Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 225
Sourceशंकर उवाच- ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रस्य माहात्म्यं वक्ष्यामि शुभदर्शने । धारणादेव मुच्येत भवबंधाद्द्विजोत्तमः १। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रस्य मध्ये तु विशाले सुमनोहरे । लक्ष्म्या सार्द्धं समासीनो देवदेवो जनार्दनः २ । तस्माद्यस्य शरीरे तु ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं धृतो भवेत् । तस्यदेहं भगवतो विमलं मंदिरं शुभम् ३। स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु सर्वयज्ञेषु दीक्षितः । धारयेदूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं यो मृदाशुभ्रेण वैष्णवः ४। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रधरो विप्रः सर्वलोकेषु पूजितः । विमानवरमारुह्य याति विष्णोः परं पदम् ५। धारयेदूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं तु त्रिसंध्यं तु द्विजोत्तमः । सर्वपापविशुद्ध्यर्थमिष्टापूर्तफलाप्तये ६। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रधरं दृष्ट्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । नमस्कृत्वाथवा भक्त्या सर्वदानफलं लभेत् ७। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रधरं विप्रं यः श्राद्धे भोजयिष्यति । आकल्पकोटिपितरस्तस्य तृप्ता न संशयः ८। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रधरो यस्तु कुर्याछ्रांद्धं शुभानने । कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि गयाश्राद्धफलं लभेत् ९। यज्ञदानतपश्चर्या जपहोमादिकं च यत् । ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रधरः कुर्यात्तस्य पुण्यमनंतकम् १०। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रविहीनस्तु किंचित्कर्म करोति यः । इष्टापूर्तादिकं सर्वं निष्फलं स्यान्न संशयः ११। यच्छरीरं मनुष्याणामूर्द्ध्वपुंड्र विवर्जितम् । द्रष्टव्यं नैव तत्किंचित्श्मशानसदृशं भवेत् १२। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रविहीनस्तु सन्ध्याकर्मादिकं चरेत् । तत्सर्वं राक्षसैर्नीतं नरकं चावगच्छति १३। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रधरोद्विप्रो मृदाशुभ्रेण वैदिकः । न तिर्यग्धारयेद्विद्वानापद्यपि कदाचन १४। विप्राणामूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं स्यात्तिलकं तु महीभृतः । पट्टाकारं तु वैश्यानां शूद्राणां वै त्रिपुंड्रकम् १५। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं मृदा कार्यं कस्तूर्य्यास्तिलकं तथा । पट्टाकारं तु गंधेन भस्मनैव त्रिपुंड्रकम् १६। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं तु सर्वेषां न निषिद्धं कदाचन । धारयेत्क्षत्रियाद्योऽपि विष्णुभक्तो भवेद्यदि १७। विप्राणां नैव कार्य्यं स्यात्तिर्य्यक्पट्टादिधारणम् । नारायणात्परेशानादन्येषामर्चनं न तु १८। ब्राह्मणः कुलजो विद्वान्भस्मधारी भवेद्यदि । वर्जयेत्तादृशं देवि मद्योच्छिष्टं घटं यथा १९। त्रिपुंड्रं शूद्रकल्पानां शूद्राणां च विधिस्तथा । त्रिपुंड्र धारणाद्विप्रः पतितः स्यान्न संशयः २०। एकांतिनो महाभागाः सर्वभूतहिते रताः । सांतरालं प्रकुर्वीरन्पुंड्रं हरिपदाकृतिम् २१। हरेः पादाकृतिं कुर्यादूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं विधानतः । मध्यछिद्रेण संयुक्तं तद्धि वै मंदिरं हरेः २२। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रमृजुं सौम्यं सुपार्श्वं सुमनोहरम् । दंडाकारं सुशोभाढ्यं मध्येछिद्रं प्रकल्पयेत् २३। तस्माच्छिद्रान्वितं पुंड्रं दण्डाकारं सुशोभनम् । विप्राणां सततं कार्यं स्त्रीणां च शुभदर्शने २४। ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रस्य मध्ये तु विशाले सुमनोहरे । सान्तराले समासीनो हरिरस्ति श्रिया सह २५। निरन्तरालं यः कुर्यादूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं द्विजाधमः । स हि तत्रस्थितं विष्णुं श्रियं चैव व्यपोहति २६। अच्छिद्रमूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं तु ये कुर्वंति द्विजाधमाः । तेषां ललाटे सततं शुनःपादो न संशयः २७। तस्माच्छिद्रान्वितं पुंड्रं सहरिद्रं शुभान्वितम् । धारयेद्ब्राह्मणो नित्यं हरिसालोक्यसिद्धये २८। आदाय परया भक्त्या वेङ्कटाद्रौ हृदे मृदम् । धारयेदूर्ध्वपुण्ड्राणि हरिसायुज्यसिद्धये २९। श्रीकृष्णतुलसीमूले मृदमादाय भक्तिमान् । धारयेदूर्द्ध्वपुंड्राणि हरिस्तत्र प्रसीदति ३०। द्वारवत्यां शुभे रम्ये वासुदेवहृदे तथा । तत्रोद्भवां मृदं रम्यामादाय द्विजसत्तमः ३१। धारयेदूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रांणि सर्वकामफलाप्तये । आदाय परया भक्त्या गंगातीरोद्भवां मृदम् ३२। तया धृतोर्द्ध्वपुंड्राणि सर्वयज्ञफलो लभेत् । चंदनं च हरिद्रा च तथा भस्माग्निहोत्रजम् ३३। सर्ववश्यकरं प्रोक्तमूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रस्य धारणात् । यत्र पुण्यं हरिक्षेत्रं तत्र वै मृदमाहरेत् ३४। पर्वताग्रे नदीतीरे बिल्वमूले जलाशये । सिंधुतीरे च वल्मीके हरिक्षेत्रे विशेषतः ३५। विष्णोः स्नानोदकं यत्र प्रवाहयति नित्यशः । पुंड्राणां धारणार्थाय गृह्णीयात्तत्र मृत्तिकाम् ३६। श्रीरङ्गे वेङ्कटाद्रौ च श्रीकूर्मे द्वारके शुभे । प्रयागेनारसिंहाद्रौ वाराहे तुलसीवने ३७। गृहीत्वा मृत्तिकां भक्त्या विष्णुपादजलैः सह । धृत्वा पुंड्राणि चांगेषु विष्णुसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ३८। यस्मिन्कस्मिन्महाभागा वैष्णवा धारयंति वै । तस्मिन्वै मृत्तिका ग्राह्या ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रस्य धारणे ३९। श्यामं शांतिकरं प्रोक्तं रक्तं वश्यकरं तथा । श्रीकरं पीतमित्याहुः श्वेतं मोक्षकरं शुभम् ४०। वर्तुलं तिर्यगछिद्रं ह्रस्वं दीर्घं ततं तनुम् । वक्रं विरूपं बद्धाग्रं छिन्नमूलं पदच्युतम् ४१। अशुभं रूक्षमासक्तं तथानंगुलिकल्पितम् । विगंधमवसह्यं च पुंड्रमाहुरनर्थकम् ४२। आरभ्य नासिकामूलं ललाटं तं लिखेन्मृदा । समारभ्य भ्रुवोर्मध्यमंतरालं प्रकल्पयेत् ४३। अंतरालं द्व्यंगुलं स्यात्पार्श्वावंगुलिमात्रकौ । मृदा शुभ्रेण विलिखेत्पुण्ड्रं ऋजुतरं शुभम् ४४। ललाटे केशवं ध्यायेन्नारायणमथोदरे । वक्षस्थले माधवं च गोविंदं कंठकूबरे ४५। विष्णुं च दक्षिणे कुक्षौ बाहौ च मधुसूदनम् । त्रिविक्रमं कंधरे तु वामनं वामपार्श्वके ४६। श्रीधरं बाहुके वामे हृषीकेशं तु कंधरे । पृष्ठे वै पद्मनाभं तु त्रिके दामोदरं न्यसेत् ४७। तत्प्रक्षालनतोयेन वासुदेवं तु मूर्द्धनि । ललाटे भुजयुग्मे तु पृष्ठयोः कंठकूबरे ४८। धारयेदूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं तु चतुरंगुलमात्रतः । कुक्षौ तत्पार्श्वयोः प्रोक्तमायतं तु दशांगुलम् ४९। बाह्वोर्वक्षस्थले पुंड्रंमष्टांगुलमुदाहृतम् । एवं द्वादशपुंड्राणि ब्राह्मणः सततं धरेत् ५०। तत्तत्पुण्ड्राणि तन्मूर्तीर्ध्यात्वा मंत्रेण धारयेत् । अंतरालेषु सर्वेषु हरिद्रां धारयेच्छ्रियाम् ५१। चत्वारि भूभृतामाहुः पुंड्राणि द्वे विशां स्मृते । एकपुंड्रं तु नारीणां शूद्राणां च विधीयते ५२। ललाटे हृदि बाह्वोश्च चतुःपुंड्राणि धारयेत् । ललाटे हृदये द्वे तु फालेत्वेकं विधीयते ५३। ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं ललाटे तु सर्वेषां प्रथमं स्मृतम् । ललाटादिक्रमेणैव धारणं तु विधीयते ५४। मूर्तीस्तु वासुदेवाद्याश्चतुःपुंड्रेषु धारयेत् । द्वयोर्गोविंदकृष्णौ तु एकं नारायणं धरेत् ५५। एवं पुंड्रविधिः प्रोक्तः सर्वेषां गिरिजे मया । अश्वत्थपत्रसंकाशो वेणुपत्राकृतिस्तथा ५६। पद्मकुड्मलसंकाशो मोहनं त्रितयं स्मृतम् । महाभागवतः शुद्धः पुंड्रं हरिपदाकृतिम् ५७। दंडाकारं तु वा देवि धारयेदूर्द्ध्वपुंड्रकम् । सुदर्शनेनांकितबाहुमूलास्तथोर्द्ध्वपुंड्रांकित सर्वगात्राः ५८। मालारविंदाक्षधरा विशुद्धा रक्षंति लोकान्दुरितौघसंगात् ५९। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमामहेश्वरसंवादे ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रमाहात्म्यंनाम पंचविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः २२५ ।
śaṃkara uvāca- ūrddhvapuṃḍrasya māhātmyaṃ vakṣyāmi śubhadarśane | dhāraṇādeva mucyeta bhavabaṃdhāddvijottamaḥ 1| ūrddhvapuṃḍrasya madhye tu viśāle sumanohare | lakṣmyā sārddhaṃ samāsīno devadevo janārdanaḥ 2 | tasmādyasya śarīre tu ūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ dhṛto bhavet | tasyadehaṃ bhagavato vimalaṃ maṃdiraṃ śubham 3| sa snātaḥ sarvatīrtheṣu sarvayajñeṣu dīkṣitaḥ | dhārayedūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ yo mṛdāśubhreṇa vaiṣṇavaḥ 4| ūrddhvapuṃḍradharo vipraḥ sarvalokeṣu pūjitaḥ | vimānavaramāruhya yāti viṣṇoḥ paraṃ padam 5| dhārayedūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ tu trisaṃdhyaṃ tu dvijottamaḥ | sarvapāpaviśuddhyarthamiṣṭāpūrtaphalāptaye 6| ūrddhvapuṃḍradharaṃ dṛṣṭvā sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate | namaskṛtvāthavā bhaktyā sarvadānaphalaṃ labhet 7| ūrddhvapuṃḍradharaṃ vipraṃ yaḥ śrāddhe bhojayiṣyati | ākalpakoṭipitarastasya tṛptā na saṃśayaḥ 8| ūrddhvapuṃḍradharo yastu kuryāchrāṃddhaṃ śubhānane | kalpakoṭisahasrāṇi gayāśrāddhaphalaṃ labhet 9| yajñadānatapaścaryā japahomādikaṃ ca yat | ūrddhvapuṃḍradharaḥ kuryāttasya puṇyamanaṃtakam 10| ūrddhvapuṃḍravihīnastu kiṃcitkarma karoti yaḥ | iṣṭāpūrtādikaṃ sarvaṃ niṣphalaṃ syānna saṃśayaḥ 11| yaccharīraṃ manuṣyāṇāmūrddhvapuṃḍra vivarjitam | draṣṭavyaṃ naiva tatkiṃcitśmaśānasadṛśaṃ bhavet 12| ūrddhvapuṃḍravihīnastu sandhyākarmādikaṃ caret | tatsarvaṃ rākṣasairnītaṃ narakaṃ cāvagacchati 13| ūrddhvapuṃḍradharodvipro mṛdāśubhreṇa vaidikaḥ | na tiryagdhārayedvidvānāpadyapi kadācana 14| viprāṇāmūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ syāttilakaṃ tu mahībhṛtaḥ | paṭṭākāraṃ tu vaiśyānāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ vai tripuṃḍrakam 15| ūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ mṛdā kāryaṃ kastūryyāstilakaṃ tathā | paṭṭākāraṃ tu gaṃdhena bhasmanaiva tripuṃḍrakam 16| ūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ tu sarveṣāṃ na niṣiddhaṃ kadācana | dhārayetkṣatriyādyo'pi viṣṇubhakto bhavedyadi 17| viprāṇāṃ naiva kāryyaṃ syāttiryyakpaṭṭādidhāraṇam | nārāyaṇātpareśānādanyeṣāmarcanaṃ na tu 18| brāhmaṇaḥ kulajo vidvānbhasmadhārī bhavedyadi | varjayettādṛśaṃ devi madyocchiṣṭaṃ ghaṭaṃ yathā 19| tripuṃḍraṃ śūdrakalpānāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ ca vidhistathā | tripuṃḍra dhāraṇādvipraḥ patitaḥ syānna saṃśayaḥ 20| ekāṃtino mahābhāgāḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ | sāṃtarālaṃ prakurvīranpuṃḍraṃ haripadākṛtim 21| hareḥ pādākṛtiṃ kuryādūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ vidhānataḥ | madhyachidreṇa saṃyuktaṃ taddhi vai maṃdiraṃ hareḥ 22| ūrddhvapuṃḍramṛjuṃ saumyaṃ supārśvaṃ sumanoharam | daṃḍākāraṃ suśobhāḍhyaṃ madhyechidraṃ prakalpayet 23| tasmācchidrānvitaṃ puṃḍraṃ daṇḍākāraṃ suśobhanam | viprāṇāṃ satataṃ kāryaṃ strīṇāṃ ca śubhadarśane 24| ūrdhvapuṇḍrasya madhye tu viśāle sumanohare | sāntarāle samāsīno harirasti śriyā saha 25| nirantarālaṃ yaḥ kuryādūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ dvijādhamaḥ | sa hi tatrasthitaṃ viṣṇuṃ śriyaṃ caiva vyapohati 26| acchidramūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ tu ye kurvaṃti dvijādhamāḥ | teṣāṃ lalāṭe satataṃ śunaḥpādo na saṃśayaḥ 27| tasmācchidrānvitaṃ puṃḍraṃ saharidraṃ śubhānvitam | dhārayedbrāhmaṇo nityaṃ harisālokyasiddhaye 28| ādāya parayā bhaktyā veṅkaṭādrau hṛde mṛdam | dhārayedūrdhvapuṇḍrāṇi harisāyujyasiddhaye 29| śrīkṛṣṇatulasīmūle mṛdamādāya bhaktimān | dhārayedūrddhvapuṃḍrāṇi haristatra prasīdati 30| dvāravatyāṃ śubhe ramye vāsudevahṛde tathā | tatrodbhavāṃ mṛdaṃ ramyāmādāya dvijasattamaḥ 31| dhārayedūrddhvapuṃḍrāṃṇi sarvakāmaphalāptaye | ādāya parayā bhaktyā gaṃgātīrodbhavāṃ mṛdam 32| tayā dhṛtorddhvapuṃḍrāṇi sarvayajñaphalo labhet | caṃdanaṃ ca haridrā ca tathā bhasmāgnihotrajam 33| sarvavaśyakaraṃ proktamūrddhvapuṃḍrasya dhāraṇāt | yatra puṇyaṃ harikṣetraṃ tatra vai mṛdamāharet 34| parvatāgre nadītīre bilvamūle jalāśaye | siṃdhutīre ca valmīke harikṣetre viśeṣataḥ 35| viṣṇoḥ snānodakaṃ yatra pravāhayati nityaśaḥ | puṃḍrāṇāṃ dhāraṇārthāya gṛhṇīyāttatra mṛttikām 36| śrīraṅge veṅkaṭādrau ca śrīkūrme dvārake śubhe | prayāgenārasiṃhādrau vārāhe tulasīvane 37| gṛhītvā mṛttikāṃ bhaktyā viṣṇupādajalaiḥ saha | dhṛtvā puṃḍrāṇi cāṃgeṣu viṣṇusāyujyamāpnuyāt 38| yasminkasminmahābhāgā vaiṣṇavā dhārayaṃti vai | tasminvai mṛttikā grāhyā ūrddhvapuṃḍrasya dhāraṇe 39| śyāmaṃ śāṃtikaraṃ proktaṃ raktaṃ vaśyakaraṃ tathā | śrīkaraṃ pītamityāhuḥ śvetaṃ mokṣakaraṃ śubham 40| vartulaṃ tiryagachidraṃ hrasvaṃ dīrghaṃ tataṃ tanum | vakraṃ virūpaṃ baddhāgraṃ chinnamūlaṃ padacyutam 41| aśubhaṃ rūkṣamāsaktaṃ tathānaṃgulikalpitam | vigaṃdhamavasahyaṃ ca puṃḍramāhuranarthakam 42| ārabhya nāsikāmūlaṃ lalāṭaṃ taṃ likhenmṛdā | samārabhya bhruvormadhyamaṃtarālaṃ prakalpayet 43| aṃtarālaṃ dvyaṃgulaṃ syātpārśvāvaṃgulimātrakau | mṛdā śubhreṇa vilikhetpuṇḍraṃ ṛjutaraṃ śubham 44| lalāṭe keśavaṃ dhyāyennārāyaṇamathodare | vakṣasthale mādhavaṃ ca goviṃdaṃ kaṃṭhakūbare 45| viṣṇuṃ ca dakṣiṇe kukṣau bāhau ca madhusūdanam | trivikramaṃ kaṃdhare tu vāmanaṃ vāmapārśvake 46| śrīdharaṃ bāhuke vāme hṛṣīkeśaṃ tu kaṃdhare | pṛṣṭhe vai padmanābhaṃ tu trike dāmodaraṃ nyaset 47| tatprakṣālanatoyena vāsudevaṃ tu mūrddhani | lalāṭe bhujayugme tu pṛṣṭhayoḥ kaṃṭhakūbare 48| dhārayedūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ tu caturaṃgulamātrataḥ | kukṣau tatpārśvayoḥ proktamāyataṃ tu daśāṃgulam 49| bāhvorvakṣasthale puṃḍraṃmaṣṭāṃgulamudāhṛtam | evaṃ dvādaśapuṃḍrāṇi brāhmaṇaḥ satataṃ dharet 50| tattatpuṇḍrāṇi tanmūrtīrdhyātvā maṃtreṇa dhārayet | aṃtarāleṣu sarveṣu haridrāṃ dhārayecchriyām 51| catvāri bhūbhṛtāmāhuḥ puṃḍrāṇi dve viśāṃ smṛte | ekapuṃḍraṃ tu nārīṇāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ ca vidhīyate 52| lalāṭe hṛdi bāhvośca catuḥpuṃḍrāṇi dhārayet | lalāṭe hṛdaye dve tu phāletvekaṃ vidhīyate 53| ūrddhvapuṃḍraṃ lalāṭe tu sarveṣāṃ prathamaṃ smṛtam | lalāṭādikrameṇaiva dhāraṇaṃ tu vidhīyate 54| mūrtīstu vāsudevādyāścatuḥpuṃḍreṣu dhārayet | dvayorgoviṃdakṛṣṇau tu ekaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ dharet 55| evaṃ puṃḍravidhiḥ proktaḥ sarveṣāṃ girije mayā | aśvatthapatrasaṃkāśo veṇupatrākṛtistathā 56| padmakuḍmalasaṃkāśo mohanaṃ tritayaṃ smṛtam | mahābhāgavataḥ śuddhaḥ puṃḍraṃ haripadākṛtim 57| daṃḍākāraṃ tu vā devi dhārayedūrddhvapuṃḍrakam | sudarśanenāṃkitabāhumūlāstathorddhvapuṃḍrāṃkita sarvagātrāḥ 58| mālāraviṃdākṣadharā viśuddhā rakṣaṃti lokānduritaughasaṃgāt 59| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe umāmaheśvarasaṃvāde ūrddhvapuṃḍramāhātmyaṃnāma paṃcaviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 225 |
English translation
Śaṅkara said :
1-4. O you of an auspicious appearance, I shall tell you the greatness of the Ūrdhvapuṇḍra (vertical Vaiṣṇava mark on the forehead). The best brāhmaṇa would be free from the bond of the worldly existence just on having it. Within the large and very charming space in the Ūrdhvapuṇḍra, Viṣṇu , god of gods, is seated with Lakṣmī . Therefore, the body of him, on which there would be the mark, is the clean, auspicious temple of the lord. That devotee of Viṣṇu, who has the mark made with white clay, has bathed at all holy places, is prepared for all sacrifices.
5-8. The brāhmaṇa having the mark is honoured among all people, (and) getting into an excellent aeroplane, goes to the highest place of Viṣṇu. The best brāhmaṇa should put on the mark thrice (a day), for purification of all sins, and for obtaining the fruit of performing sacrifices and digging wells and doing other acts of charity. (A man) seeing one having the mark, is freed from all sins. By saluting him devoutly he would obtain the fruit of all (kinds of) charity. The dead ancestors of him who wil feed a brāhmaṇa having the mark are undoubtedly pleased for crores of kalpas .
9-14. O you of an auspicious face, he who, having the mark, performs a śrāddha , would obtain, for crores of kalpas, the fruit of the śrāddha (performed) at Gayā . The religious merit of the sacrifices, gifts, penance, muttering (of hymns), sacrificial rites etc. of one having the mark is endless. All the sacrifices performed, wells dug, and other charitable acts done by him who does any act without having the mark, are useless. That human body which is without the mark should not be seen at all. It would be like a cremation ground. All the rites etc. which a man without the mark would do, are taken (away) by demons; and he goes down to hell. A brāhmaṇa well-versed in the Vedas , should have the mark with white clay. The wise one should never have it in an oblique manner even in a misery.
15-18. Brāhmaṇas should have the mark. The mark of kṣatriyas should be round; that of vaiśyas should be striplike; that of śūdras should have three lines. The mark should be made with clay; the round one with musk; the strip-like one with sandal; and the three-lined one with sacred ash. The vertical mark is recommended for all. It is not prohibited. A kṣatriya etc. also, if he is Viṣnu’s devotee should have it. Brāhmaṇas are not to have the oblique or the strip-like mark. And they are not to worship any other (deity) than Viṣṇu, the highest lord.
19-23. O goddess, if a brāhmaṇa, learned and born in a noble family has put on (the mark of) sacred ash, one should avoid such a brāhmaṇa, as a pot in which liquor is left as the remnant. The mark of three lines is the practice for those who are śūdras and like śūdras. There is no doubt that a brāhmaṇa having the mark of three lines, falls. The very noble ones, interested in the good of all living beings, should have a puṇḍra with a gap like the shape of Viṣṇu’s foot. A man should have the mark in accordance with the precept, resembling the foot of Viṣṇu and having a gap in its centre; for that is Viṣṇu’s temple. He should have the mark which is good, pleasing, has the shape of a staff, good sides, which is very charming, very beautiful, and which has a gap at the centre.
24-27. Therefore, O you of an auspicious appearance, brāhmaṇas and women should always have the mark which has a gap, has the shape of a staff, and is very beautiful. In the large and very beautiful gap at the centre of the vertical mark, Viṣṇu is seated with Lakṣmī. That mean brāhmaṇa who would have a gapless vertical mark, expels Viṣṇu along with Lakṣmī seated there. There is no doubt that there always is a dog’s foot on the foreheads of those mean brāhmaṇas who have a gapless vertical mark.
28-40. Therefore, in order to attain the same world as of Viṣṇu, a brāhmaṇa should always have a mark with a gap, with turmeric, and having auspiciousness. For securing absorption into Viṣṇu one should, with great devotion, bring the clay from the pool on the Venkata mountain, and make the vertical mark (with it). A devoted person should bring the clay from the rootof Tulasī of (i.e. dear to) Śrī Kṛṣṇa , and should make the vertical mark (with it). Viṣṇu is pleased with him. Or the best brāhmaṇa, having brought the pleasing clay from the auspicious, charming pool (i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu at Dvārāvatī , should make the mark (with it) in order to secure all desired objects. He who, having brought with great devotion, clay from the banks of Gaṅgā , makes the mark with it, would obtain the fruit of all sacrifices. Due to having the mark (with) sandal, turmeric, so also (with) ash from the sacred fire one is said to control everything. He should bring the clay from that place which is sacred to Viṣṇu. One should get the clay from the top of a mountain, the bank of a river, the root of a bilva (tree), a reservoir of water, the coast of a sea, an anthill, especially from a place sacred to Viṣṇu, and from the place where the water used for Viṣṇu’s bath always flows, for having the mark. A man, taking clay with water flowing from Viṣṇu’s feet, and having puṇḍra marks on the limbs of his body at Śrīraṅga , Veṅkaṭagiri , Śrīkūrma, the auspicious Dvārakā , Prayāga , Narasiṃha mountain, Varāha , a Tulasī-grove would get absorption into Viṣṇu. For having the mark clay should be taken from that place wherefrom the noble devotees of Viṣṇu take it. A dark mark is said to cause peace. So also a red one is said to bring about control. They say that a yellow one leads to riches. The white one leads to salvation and is auspicious.
41-50. They say that a round, oblique, gapless, short, long, protracted, thin, crooked, ugly mark, one with its top closed or with its root cut off, with a line missing, inauspicious, rough, fixed, one that is not drawn with the finger, not having fragrance, or inadequate is unfortunate. One should draw it with clay beginning with the root of the nose. Starting it from the middle of the eye-brows, he should have a gap in it. The gap should be of the measure of two fingers, and the sides of the size of a finger. With white clay he should draw a better and auspicious mark. He should meditate upon Keśava (as staying) on his forehead. (He should meditate) upon Nārāyaṇa (as staying) in his belly, Mādhava (as staying) in his chest, and Govinda (as staying) in his throat. (He should meditate) upon Viṣṇu (as staying) in the right side of his belly and Madhusūdana (as staying) in his right arm. (He should meditate) upon Trivikrama (as staying) in (the right side of) his neck, and Vāmana (as staying) in his left side. (He should meditate) upon Śrīdhara (as staying) in his left arm, and Hṛṣīkeśa in (the left side of) his neck. (He should meditate) upon Padmanābha (as staying) in his back, and place Dāmodara in the lower part of his spine. And with the water for washing it (he should meditate) upon Vāsudeva (as present) in his head. He should draw the mark of the measure of four fingers on his forehead, both the arms, on both (the sides) of the back, and on the neck. On the belly and near its sides a long one of the measure of ten fingers is recommended. On the arms and chest a mark of the measure of eight fingers is recommended. Thus a brāhmaṇa should always have twelve marks.
51-59. He should, after meditating upon those images with their respective hymns, have the marks (on those respective limbs of his body). In the gap he should have (i.e. put) auspicious turmeric. They say, kṣatriyas should have four marks and vaiśyas should have two. One mark is laid down for women and śūdras. He should have four marks on the forehead, on his chest, and on the arms. Two are laid down for the forehead and the chest and one for the place where the hair is separated. Of all the marks, the vertical one is said to be the first (that should be put) on the forehead. As laid down, it should be had in the order of the forehead first. One should have the images of Vāsudeva etc. in the four vertical marks. In two he should have the two (images of) Govinda and Kṛṣṇa and one of Nārāyaṇa. O Girijā, I have thus told (you) the manner in which the puṇḍra is had. The triad of one resembling the aśvattha -leaf, the reed-leaf, or the lotus-leaf, is said to be ‘ Mohana ’. A pure, great devotee of Viṣṇu, should, in case of a controversy, have a vertical mark of the shape of a staff. Those, the roots of whose arms are marked with Sudarśana , so also all of whose limbs are marked with the vertical puṇḍra, who have lotus garlands and rosaries, protect the people from contact with heaps of sins.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 45047, revision 336643 (2022-04-26T00:40:12Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365809.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.