Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 15
Sourceत्रिपुण्ड्रोर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधारणविधिवर्णनम् त्रिपुण्ड्रोर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधारणविधिवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच अग्निरित्यादिभिर्मन्त्रैर्भस्म संशोध्य सादरम् । धारणीयं ललाटादौ त्रिपुण्ड्रं केवलं द्विजैः ॥ १ ॥ ब्रह्मक्षत्रियवैश्याश्च एते सर्वे द्विजाः स्मृताः । तस्माद्द्विजैः प्रयत्नेन त्रिपुण्ड्रं धार्यमन्वहम् ॥ २ ॥ यस्योपनयनं ब्रह्मन् स एव द्विज उच्यते । तस्माच्छ्रौतं द्विजैः कार्यं त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य च धारणम् ॥ ३ ॥ विभूतिधारणं त्यक्त्वा यः सत्कर्म समाचरेत् । तत्कृतं चाकृतप्रायं भवत्येव न संशयः ॥ ४ ॥ न गायत्र्युपदेशोऽपि भस्मनो धारणं विना । ततो धृत्वैव भस्माङ्गे गायत्रीजपमाचरेत् ॥ ५ ॥ गायत्रीं मूलमेवाहुर्ब्राह्मण्ये मुनिपुङ्गव । सा भस्मधारणाभावे न केनाप्युपदिश्यते ॥ ६ ॥ न तावदधिकारोऽस्ति गायत्रीग्रहणे मुने । यावन्न भस्म भालादौ धृतमग्निसमुद्भवम् ॥ ७ ॥ भस्महीनललाटत्वं न ब्रह्मण्यानुमापकम् । एवमेव मया ब्रह्मन् हेतुरुक्तः सुपुण्यदः ॥ ८ ॥ मन्त्रपूतं सितं भस्म ललाटे परिवर्तते । स एव ब्राह्मणो विद्वान्सत्यं सत्यं मयोच्यते ॥ ९ ॥ यस्यास्ति सहजा प्रीतिर्मणिवद्भस्मसंग्रहे । स एव ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मन् सत्यं सत्यं मयोच्यते ॥ १० ॥ न यस्य सहजा प्रीतिर्मणिवद्भस्मसंग्रहे । स चाण्डाल इति ज्ञेयो जन्मजन्मान्तरे ध्रुवम् ॥ ११ ॥ न यस्य सहजा प्रीतिस्त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनादिषु । स चाण्डाल इति ज्ञेयः सत्यं सत्यं मयोच्यते ॥ १२ ॥ ये भस्मधारणं त्यक्त्वा भुञ्जन्ते च फलादिकम् । ते सर्वे नरकं घोरं प्राप्नुवन्ति न संशयः ॥ १३ ॥ (विभूतिधारणं त्यक्त्वा यः शिवं पूजयिष्यति । स दुर्भगः शिवद्वेष्टा स द्वेषो नरकप्रदः । सर्वकर्मबहिर्भूतो भस्मधारणवर्जितः ॥) विभूतिधारणं त्यक्त्वा कुर्वन् हेमतुलामपि । न तत्फलमवाप्नोति पतितो हि भवेद्धि सः ॥ १४ ॥ यथोपवीतरहितैः सन्ध्या न क्रियते द्विजैः । तथा सन्ध्या न कर्तव्या विभूतिरहितैरपि ॥ १५ ॥ गतोपवीतैः सन्ध्यायां कार्यः प्रतिनिधिः क्वचित् । जपादिकं तु सावित्र्यास्तथैवोपोषणादिकम् ॥ १६ ॥ विभूतिधारणे त्वन्यो नास्ति प्रतिनिधिः क्वचित् । विभूतिधारणं त्यक्त्वा यदि सन्ध्यां करोति यः ॥ १७ ॥ प्रत्यवैत्येव येनासौ नाधिकारी तदा द्विजः । यथा श्रुत्वान्त्यजो वेदान्प्रत्यवैति तथा द्विजः ॥ १८ ॥ प्रत्यवैति न सन्देहः सन्ध्याकृद्भस्मवर्जितः । सम्पादनीय यत्नेन श्रौतं भस्म सदा द्विजैः ॥ १९ ॥ स्मार्तं वा तदभावे तु लौकिकं वा समाहितैः । यादृशं तादृशं वास्तु पवित्रं भस्म सन्ततम् ॥ २० ॥ धारणीयं प्रयत्नेन द्विजैः सन्ध्यादिकर्मसु । न संविशन्ति पापानि भस्मनिष्ठे ततः सदा ॥ २१ ॥ कर्तव्यमपि यत्नेन ब्राह्मणैर्भस्मधारणम् । मध्याङ्गुलित्रयेणैव स्वदक्षिणकरस्य तु ॥ २२ ॥ षडङ्गुलायतं मानमपि चाधिकमानकम् । नेत्रयुग्मप्रमाणेन भाले दीप्तं त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् ॥ २३ ॥ कदाचिद्भस्मना कुर्यात्स रुद्रो नात्र संशयः । अकारोऽनामिका प्रोक्त उकारो मध्यमाङ्गुलिः ॥ २४ ॥ मकारस्तर्जनी तस्मात् त्रिपुण्ड्रं त्रिगुणात्मकम् । त्रिपुण्ड्रं मध्यमातर्जन्यनामाभिरनुलोमतः ॥ २५ ॥ अत्र ते कथयाम्येनमितिहासं पुरातनम् । कदाचिदथ दुर्वासाः पितृलोकं गतोऽभवत् ॥ २६ ॥ भस्मसन्दिग्धसर्वाङ्गो रुद्राक्षाभरणान्वितः । शिव शङ्कर सर्वात्मञ्छ्रीमातर्जगदम्बिके ॥ २७ ॥ नामानीति गृणन्नुच्चैस्तापसानां शिखामणिः । कव्यवाडादयस्ते तु प्रत्युत्थानाभिवादनैः ॥ २८ ॥ आसनाद्युपचारैश्च सम्मानं बहु चक्रिरे । नानाकथाभिरन्योन्यं सम्भाषाञ्चक्रिरे तदा ॥ २९ ॥ तस्मिंस्तु समये कुम्भीपाकस्थानां तु पापिनाम् । घोरः समभवच्छब्दो हा हताः स्मेतिवादिनाम् ॥ ३० ॥ मृताः स्मेति वदन्त्येके दग्धाः स्मेति परे जगुः । छिन्नाः स्मेति विभिन्नाः स्मेत्येवं रोदनकारिणः ॥ ३१ ॥ श्रुत्वा तं करुण शब्दं दुःखितो मुनिराड् हृदि । पप्रच्छ पितृनाथांस्तान्केषां शब्दोऽयमित्यपि ॥ ३२ ॥ ते समूचुर्मुनेऽत्रैव पुरी संयमनी परा । वर्तते यमराडत्र पापिनां भोगदायकः ॥ ३३ ॥ नानादूतैः कालरूपैः कृष्णवर्णेर्भयङ्करैः । सहितोऽत्रैव तत्पुर्यां नायको विद्यतेऽनघ ॥ ३४ ॥ तत्र कुण्डान्यनेकानि पापिनां भोगदानि च । षडशीतिर्घोररूपैर्दूतैः परिवृतानि च ॥ ३५ ॥ तत्र मुख्यतमं कुण्डं कुम्भीपाकाभिधं महत् । वर्तते तद्गतानां च यातनानां तु वर्णनम् ॥ ३६ ॥ कर्तुं न शक्यते कैश्चिदपि वर्षशतैरपि । ये शिवद्रोहिणः सन्ति तथा देवीविनिन्दकाः ॥ ३७ ॥ ये विष्णुद्रोहिणः सन्ति पतन्त्यत्रैव ते मुने । ये वेदनिन्दकाः सन्ति सूर्यस्य च गणेशितुः ॥ ३८ ॥ ब्राह्मणानां द्रोहिणो ये पतन्त्यत्रैव ते मुने । कामाचाराश्च ये सन्ति तप्तमुद्राङ्किताश्च ये ॥ ३९ ॥ त्रिशूलधारिणो ये च पतन्त्यत्रैव ते मुने । मातृपितृगुरुज्येष्ठपुराणस्मृतिनिन्दकाः ॥ ४० ॥ ये धर्मदूषकाः सन्ति पतन्त्यत्रैव ते मुने । तेषामयं महाघोरः शब्दः श्रवणदारुणः ॥ ४१ ॥ श्रूयतेऽस्माभिरनिशं वैराग्यं यच्छ्रुतेर्भवेत् । इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा मुनिराट् तद्दिदृक्षया ॥ ४२ ॥ उत्थाय चलितस्तूर्णं ययौ कुण्डसमीपतः । अवाङ्मुखो ददर्शाधस्तस्मिन्नेव क्षणे मुने ॥ ४३ ॥ तत्रत्यानां पापिनां तु स्वर्गाधिकमभूत्सुखम् । हसन्ति केचिद्गायन्ति नृत्यन्ति च तथापरे ॥ ४४ ॥ परस्परं रमन्ते तेऽत्युन्मत्ताः सुखवर्धनात् । मृदङ्गमुरजावीणाढक्कादुन्दुभिनिस्वनाः ॥ ४५ ॥ समुद्भूतास्तु मधुराः पञ्चमस्वरभूषिताः । वसन्तवल्लीपुष्पाणां सुगन्धमरुतो ववुः ॥ ४६ ॥ मुनिस्तु चकितो दृष्ट्वा यमदूताश्च विस्मिताः । शीघ्रं ते कथयामासुर्धर्मराजाय वेदिने ॥ ४७ ॥ महाराज महाश्चर्यमधुनैवाभवद्विभो । स्वर्गादप्यधिकं सौख्यं कुम्भीपाकस्थपापिनाम् ॥ ४८ ॥ निमित्तं नैव जानीमः कस्मादिदमभूद्विभो । चकिताः स्म वयं सर्वे प्राप्ता देव त्वदन्तिकम् ॥ ४९ ॥ निशम्य दूतवाणीं तां धर्मराट् शीघ्रमुत्थितः । महामहिषमारूढो ययौ ते यत्र पापिनः ॥ ५० ॥ तां वार्तां प्रेषयामास दूतद्वारामरावतीम् । श्रुत्वा तां देवराजोऽपि प्राप्तो देवगणैः सह ॥ ५१ ॥ ब्रह्मलोकात्पद्मजोऽपि वैकुण्ठाद्विष्टरश्रवाः । तत्तल्लोकाच्च दिक्पालाः समाजग्मुर्गणैः सह ॥ ५२ ॥ परिवार्य स्थिताः सर्वे कुम्भीपाकमितस्ततः । अपश्यंस्तद्गताञ्जीवान्स्वर्गाधिकसुखान्त्वितान् ॥ ५३ ॥ चकिता एव ते सर्वे न विदुस्तस्य कारणम् । अहो पापस्य भोगार्थं कुण्डमेतद्विनिर्मितम् ॥ ५४ ॥ तत्र सौख्यं यदा जातं तदा पापात्तु किं भयम् । उच्छिन्ना वेदमर्यादा परमेशकृता कथम् ॥ ५५ ॥ भगवान् स्वस्य संकल्पं वितथं कृतवान्कथम् । आश्चर्यमेतदाश्चर्यमेतदित्येव भाषिणः ॥ ५६ ॥ तटस्था अभवन्सर्वे न विदुस्तत्र कारणम् । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे शौरिः सम्मन्त्र्य विबुधादिभिः ॥ ५७ ॥ ययौ कैश्चित्सुरगणैः सहितः शङ्करालयम् । पार्वत्या सहितं देवं कोटिकन्दर्पसुन्दरम् ॥ ५८ ॥ रमणीयतमाङ्गं तं लावण्यखनिमद्भुतम् । सदा षोडशवर्षीयं नानालङ्कारभूषितम् ॥ ५९ ॥ नानागणैः परिवृतं लालयन्तं परां शिवाम् । ददर्श चन्द्रमौलिं स चतुर्वेदं ननाम ह ॥ ६० ॥ वृत्तान्तं कथयामास चमत्कृतमतिस्फुटम् । एतस्य कारणं देव न जानीमः कथञ्चन ॥ ६१ ॥ वद तत्कारणं देव सर्वज्ञोऽसि यतः प्रभो । विष्णुवाक्यं तदा श्रुत्वा प्रसन्नमुखपङ्कजः ॥ ६२ ॥ उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं मेघगम्भीरया गिरा । शृणु विष्णो तन्निमित्तं नाश्चर्यं त्वत्र विद्यते ॥ ६३ ॥ भस्मनो महिमैवायं भस्मना किं भवेन्न हि । कुम्भीपाकं गतो द्रष्टुं दुर्वासाः शैवसम्मतः ॥ ६४ ॥ अवाङ्मुखो ददर्शाधस्तदा वायुवशाद्धरे । भालभस्मकणास्तत्र पतिता दैवयोगतः ॥ ६५ ॥ तेन जातमिदं सर्वं भस्मनो महिमा त्वयम् । इतः परं तु तत्तीर्थं पितृलोकनिवासिनाम् ॥ ६६ ॥ भविष्यति न सन्देहो यत्र स्नात्वा सुखी भवेत् । पितृतीर्थं तु तन्नाम्नाप्यत ऊर्ध्वं भविष्यति ॥ ६७ ॥ मल्लिङ्गस्थापनं तत्र कार्यं देव्याश्च सत्तम । पूजयिष्यन्ति ते तत्र पितृलोकनिवासिनः ॥ ६८ ॥ त्रैलोक्ये यानि तीर्थानि तत्र श्रेष्ठमिदं भवेत् । पित्रीश्वरीपूजया तु त्रैलोक्यं पूजितं भवेत् ॥ ६९ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच इति देववचः श्रुत्वा देवं मूर्ध्ना प्रणम्य च । तदनुज्ञां समादाय ययौ देवान्तिकं हरिः ॥ ७० ॥ तत्सर्वं कथयामास कारणं शङ्करोदितम् । साधु साध्विति ते प्रोचुरमरा मौलिचालनैः ॥ ७१ ॥ शशंसुर्भस्ममाहात्म्यं हरिब्रह्मादयः सुराः । पितरश्चैव सन्तुष्टास्तीर्थलाभात्परन्तप ॥ ७२ ॥ तत्तीर्थतीरे लिङ्गं च देव्या मूर्तिं यथाविधि । स्थापयामासुरमराः पूजयामासुरन्वहम् ॥ ७३ ॥ तत्र ये प्राणिनोऽभूवन्पापभोगार्थमास्थिताः । ते विमानं समारुह्य गताः कैलासमण्डलम् ॥ ७४ ॥ नाम्ना भद्रगणास्ते तु वसन्त्यद्यापि तत्र हि । पुनश्च दूरदेशे तु कुम्भीपाको विनिर्मितः ॥ ७५ ॥ निरुद्धं शैवगमनं देवैस्तत्र तु तद्दिनात् । इति ते सर्वमाख्यातं भस्ममाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ॥ ७६ ॥ नातः परतरं किञ्चिदधिकं विद्यते मुने । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रविधिं चैवाप्यधिकारिविभेदतः ॥ ७७ ॥ प्रवक्ष्ये मुनिशार्दूल वैष्णवागमलोकनात् । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रप्रमाणानि दिव्यान्यङ्गुलिभेदतः ॥ ७८ ॥ वर्णाभिमन्त्रदेवांश्च प्रवक्ष्यामि फलानि च । पर्वताग्रे नदीतीरे शिवक्षेत्रे विशेषतः ॥ ७९ ॥ सिन्धुतीरे च वल्मीके तुलसीमूलमाश्रिते । मृद एतास्तु सङ्ग्राह्या वर्जयेदन्यमृत्तिकाः ॥ ८० ॥ श्यामं शान्तिकरं प्रोक्तं रक्तं वश्यकरं भवेत् । श्रीकरं पीतमित्याहुर्धर्मदं श्वेतमुच्यते ॥ ८१ ॥ अङ्गुष्ठः पुष्टिदः प्रोक्तो मध्यमायुष्करी भवेत् । अनामिकान्नदा नित्यं मुक्तिदा च प्रदेशिनी ॥ ८२ ॥ एतैरङ्गुलिभेदैस्तु कारयेन्न नखैः स्पृशेत् । वर्तिदीपावलिकृतिं वेणपत्राकृतिं तथा ॥ ८३ ॥ पद्मस्य मुकुलाकारं तथा कुर्यात्प्रयत्नतः । मत्स्यकूर्माकृतिं वापि शङ्खाकारं ततः परम् ॥ ८४ ॥ दशाङ्गुलिप्रमाणं तु उत्तमोत्तममुच्यते । नवाङ्गुलं मध्यमं स्यादष्टाङ्गुलमतः परम् ॥ ८५ ॥ सप्तषट्पञ्चभिः पुण्ड्रं मध्यमं त्रिविधं स्मृतम् । चतुस्त्रिद्व्यङ्गुलैः पुण्ड्रं कनिष्ठं त्रिविधं भवेत् ॥ ८६ ॥ ललाटे केशवं विद्यान्नारायणमथोदरे । माधवं हृदि विन्यस्य गोविन्दं कण्ठकूपके ॥ ८७ ॥ उदरे दक्षिणे पार्श्वे विष्णुरित्यभिधीयते । तत्पार्श्वबाहुमध्ये च मधुसूदनमेव च ॥ ८८ ॥ त्रिविक्रमं कर्णदेशे वामकुक्षौ तु वामनम् । श्रीधरं बाहुके वामे हृषीकेशं तु कर्णके ॥ ८९ ॥ पृष्ठे च पद्मनाभं तु ककुद्दामोदरं स्मरेत् । द्वादशैतानि नामानि वासुदेवेति मूर्धनि ॥ ९० ॥ पूजाकाले च होमे च सायं प्रातः समाहितः । नामान्युच्चार्य विधिना धारयेदूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रकम् ॥ ९१ ॥ अशुचिर्वाप्यनाचारो मनसा पापमाचरेत् । शुचिरेव भवेन्नित्यं मूर्ध्नि पुण्ड्राङ्कितो नरः ॥ ९२ ॥ ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधरो मर्त्यो म्रियते यत्र कुत्रचित् । श्वपाकोऽपि विमानस्थो मम लोके महीयते ॥ ९३ ॥ एकान्तिनो महाभागा मत्स्वरूपविदोऽमलाः । सान्तरालान्प्रकुर्वन्ति पुण्ड्रान्विष्णुपदाकृतीन् ॥ ९४ ॥ परमैकान्तिनोऽप्येवं मत्पादैकपरायणाः । हरिद्राचूर्णसंयुक्ताञ्छूलाकारांस्तु वामलान् ॥ ९५ ॥ अन्ये तु वैष्णवाः पुण्ड्रानच्छिद्रानपि भक्तितः । प्रकुर्वीरन्दीपपद्मवेणुपत्रोपमाकृतीन् ॥ ९६ ॥ अच्छिद्रानपि सच्छिद्रान् कुर्युः केवलवैष्णवाः । अच्छिद्रकरणे तेषां प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ॥ ९७ ॥ एकान्तिनां प्रपन्नानां परमैकान्तिनामपि । अच्छिद्रपुण्ड्राकरणे प्रत्यवायो महान्भवेत् ॥ ९८ ॥ ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं तु यः कुर्याद्दण्डाकारं तु शोभनम् । मध्ये छिद्रं वैष्णवाश्च नमोऽन्तैः केशवादिभिः ॥ ९९ ॥ विमलान्यूर्ध्वपुण्ड्राणि सान्तरालानि यो नरः । करोति विपुलं तत्र मन्दिरं मे करोति सः ॥ १०० ॥ ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रस्य मध्ये तु विशाले सुमनोहरे । लक्ष्म्या साकं सहासीनो रमते विष्णुरव्ययः ॥ १०१ ॥ निरन्तरालं यः कुर्यादूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं द्विजाधमः । स हि तत्र स्थितं विष्णुं श्रियं चैव व्यपोहति ॥ १०२ ॥ अच्छिद्रमूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं तु यः करोति विमूढधीः । स पर्यायेण तानेति नरकानेकविंशतिम् ॥ १०३ ॥ ऋजूनि स्फुटपार्श्वानि सान्तरालानि विन्यसेत् । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्राणि दण्डाब्जदीपमत्स्यनिभानि च ॥ १०४ ॥ शिखोपवीतवद्धार्यमूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं द्विजेन च । विना कृताश्चेद्विफलाः क्रियाः सर्वा महामुने ॥ १०५ ॥ तस्मात्सर्वेषु कार्येषु कार्यं विप्रस्य धीमतः । ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रं त्रिशूलं च वर्तुलं चतुरस्रकम् ॥ १०६ ॥ अर्धचन्द्रादिकं लिङ्गं वेदनिष्ठो न धारयेत् । जन्मना लब्धजातिस्तु वेदपन्थानमाश्रितः ॥ १०७ ॥ पुण्ड्रान्तरं भ्रमाद्वापि ललाटे नैव धारयेत् । ख्यातिकान्त्यादिसिद्ध्यर्थं चापि विष्ण्वागमादिषु ॥ १०८ ॥ स्थितं पुण्ड्रान्तरं नैव धारयेद्वैदिको जनः । तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रं सन्त्यज्य श्रौतं कथमपि भ्रमात् ॥ १०९ ॥ ललाटे भस्मना तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य च धारणम् । विना पुण्ड्रान्तरं मोहाद्धारयन्नारकी भवेत् ॥ ११० ॥ वेदमार्गैकनिष्ठस्तु मोहेनाप्यङ्कितो यदि । पतत्येव न सन्देहस्तथा पुण्ड्रान्तरादपि ॥ १११ ॥ नाङ्कनं विग्रहे कुर्याद्वेदमार्गं समाश्रितः । श्रौतधर्मैकनिष्ठानां लिङ्गं तु श्रौतमेव हि ॥ ११२ ॥ अश्रौतधर्मनिष्ठानामश्रौत लिङ्गमीरितम् । देवता वेदसिद्धा यास्तासां लिङ्गं तु वैदिकम् ॥ ११३ ॥ अश्रौततन्त्रनिष्ठा यास्तासामश्रौतमेव हि । वेदसिद्धो महादेवः साक्षात्संसारमोचकः ॥ ११४ ॥ भक्तानामुपकाराय श्रौतं लिङ्गं दधाति च । वेदसिद्धस्य विष्णोश्च श्रौतं लिङ्गं न चेतरत् ॥ ११५ ॥ प्रादुर्भावविशेषाणामपि तस्य तदेव हि । श्रौतं लिङ्गं तु विज्ञेयं त्रिपुण्ड्रोद्धूलनादिकम् ॥ ११६ ॥ अश्रौतमूर्ध्वपुण्ड्रादि नैव तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् । वेदमार्गैकनिष्ठानां वेदोक्तेनैव वर्त्मना ॥ ११७ ॥ ललाटे भस्मना तिर्यक्त्रिपुण्ड्रं धार्यमेव हि । यस्तु नारायणं देवं प्रपन्नः परमं पदम् । धारयेत्सर्वदा शूलं ललाटे गन्धवारिणा ॥ ११८ ॥
tripuṇḍrordhvapuṇḍradhāraṇavidhivarṇanam tripuṇḍrordhvapuṇḍradhāraṇavidhivarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca agnirityādibhirmantrairbhasma saṃśodhya sādaram | dhāraṇīyaṃ lalāṭādau tripuṇḍraṃ kevalaṃ dvijaiḥ || 1 || brahmakṣatriyavaiśyāśca ete sarve dvijāḥ smṛtāḥ | tasmāddvijaiḥ prayatnena tripuṇḍraṃ dhāryamanvaham || 2 || yasyopanayanaṃ brahman sa eva dvija ucyate | tasmācchrautaṃ dvijaiḥ kāryaṃ tripuṇḍrasya ca dhāraṇam || 3 || vibhūtidhāraṇaṃ tyaktvā yaḥ satkarma samācaret | tatkṛtaṃ cākṛtaprāyaṃ bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ || 4 || na gāyatryupadeśo'pi bhasmano dhāraṇaṃ vinā | tato dhṛtvaiva bhasmāṅge gāyatrījapamācaret || 5 || gāyatrīṃ mūlamevāhurbrāhmaṇye munipuṅgava | sā bhasmadhāraṇābhāve na kenāpyupadiśyate || 6 || na tāvadadhikāro'sti gāyatrīgrahaṇe mune | yāvanna bhasma bhālādau dhṛtamagnisamudbhavam || 7 || bhasmahīnalalāṭatvaṃ na brahmaṇyānumāpakam | evameva mayā brahman heturuktaḥ supuṇyadaḥ || 8 || mantrapūtaṃ sitaṃ bhasma lalāṭe parivartate | sa eva brāhmaṇo vidvānsatyaṃ satyaṃ mayocyate || 9 || yasyāsti sahajā prītirmaṇivadbhasmasaṃgrahe | sa eva brāhmaṇo brahman satyaṃ satyaṃ mayocyate || 10 || na yasya sahajā prītirmaṇivadbhasmasaṃgrahe | sa cāṇḍāla iti jñeyo janmajanmāntare dhruvam || 11 || na yasya sahajā prītistripuṇḍroddhūlanādiṣu | sa cāṇḍāla iti jñeyaḥ satyaṃ satyaṃ mayocyate || 12 || ye bhasmadhāraṇaṃ tyaktvā bhuñjante ca phalādikam | te sarve narakaṃ ghoraṃ prāpnuvanti na saṃśayaḥ || 13 || (vibhūtidhāraṇaṃ tyaktvā yaḥ śivaṃ pūjayiṣyati | sa durbhagaḥ śivadveṣṭā sa dveṣo narakapradaḥ | sarvakarmabahirbhūto bhasmadhāraṇavarjitaḥ ||) vibhūtidhāraṇaṃ tyaktvā kurvan hematulāmapi | na tatphalamavāpnoti patito hi bhaveddhi saḥ || 14 || yathopavītarahitaiḥ sandhyā na kriyate dvijaiḥ | tathā sandhyā na kartavyā vibhūtirahitairapi || 15 || gatopavītaiḥ sandhyāyāṃ kāryaḥ pratinidhiḥ kvacit | japādikaṃ tu sāvitryāstathaivopoṣaṇādikam || 16 || vibhūtidhāraṇe tvanyo nāsti pratinidhiḥ kvacit | vibhūtidhāraṇaṃ tyaktvā yadi sandhyāṃ karoti yaḥ || 17 || pratyavaityeva yenāsau nādhikārī tadā dvijaḥ | yathā śrutvāntyajo vedānpratyavaiti tathā dvijaḥ || 18 || pratyavaiti na sandehaḥ sandhyākṛdbhasmavarjitaḥ | sampādanīya yatnena śrautaṃ bhasma sadā dvijaiḥ || 19 || smārtaṃ vā tadabhāve tu laukikaṃ vā samāhitaiḥ | yādṛśaṃ tādṛśaṃ vāstu pavitraṃ bhasma santatam || 20 || dhāraṇīyaṃ prayatnena dvijaiḥ sandhyādikarmasu | na saṃviśanti pāpāni bhasmaniṣṭhe tataḥ sadā || 21 || kartavyamapi yatnena brāhmaṇairbhasmadhāraṇam | madhyāṅgulitrayeṇaiva svadakṣiṇakarasya tu || 22 || ṣaḍaṅgulāyataṃ mānamapi cādhikamānakam | netrayugmapramāṇena bhāle dīptaṃ tripuṇḍrakam || 23 || kadācidbhasmanā kuryātsa rudro nātra saṃśayaḥ | akāro'nāmikā prokta ukāro madhyamāṅguliḥ || 24 || makārastarjanī tasmāt tripuṇḍraṃ triguṇātmakam | tripuṇḍraṃ madhyamātarjanyanāmābhiranulomataḥ || 25 || atra te kathayāmyenamitihāsaṃ purātanam | kadācidatha durvāsāḥ pitṛlokaṃ gato'bhavat || 26 || bhasmasandigdhasarvāṅgo rudrākṣābharaṇānvitaḥ | śiva śaṅkara sarvātmañchrīmātarjagadambike || 27 || nāmānīti gṛṇannuccaistāpasānāṃ śikhāmaṇiḥ | kavyavāḍādayaste tu pratyutthānābhivādanaiḥ || 28 || āsanādyupacāraiśca sammānaṃ bahu cakrire | nānākathābhiranyonyaṃ sambhāṣāñcakrire tadā || 29 || tasmiṃstu samaye kumbhīpākasthānāṃ tu pāpinām | ghoraḥ samabhavacchabdo hā hatāḥ smetivādinām || 30 || mṛtāḥ smeti vadantyeke dagdhāḥ smeti pare jaguḥ | chinnāḥ smeti vibhinnāḥ smetyevaṃ rodanakāriṇaḥ || 31 || śrutvā taṃ karuṇa śabdaṃ duḥkhito munirāḍ hṛdi | papraccha pitṛnāthāṃstānkeṣāṃ śabdo'yamityapi || 32 || te samūcurmune'traiva purī saṃyamanī parā | vartate yamarāḍatra pāpināṃ bhogadāyakaḥ || 33 || nānādūtaiḥ kālarūpaiḥ kṛṣṇavarṇerbhayaṅkaraiḥ | sahito'traiva tatpuryāṃ nāyako vidyate'nagha || 34 || tatra kuṇḍānyanekāni pāpināṃ bhogadāni ca | ṣaḍaśītirghorarūpairdūtaiḥ parivṛtāni ca || 35 || tatra mukhyatamaṃ kuṇḍaṃ kumbhīpākābhidhaṃ mahat | vartate tadgatānāṃ ca yātanānāṃ tu varṇanam || 36 || kartuṃ na śakyate kaiścidapi varṣaśatairapi | ye śivadrohiṇaḥ santi tathā devīvinindakāḥ || 37 || ye viṣṇudrohiṇaḥ santi patantyatraiva te mune | ye vedanindakāḥ santi sūryasya ca gaṇeśituḥ || 38 || brāhmaṇānāṃ drohiṇo ye patantyatraiva te mune | kāmācārāśca ye santi taptamudrāṅkitāśca ye || 39 || triśūladhāriṇo ye ca patantyatraiva te mune | mātṛpitṛgurujyeṣṭhapurāṇasmṛtinindakāḥ || 40 || ye dharmadūṣakāḥ santi patantyatraiva te mune | teṣāmayaṃ mahāghoraḥ śabdaḥ śravaṇadāruṇaḥ || 41 || śrūyate'smābhiraniśaṃ vairāgyaṃ yacchruterbhavet | iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā munirāṭ taddidṛkṣayā || 42 || utthāya calitastūrṇaṃ yayau kuṇḍasamīpataḥ | avāṅmukho dadarśādhastasminneva kṣaṇe mune || 43 || tatratyānāṃ pāpināṃ tu svargādhikamabhūtsukham | hasanti kecidgāyanti nṛtyanti ca tathāpare || 44 || parasparaṃ ramante te'tyunmattāḥ sukhavardhanāt | mṛdaṅgamurajāvīṇāḍhakkādundubhinisvanāḥ || 45 || samudbhūtāstu madhurāḥ pañcamasvarabhūṣitāḥ | vasantavallīpuṣpāṇāṃ sugandhamaruto vavuḥ || 46 || munistu cakito dṛṣṭvā yamadūtāśca vismitāḥ | śīghraṃ te kathayāmāsurdharmarājāya vedine || 47 || mahārāja mahāścaryamadhunaivābhavadvibho | svargādapyadhikaṃ saukhyaṃ kumbhīpākasthapāpinām || 48 || nimittaṃ naiva jānīmaḥ kasmādidamabhūdvibho | cakitāḥ sma vayaṃ sarve prāptā deva tvadantikam || 49 || niśamya dūtavāṇīṃ tāṃ dharmarāṭ śīghramutthitaḥ | mahāmahiṣamārūḍho yayau te yatra pāpinaḥ || 50 || tāṃ vārtāṃ preṣayāmāsa dūtadvārāmarāvatīm | śrutvā tāṃ devarājo'pi prāpto devagaṇaiḥ saha || 51 || brahmalokātpadmajo'pi vaikuṇṭhādviṣṭaraśravāḥ | tattallokācca dikpālāḥ samājagmurgaṇaiḥ saha || 52 || parivārya sthitāḥ sarve kumbhīpākamitastataḥ | apaśyaṃstadgatāñjīvānsvargādhikasukhāntvitān || 53 || cakitā eva te sarve na vidustasya kāraṇam | aho pāpasya bhogārthaṃ kuṇḍametadvinirmitam || 54 || tatra saukhyaṃ yadā jātaṃ tadā pāpāttu kiṃ bhayam | ucchinnā vedamaryādā parameśakṛtā katham || 55 || bhagavān svasya saṃkalpaṃ vitathaṃ kṛtavānkatham | āścaryametadāścaryametadityeva bhāṣiṇaḥ || 56 || taṭasthā abhavansarve na vidustatra kāraṇam | etasminnantare śauriḥ sammantrya vibudhādibhiḥ || 57 || yayau kaiścitsuragaṇaiḥ sahitaḥ śaṅkarālayam | pārvatyā sahitaṃ devaṃ koṭikandarpasundaram || 58 || ramaṇīyatamāṅgaṃ taṃ lāvaṇyakhanimadbhutam | sadā ṣoḍaśavarṣīyaṃ nānālaṅkārabhūṣitam || 59 || nānāgaṇaiḥ parivṛtaṃ lālayantaṃ parāṃ śivām | dadarśa candramauliṃ sa caturvedaṃ nanāma ha || 60 || vṛttāntaṃ kathayāmāsa camatkṛtamatisphuṭam | etasya kāraṇaṃ deva na jānīmaḥ kathañcana || 61 || vada tatkāraṇaṃ deva sarvajño'si yataḥ prabho | viṣṇuvākyaṃ tadā śrutvā prasannamukhapaṅkajaḥ || 62 || uvāca madhuraṃ vākyaṃ meghagambhīrayā girā | śṛṇu viṣṇo tannimittaṃ nāścaryaṃ tvatra vidyate || 63 || bhasmano mahimaivāyaṃ bhasmanā kiṃ bhavenna hi | kumbhīpākaṃ gato draṣṭuṃ durvāsāḥ śaivasammataḥ || 64 || avāṅmukho dadarśādhastadā vāyuvaśāddhare | bhālabhasmakaṇāstatra patitā daivayogataḥ || 65 || tena jātamidaṃ sarvaṃ bhasmano mahimā tvayam | itaḥ paraṃ tu tattīrthaṃ pitṛlokanivāsinām || 66 || bhaviṣyati na sandeho yatra snātvā sukhī bhavet | pitṛtīrthaṃ tu tannāmnāpyata ūrdhvaṃ bhaviṣyati || 67 || malliṅgasthāpanaṃ tatra kāryaṃ devyāśca sattama | pūjayiṣyanti te tatra pitṛlokanivāsinaḥ || 68 || trailokye yāni tīrthāni tatra śreṣṭhamidaṃ bhavet | pitrīśvarīpūjayā tu trailokyaṃ pūjitaṃ bhavet || 69 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca iti devavacaḥ śrutvā devaṃ mūrdhnā praṇamya ca | tadanujñāṃ samādāya yayau devāntikaṃ hariḥ || 70 || tatsarvaṃ kathayāmāsa kāraṇaṃ śaṅkaroditam | sādhu sādhviti te procuramarā maulicālanaiḥ || 71 || śaśaṃsurbhasmamāhātmyaṃ haribrahmādayaḥ surāḥ | pitaraścaiva santuṣṭāstīrthalābhātparantapa || 72 || tattīrthatīre liṅgaṃ ca devyā mūrtiṃ yathāvidhi | sthāpayāmāsuramarāḥ pūjayāmāsuranvaham || 73 || tatra ye prāṇino'bhūvanpāpabhogārthamāsthitāḥ | te vimānaṃ samāruhya gatāḥ kailāsamaṇḍalam || 74 || nāmnā bhadragaṇāste tu vasantyadyāpi tatra hi | punaśca dūradeśe tu kumbhīpāko vinirmitaḥ || 75 || niruddhaṃ śaivagamanaṃ devaistatra tu taddināt | iti te sarvamākhyātaṃ bhasmamāhātmyamuttamam || 76 || nātaḥ parataraṃ kiñcidadhikaṃ vidyate mune | ūrdhvapuṇḍravidhiṃ caivāpyadhikārivibhedataḥ || 77 || pravakṣye muniśārdūla vaiṣṇavāgamalokanāt | ūrdhvapuṇḍrapramāṇāni divyānyaṅgulibhedataḥ || 78 || varṇābhimantradevāṃśca pravakṣyāmi phalāni ca | parvatāgre nadītīre śivakṣetre viśeṣataḥ || 79 || sindhutīre ca valmīke tulasīmūlamāśrite | mṛda etāstu saṅgrāhyā varjayedanyamṛttikāḥ || 80 || śyāmaṃ śāntikaraṃ proktaṃ raktaṃ vaśyakaraṃ bhavet | śrīkaraṃ pītamityāhurdharmadaṃ śvetamucyate || 81 || aṅguṣṭhaḥ puṣṭidaḥ prokto madhyamāyuṣkarī bhavet | anāmikānnadā nityaṃ muktidā ca pradeśinī || 82 || etairaṅgulibhedaistu kārayenna nakhaiḥ spṛśet | vartidīpāvalikṛtiṃ veṇapatrākṛtiṃ tathā || 83 || padmasya mukulākāraṃ tathā kuryātprayatnataḥ | matsyakūrmākṛtiṃ vāpi śaṅkhākāraṃ tataḥ param || 84 || daśāṅgulipramāṇaṃ tu uttamottamamucyate | navāṅgulaṃ madhyamaṃ syādaṣṭāṅgulamataḥ param || 85 || saptaṣaṭpañcabhiḥ puṇḍraṃ madhyamaṃ trividhaṃ smṛtam | catustridvyaṅgulaiḥ puṇḍraṃ kaniṣṭhaṃ trividhaṃ bhavet || 86 || lalāṭe keśavaṃ vidyānnārāyaṇamathodare | mādhavaṃ hṛdi vinyasya govindaṃ kaṇṭhakūpake || 87 || udare dakṣiṇe pārśve viṣṇurityabhidhīyate | tatpārśvabāhumadhye ca madhusūdanameva ca || 88 || trivikramaṃ karṇadeśe vāmakukṣau tu vāmanam | śrīdharaṃ bāhuke vāme hṛṣīkeśaṃ tu karṇake || 89 || pṛṣṭhe ca padmanābhaṃ tu kakuddāmodaraṃ smaret | dvādaśaitāni nāmāni vāsudeveti mūrdhani || 90 || pūjākāle ca home ca sāyaṃ prātaḥ samāhitaḥ | nāmānyuccārya vidhinā dhārayedūrdhvapuṇḍrakam || 91 || aśucirvāpyanācāro manasā pāpamācaret | śucireva bhavennityaṃ mūrdhni puṇḍrāṅkito naraḥ || 92 || ūrdhvapuṇḍradharo martyo mriyate yatra kutracit | śvapāko'pi vimānastho mama loke mahīyate || 93 || ekāntino mahābhāgā matsvarūpavido'malāḥ | sāntarālānprakurvanti puṇḍrānviṣṇupadākṛtīn || 94 || paramaikāntino'pyevaṃ matpādaikaparāyaṇāḥ | haridrācūrṇasaṃyuktāñchūlākārāṃstu vāmalān || 95 || anye tu vaiṣṇavāḥ puṇḍrānacchidrānapi bhaktitaḥ | prakurvīrandīpapadmaveṇupatropamākṛtīn || 96 || acchidrānapi sacchidrān kuryuḥ kevalavaiṣṇavāḥ | acchidrakaraṇe teṣāṃ pratyavāyo na vidyate || 97 || ekāntināṃ prapannānāṃ paramaikāntināmapi | acchidrapuṇḍrākaraṇe pratyavāyo mahānbhavet || 98 || ūrdhvapuṇḍraṃ tu yaḥ kuryāddaṇḍākāraṃ tu śobhanam | madhye chidraṃ vaiṣṇavāśca namo'ntaiḥ keśavādibhiḥ || 99 || vimalānyūrdhvapuṇḍrāṇi sāntarālāni yo naraḥ | karoti vipulaṃ tatra mandiraṃ me karoti saḥ || 100 || ūrdhvapuṇḍrasya madhye tu viśāle sumanohare | lakṣmyā sākaṃ sahāsīno ramate viṣṇuravyayaḥ || 101 || nirantarālaṃ yaḥ kuryādūrdhvapuṇḍraṃ dvijādhamaḥ | sa hi tatra sthitaṃ viṣṇuṃ śriyaṃ caiva vyapohati || 102 || acchidramūrdhvapuṇḍraṃ tu yaḥ karoti vimūḍhadhīḥ | sa paryāyeṇa tāneti narakānekaviṃśatim || 103 || ṛjūni sphuṭapārśvāni sāntarālāni vinyaset | ūrdhvapuṇḍrāṇi daṇḍābjadīpamatsyanibhāni ca || 104 || śikhopavītavaddhāryamūrdhvapuṇḍraṃ dvijena ca | vinā kṛtāścedviphalāḥ kriyāḥ sarvā mahāmune || 105 || tasmātsarveṣu kāryeṣu kāryaṃ viprasya dhīmataḥ | ūrdhvapuṇḍraṃ triśūlaṃ ca vartulaṃ caturasrakam || 106 || ardhacandrādikaṃ liṅgaṃ vedaniṣṭho na dhārayet | janmanā labdhajātistu vedapanthānamāśritaḥ || 107 || puṇḍrāntaraṃ bhramādvāpi lalāṭe naiva dhārayet | khyātikāntyādisiddhyarthaṃ cāpi viṣṇvāgamādiṣu || 108 || sthitaṃ puṇḍrāntaraṃ naiva dhārayedvaidiko janaḥ | tiryaktripuṇḍraṃ santyajya śrautaṃ kathamapi bhramāt || 109 || lalāṭe bhasmanā tiryaktripuṇḍrasya ca dhāraṇam | vinā puṇḍrāntaraṃ mohāddhārayannārakī bhavet || 110 || vedamārgaikaniṣṭhastu mohenāpyaṅkito yadi | patatyeva na sandehastathā puṇḍrāntarādapi || 111 || nāṅkanaṃ vigrahe kuryādvedamārgaṃ samāśritaḥ | śrautadharmaikaniṣṭhānāṃ liṅgaṃ tu śrautameva hi || 112 || aśrautadharmaniṣṭhānāmaśrauta liṅgamīritam | devatā vedasiddhā yāstāsāṃ liṅgaṃ tu vaidikam || 113 || aśrautatantraniṣṭhā yāstāsāmaśrautameva hi | vedasiddho mahādevaḥ sākṣātsaṃsāramocakaḥ || 114 || bhaktānāmupakārāya śrautaṃ liṅgaṃ dadhāti ca | vedasiddhasya viṣṇośca śrautaṃ liṅgaṃ na cetarat || 115 || prādurbhāvaviśeṣāṇāmapi tasya tadeva hi | śrautaṃ liṅgaṃ tu vijñeyaṃ tripuṇḍroddhūlanādikam || 116 || aśrautamūrdhvapuṇḍrādi naiva tiryaktripuṇḍrakam | vedamārgaikaniṣṭhānāṃ vedoktenaiva vartmanā || 117 || lalāṭe bhasmanā tiryaktripuṇḍraṃ dhāryameva hi | yastu nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ prapannaḥ paramaṃ padam | dhārayetsarvadā śūlaṃ lalāṭe gandhavāriṇā || 118 ||
English translation
1-10. Narayana said Only the twice born are to take this Tripundra on the forehead and the other parts of the body after carefully purifying the ashes by the mantra Agniriti Bhasma, etc. The Brahmans, Ksattriyas, and Vais’yas are known as the twiceborn, (the Dvijas). So the Dvijas ought to take daily this Tripundra with great care. O Brahmana! Those who are purified with the ceremony of the holy thread, are called the Dvijas. For these the taking of Tripundra as per S’ruti is very necessary. Without taking this Vibhuti, any good work done is as it were not done. There is no doubt in this. Even the japam of Gayatri is not well performed if this Bhasma be not used. O Best of Munis! The Gayatri is the most important and the chief thing of the Brahmanhood. But that is not advised if the Tripundra be not taken. O Munis! As long as the ashes born of Agni are not applied on the forehead, one is not entitled to be initiated in the Gayatri Mantra. O Brahman! Unless ashes be applied on the forehead, no one will recognise you as a Brahmana. For this reason I take this holding of the merit-giving Tripundra as the cause of the Brahmanhood. I speak this verily unto you, that he is recognised as a Brahmana and literary on whose forehead there is seen the white ashes purified by the mantra. He is entitled to the state of a Brahmana who is naturally very eager to collect the ashes as he collects the invaluable gems and jewels.
11-20. Those who are not naturally eager to collect the Bhasma as they are naturally eager to collect gems and jewel, are to be known as Chandalas in some of their previous births. Those who are not naturally joyous in holding Tripundra, were verily Chandalas in their previous births; this I tell you truly very truly.
Those who eat roots and fruits without holding ashes go to the terrible hells. He who worships S’iva without having Bibhuti on his forehead, that wretch is a S’iva hater and goes to hell after his death. He who does not hold Bibhuti is not entitled to any religious act.
Without taking Bibhuti, if you make a gift of Tula Purusa made of gold, you won’t get any fruits. Rather you will have to go to hell!
As the Brahmanas are not to perform their Sandhyas without their holy threads, so without this Bibhuti, one ought not also to perform one’s Sandhya.
If at times a man by chance has no holy thread, he can do his Sandhya by muttering the Gayatri or by fasting. But there is no such rule in holding Bhasma.
If one performs Sandhya, without having any Bibhuti, he is liable to incur a sin; as without holding this Bhasma, no right can come to him to perform his Sandhya.
As a man of a lowest caste acts contrary and incurs a sin if he hears the Veda mantra, so a twice-born incurs a sin if he performs Sandhya without having his Tripundra. The twiceborn must therefore collect his thoughts with his heart intent on this Tripundra whether it be according to S’rauta or Smarta method; or in absence thereof the Laukika Bhasma. Of whatsoever sort is the Bhasma, it is always pure. In the Sandhya and other actions of worship, the twiceborn ought to be very careful and punctilious in using this Bhasma.
21-31. No sin can enter into the body of one besmeared with ashes. For this reason, the Brahmanas ought always to use ashes with great care. One is to hold the Tripundra, six Angulas high or greater by the fore, middle and ring fingers of the right hand. If anybody uses Tripundra, shining and brilliant, and extending from eye to eye, he becomes, no doubt, a Rudra. The ring-finger is the letter “A,” the middle finger is “U” and the forefinger is “M”; so the Tripundra marks drawn by the above three fingers is of the nature of the three gunas. The Tripundra should be drawn by the middle, fore, and ring fingers in a reverse way (from the left of the forehead to its right). I will now tell you an anecdote, very ancient. Listen. Once Durvasa, the head of the ascetics, with his body besmeared with ashes and with Rudraksam, all over, on his body went to the region of the Pitris, uttering loudly, “O S’ankara, of the Form of All! O S’iva! O Mother Jagadambe, the Source of all auspiciousness!” The Pitris Kavya- Valas, etc., (Kavya Valanalah Somah Yamah schaivaryama Tatha, Agnisvattva, Varhisadah, Somapah Pitri Devatah) got up, received him heartily and gave him seats and shewed him great honours and respect and held many pure conversations with the Muni. During their talk, the sinners of the Kumbhipaka hell were crying, “Oh! Alas! We are killed, we are being killed. Oh! We are being burnt!” some others cried, “Oh! Oh! We are cut down.” Thus various cries and lamentations reached their ears.
32-40. Hearing their piteous cries, Durvasa, the prince of the Risis, asked with a grievous heart the Pitris, “Who are those crying?” The Pitris replied There is a city close to our place called “Samyamani Puri” of the King Yama where the sinners are punished. Yama gives punishment to the sinners there. O Sinless One! In that city the King Yama lives with his terrible black-coloured messengers, the personifications of Kala (the Destruction). For the punishment of the sinners, eighty-six hells exist there. The place is being guarded always by the horrible messengers of Yama. Out of those hells, the hell named Kumbhipaka is very big and that is the chief of the hells.
The ailings and torments of the sinners in the Kumbhipaka hell cannot be described in hundred years. O Muni! The S’iva-haters, the Visnu-haters, the DevT-haters are made to fall to this Kunda. Those who find fault with the Vedas, and blame the Sun, Ganes’a and tyrannise the Brahmanas fall down to this hell. Those who blame their mothers, fathers. Gurus, elder brothers, the Smritis and Puranas and those as well who take the Tapta Mudras (hot marks on their bodies) and Tapta S’ulas (i.e., those who being S’aivas act as they like) those who blame the religion (Dharma) go down to that hell.
41-50. We hear constantly their loud piteous cries, very painful to hear; hearing which naturally gives rise to feelings of indifference (Vairagyam). Hearing the above words of the Piths, Durvasa, the prince of the Munis, went to the hell to see the sinners. O Muni! Going there, the Muni bent his head downwards and saw the sinners when, instantly the sinners began to enjoy pleasures more than those who enjoy in the Heavens. The sinners became exceedingly glad. Some began to sing, some began to dance, some began to laugh; some sinners began to play one with one another in great ecstasy. The musical instruments Mridanga, Muraja, lute, Dhakka, Dundubhis, etc., resounded with sweet sonorous tones (in accordance with five resonants). The sweet fragrant smell of the flowers of Vasanti creepers spread all round. Durvasa Muni became surprised to see all this. The messengers of Yama were startled and immediately went to their King Yama and said “O Lord! Our King! A wondrous event occurred lately. The sinners in the Kumbhipaka hell are now enjoying pleasures more than those in the Heavens. O Bibhu! How can this take place! We cannot make out the cause of this. O Deva! We all have become terrified and have come to you.” Hearing the words of the messengers, Dharmaraja, mounting on his great buffalo, came there instantly and seeing the state of the sinners sent news immediately to the Heavens.
51-60. Hearing the news Indra came there with all the Devas,
Brahma came there from His Brahmaloka; and Narayana came there from Vaikuntha. Hearing this, the regents of the quarters, the Dikpalas came there with all their attendants from their respective abodes. They all came there to the Kumbhipaka hell and saw that all the beings there are enjoying greater pleasures than those in the Heavens. They all were astonished to see this; and they could not make out why this had happened. “What a wonder is this! This Kunda has been built for the punishment of the sinners. When such a pleasure is now being felt here, the people won’t fear anything henceforth to commit sins. Why is this order of the Vedas created by God reversed? Why has God undone His own doing? What a wonder is this! Now a great miracle is before our sight.” Thus speaking, they remained at a fix. They could not make out the cause of this. In the meanwhile Bhagavan Narayana after consulting with the other Devas went with some Devas to the abode of S’ankara in Kailas’a. They saw there that S’ri Bhagavan S’ankara (with crescent of the Moon on His forehead) was playing there attended always by the Pramathas and adorned with various ornaments like a youth, sixteen years old. His parts of the body were very beautiful as if the mine of loveliness. He was conversing on various delightful subjects with His consort Parvati and pleasing Her mind. The four Vedas were there personified. Seeing Him, Narayana bowed down and informed him clearly of all the wonderful events. He said
61-75. “O Deva! What is the cause of all this? We cannot make out anything! O Lord! Thou art omniscient. Thou knowest everything. So kindly mention how is this brought about!” Hearing Visnu’s words. Bhagavan S’ankara spoke graciously in sweet words, grave as the rumbling of a rain-cloud “O Visnu! Hear the cause of this. What wonder is there? This is all due to the greatness of Bhasma (ashes)! What cannot be brought about by Bhasma! The great S’aiva Durvasa went to see the Kumbhipaka hell, besmearing his whole body with Bhasma and looked downwards while he was looking at
the sinners. At that time, accidentally a particle of Bhasma from his forehead was blown by air to the bodies of the sinners in the hell. Thereby they were freed of their sins and they got so much pleasure! Such is the greatness of Bhasma! Henceforth the Kumbhipaka will no more be a hell. It will be a Tirtha (holy place of pilgrimage) of the residents of the Pitrilokas. Whoever will bathe there will be very happy. There is no doubt in this. Its name will be henceforth the Pith Tirtha.
O Sattama! My Lingam and the form of Bhagavati ought to be placed there. The inhabitants of the Pith Loka would worship them. This will be the best of all the Tirthas extant in the three Lokas. And if the PitrisVari there be worshipped, know that the worship of the Triloki is done. Narayana said Hearing thus the words of S’ankara, the Deva of the Devas, He thanked Him and, taking His permission came to the Devas and informed them of everything what S’ankara had said. Hearing this, the Devas nodded their heads and said, “Sadhu (well, very well)” and began to glorify the greatness of Bhasma. O Tormenter of the enemies! Hah, Brahma and the other Devas began to eulogise the glories of ashes. The Pitris became very glad to get a new Tirtha. The Devas planted a S’iva Lingam and the form of the Devi on the banks of the new Tirtha, and began to worship them regularly day by day. The sinners that were there suffering, all ascended on the celestial chariot and got up to Kailas’a. Even today they are all dwelling in Kailas’a and are known by the name of the Bhadras. The hell Kumbhipaka came to be built afterwards in another place.
76-84. Since that day the Devas did not allow any other devotee of S’iva to go to the newly created hell Kumbhipaka. Thus I have described to you the excellent greatness of the Bhasma. O Muni! What more can there be than the glories of the Bhasma! O Best of Munis! Now I am telling you of the usage of Urdhapundra (the
vertical marks) according to the proper province of the devotees. Listen. I will now speak what I have ascertained from the study of the Vaisnava S’astras, the measure of Urdhapundra, according to the Anguli measurements, the colour, mantra, Devata and the fruits thereof. Hear. The earth required is to be seen red from the crests of hills, the banks of the rivers, the place of S’iva (S’iva Ksettram), the ocean beaches, the ant-hill, or from the roots of the Tulasi plants.
The earth is not to be had from any other places. The black coloured earth brings in peace, the red-colour earth brings in powers to bring another to one’s control; the yellow-coloured earth increases prosperity and the white-coloured earth gives Dharma (religion). If the Urdhapundra be drawn by the thumb, nourishment is obtained; if it be drawn by the middle finger, longevity is increased; if it be drawn by nameless or ring finger, food is obtained and if it be drawn by the fore finger, liberation is attained. So the Urdhapundras ought to be drawn by these fingers, only be careful to see that the nails do not touch at the time of making the mark. The shape of the Urdhapundra (the vertical mark or sign on the fore-head) is like a flame or like the opening bud of a lotus, or like the leaf of a bamboo, or like a fish, or like a tortoise or like a conch-shell.
85-95. The Urdhapundra, ten Angulis high is the super best; nine Angulis high, is best; eight Angulis high, is good; the middling Urdhapundra is of three kinds as it is of seven Angulas, six Angulas, or five Angulas. The lowest Urdhapundra is again of three kinds as it is four Angulas, three Angulas or two Angulas high. On the Urdhapundra of the forehead, you must meditate Kes’ava, on the belly you must think of Narayana; on the heart, you must meditate on Madhava; and on the neck, you must meditate on Govinda. So on the right side of the belly, you must meditate on Madhusudana; on the roots of the ears, on Trivikrama; on the left belly, on Vamana; on the arms, on S’ridhara; on the ears, Hrisikes’a; on the back, Padmanabha; on the shoulders Damodara; and on the head Brahmarandhra you must meditate on Vasudeva. Thus the twelve
names are to be meditated. In the morning or in the evening time when you are going to make the Puja or Homa, you are to take duly, single-in-intent, the above names and make the marks of Urdhapundras. Any man, with Urdhapundra on his head, is always pure, whether he be impure, or of unrighteous conduct or whether he commits a sin mentally. Wherever he dies, he comes to My Abode even if he be of a Chandala caste. My devotees ( Vira Vaisnavas or Mahavira Vaisnavas) who know My Nature must keep an empty space between the two lines of Urdhapundra of the form of the Visnupada (the feet of Visnu) and those who are my best devotees are to use nice Urdhapundras, made of turmeric powder, of the size of a spear (S’ula), of the form of the feet of Visnu (Visnu padah).
96. The ordinary Vaisnavas are to use with Bhakti, the Urdhapundras without any empty space, but the form of it is to be like a flame, the blossom of a lily or like a bamboo leaf.
97-110. Those who are Vaisnavas in name only can use Urdhapundra of both the kinds, with or without any empty space. They incur no sin if they use one without an empty space. But those who are My good devotees, incur sin if they do not keep an empty space between the two vertical lines (in the Urdhapundra three vertical lines are used). The Vaisnavas who use excellent vertical rod like Urdhapundras keeping an empty space in the middle and uttering the mantra “Kesvaya Namah” build My Temple there. In the beautiful middle space of Urdhapundra, the Undecaying Visnu is playing with Laksmi. That wretch, the twice-born who uses Urdhapundra without any empty apace kills Visnu and Laksmi, seated there. The stupid who uses Urdhapundra without a vacant space goes successively to twenty-one hells. The Urdhapundra should be of the size of a clear straight rod, lotus, flame, a fish with sharp straight edges and with vacant spaces between them. O Great Muni! The Brahmana should always use the Tripundra like the lock
of hair on the crown of his head and like his Sacrificial thread; otherwise all his actions will be fruitless. Therefore in all ceremonies and actions the Brahmanas ought to use Urdhapundras of the form of a trident, a circle or of a square form. The Brahmana who knows the Vedas is never to use the semi-moonlike mark (Tilak) on his bead. The man who is of the Brahmin caste and follows the path of the Vedas should not even by mistake use any other mark than those above-mentioned. Other sorts of pundras (marks) that are mentioned in other Vaisnava S’astras for the attainment of fame, beauty, etc., the Veda-knowing Brahmanas should not use them. The Vaidik Brahmanas should not use even in error any other Tilaks than the curved Tripundras
If, out of delusion, the man, following the path of the Vedas, uses other sorts of Tripundras, he would certainly go down to hell.
111-118. The Veda-knowing Brahmanas would certainly go down to hell if they use other sorts of Tripundras on their bodies. Only the Tilakas, prescribed in the Vedas ought to be used by those who are devoted to the Vedas. Those who do not observe the duties of the Vedas would use Tilaks approved of by other S’astras. Those should use marks approved of by the Vedas whose Deity is that of the Vedas. Those who follow the Tantra S’astras different from the Vedas, should use marks approved of by the Tantras.
Maha Deva is the Veda’s Deity and, ready to deliver from the bondages of the world. He has prescribed the Tilakas prescribed in the Vedas for the benefit of the devotees. The marks prescribed by Visnu, also a Deity of the Vedas, are also those of the Vedas. His other Avataras also use marks approved of by the Vedas. The Tripundras and the besmearing of the body with ashes are according to the Vedas. In the Tantra S’astra different from the Vedas, there is
the usage of Tripundra and other marks. But they are not to be used by the Vaidiks. No never.
Those who follow the path of the Vedas should use the curved Tripundras and Bhasma on their foreheads according to the rules prescribed in the Vedas.
He who has obtained the highest state of Narayana, i.e., who has realised My Nature, ought to use always on their foreheads S’ula marks scented with fragrant sandalpaste.
Here ends the Fifteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the rules of using the Tripundra and Urdhapundra marks in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24041, revision 84658 (2016-10-07T17:26:07Z). 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/bk11ch15.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.