥ || 23 || vidhiyukto vibhūtiṃ tu sa ca pūjyo yathā hyaham | śivasya viṣṇordevānāṃ brahmaṇastṛptikāraṇam || 24 || pārvatyāśca mahālakṣyā bhāratyāstṛptikāraṇam | na dānena na yajñena na tapobhiḥ sudurlabhaiḥ || 25 || na tīrthayātrayā puṇyaṃ tripuṇḍreṇa ca labhyate | dānaṃ yajñāśca dharmāśca tīrthayātrāśca nārada || 26 || dhyānaṃ tapastripuṇḍrasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm | yathā rājā svacihnāṅkaṃ svajanaṃ manyate sadā || 27 || tathā śivastripuṇḍrāṅkaṃ svakīyamiva manyate | dvijātirvānyajātirvā śuddhacittena bhasmanā || 28 || dhārayedyastripuṇḍrāṅkaṃ rudrastena vaśīkṛtaḥ | tyaktasarvāśramācāro luptasarvakriyo'pi saḥ || 29 || sakṛttiryaktripuṇḍrāṅkaṃ dhārayetso'pi mucyate | nāsya jñānaṃ parīkṣeta na kulaṃ na vrataṃ tathā || 30 || tripuṇḍrāṅkitabhālena pūjya eva hi nārada | śivamantrātparo mantro nāsti tulyaṃ śivātparam || 31 || śivārcanātparaṃ puṇyaṃ na hi tīrthaṃ ca bhasmanā | rudrāgneryatparaṃ tīrthaṃ tadbhasma parikīrtitam || 32 || dhvaṃsanaṃ sarvaduḥkhānāṃ sarvapāpaviśodhanam | antyajo vādhamo vāpi mūrkho vā paṇḍito'pi vā || 33 || yasmindeśe vasennityaṃ bhūtiśāsanasaṃyutaḥ | tasminsadāśivaḥ somaḥ sarvabhūtagaṇairvṛtaḥ | sarvatīrtheśca saṃyuktaḥ sānnidhyaṃ kurute sadā || 34 || etāni pañcaśivamantrapavitritāni bhasmāni kāmadahanāṅgavibhūṣitāni | traipuṇḍrakāṇi racitāni lalāṭapaṭṭe lumpanti daivalikhitāni durakṣarāṇi || 35 ||
English translation
1-20. Narayana said O Best of Munis! What shall I describe to you the effects of using the Bhasma! Only applying the ashes takes away the Mahapatakas (great sins) as well as other minor sins of the devotee. I speak this truly, very truly unto you. Now hear the fruits of using simply the ashes. By using Bhasma, the knowledge of Brahma comes to the Yatis; the desires of enjoyments are eradicated; the improvement is felt in all the virtuous actions of the householders and the studies of the Vedas and other S’astras of the Brahmacharis get their increase. The S’udras get merits in using Bhasmas and the sins of others are destroyed. To besmear the body with ashes and to apply the curved Tripundras is the source of good to all beings. The S’ruti says so. That this implies the performance of sacrifices by all, is also asserted in the S’rutis. To apply ashes to the whole of the body and to use Tripundra is common to all the religions; it has nothing, in principle, contradictory to others. So the S’ruti says. This Tripundra and the besmearing with ashes is the special mark of the devotees of S’iva; this again is asserted in the S’ruti. This Bhasma and the Tripundra are the special marks by which one is characterised; it is said so in the Vaidik S’ruti. S’iva, Visnu, Brahma, Indra, Hiranyagarbha, and their Avataras, Varuna and the whole host of the Devas all gladly used this Tripundra and ashes. Durga,
Laksmi, and Sarasvati, etc., all the wives of the gods daily anoint their bodies with ashes and use the Tripundras. So even the Yaksas, Raksasas, Gandharbhas, Sidhas, Vidyadharas, and the Munis have applied Bhasma and Tripundra. This holding on of ashes is not prohibited to anybody; the Brahmanas, Ksattriyas, Vais’yas, S’udras, mixed castes, and the vile classes all can use this Bhasma and Tripundra. O Narada! In my opinion they only are the Sadhus (saints) who use this Tripundra and besmear their bodies with ashes. In seducing this Lady Mukti (liberation is personified here as a lady) one is to have this gem of S’iva Lingam, the five lettered Mantra Namah S’ivaya as the loving principle, and holding on the ashes as
the charming medicine (as in seducing any ordinary woman, gems, jewels and ornaments, love and charming medicines are necessary). O Narada! Know the place where the person, who has besmeared the holy with ashes and who has used Tripundra takes his food as where S’ankara and S’ankari have taken their food together. Even if anybody himself not using the Bhasma, follows another who has used the Bhasma, he will be soon honoured in the society even if he be a sinner. What more than this, if anybody himself not using the ashes, praises another who uses the Bhasma, he is freed from all his sins and gets soon honour and respect in the society. All the studies of the Vedas come to him though he has not studied the Vedas, all the fruits of hearing the S’rutis and the Puranas come to him, though he has not heard them, all the fruits of practised Dharma come to him though he has not practised any, if he always uses this Tripundra on his forehead and gives food to a beggar who uses Tripundra on his forehead. Even in courtries as Bihar (Kikata, etc., that have got a bad name) if there be a single man in the whole country whose body is besmeared with ashes and who uses this Tripundra, that is considered then as Kas’i (Benares city). Anybody, of a bad or of a good character, be he a Yogi or a sinner, using Bhasma, is worshipped like my son, Brahma. O Narada! Even if an hypocrite uses Bhasma, he will have a good future, which cannot be attained even by performing hundreds of sacrifices. If anybody uses Bhasma daily either through good companion or through neglect, he will be entitled, like me, to the highest worship. O Narada! Brahma, Visnu, MahesVara, Parvati, Laksmi, Sarasvati and all the other Devas become satisfied with simply holding on this Bhasma. The merits that are obtained by using only the Tripundra, cannot be obtained by gifts, sacrifices, severe austerities, and going to sacred places of pilgrimages. They cannot give one-sixteenth part of the result that accrues from holding the Tripundra. As a King recognises a person as his own, whom he has given some object of recognition, so Bhagavan S’ankara knows the man who uses Tripundras as His own person. They that hold Tripundras with devotion can have Bhola Natha under their control; no distinction is made here between the Brahmanas and Chandalas. Even if anybody be fallen from the state
of observing all the Acharas or rules of conduct proper to his As’rama and if he be faulty in not attending to all his duties, he will be Mukta (freed) if he has used even once this Bhasma Tripundra. Never bother yourself with the caste or the family of the holder of the Tripundras. Only see whether the sign Tripundra exists in his forehead. If so, consider him entitled to respect. O Narada! There is no mantra higher than this S’iva Mantra; there is no Deity higher than S’iva; there is no worship of greater merit-giving powers than the worship of S’iva; so there is no Tirtha superior to this Bhasma. This Bhasma is not an ordinary thing; it is the excellent energy (semen virile) of fire of the nature of Rudra. All sorts of troubles vanish, all sorts of sins are destroyed by this Bhasma. The country where the lowest castes reside with their bodies besmeared with ashes, is inhabited always by Bhagavan S’ankara, Bhagavati Lima, the Pramathas (the attendants of S’iva) and by all the Tirthas. Bhagavan S’ankara, first of all, held this Bhasma as an ornament to his body by purifying it first with “Sadyo data,” etc., the five mantras. Therefore if anybody uses the Bhasma Tripundra according to rules on his forehead, the writings written at the time of his birth by Vidhata Brahma will all be cancelled, if they had been bad. There is no doubt in this.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness of Bhasma in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24039, revision 84655 (2016-10-07T17:17:09Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk11ch13.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.