Bhasma and Its Greatness

Suta said

There are said to be two kinds of ash. Both are supreme and give all that is auspicious. I will tell you their marks; listen carefully. One is called maha-bhasma, the great ash, and the second svalpa-bhasma, the small ash. The ash called maha-bhasma has many forms and is said to be of three kinds: shrouta, smarta and loukika. The ash called svalpa-bhasma is said to be of many different kinds. It is said that shrouta and smarta ash must be used only by brahmanas, and all the others can use the supreme loukika ash. Bulls among sages say brahmanas must wear ash only after pronouncing mantras, and others wear it without mantras. Ash obtained by burning cow dung is called agneya bhasma, and this is what should be used for the Tripundra. Learned ones should use ash collected from the agnihotra, and ash from other sacrifices can also be used for the Tripundra. When ash is worn, mixed with water or not, the seven mantras of the Jabala Upanishad to Agni and others must be used. Depending on varna and ashrama, a mantra is or is not used. If the Tripundra is worn with water, one must lovingly do so with the mantras of the Jabala Upanishad. When the ash is not mixed with water, the Tripundra is three horizontal lines. Those who desire liberation must not be distracted and give it up; it is said to be always worn. Shiva and Vishnu constantly wear the horizontal Tripundra. So do Devi Uma, Lakshmi, brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, shudras, those of mixed varnas and those who have fallen. They do the rubbing on and wear the Tripundra of ash. Those who do not rub it on and, lacking devotion, do not wear the Tripundra lack the good conduct prescribed for their varnas and ashramas. Those who lack devotion and do not rub on ash or wear the Tripundra cannot be liberated from samsara even after crores of births, nor after a hundred thousand kalpas; they lack knowledge of Shiva. A person who lacks the faith to rub on ash and wear the Tripundra is stained with great sins. This is the conclusion of the sacred texts. A person who lacks that faith finds every rite he does leads to contrary fruit. These beings hate Sharva and are stained with great sins. Sage, they develop an extremely firm hatred of rubbing on ash and of the Tripundra.

For Shiva a man must do the fire rites, then touch the ash with the mantra "tryayusham," and he is freed from all sins. A person who makes the Tripundra mark with white ash at the three sandhyas is freed from all sins and rejoices with Shiva. If a person marks the Tripundra on the forehead at the time of savana, when he dies he gains the original worlds enjoyed by beings. Without bathing in ash no one should recite the six-syllable mantra. Japa is done properly only after ash has been used to make the Tripundra. Even if a person is without compassion, the worst of men, has committed every sin, is a sinner, foolish or fallen, as long as he has used ash to make the mark, all the holy places gather in whatever region he lives. A being with the Tripundra is worthy of worship by all gods and asuras, even if a sinner; what need to say of a devoted one, pure in self? A person with knowledge of Shiva who makes the mark with ash can go to whichever region he wishes, and all the holy places gather there. Why say more? Learned people must always wear the ash, always worship the lingam and do japa of the six-syllable mantra. Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, sages and gods cannot speak of the greatness of wearing ash. Even if a person has given up the conduct of varnas and ashramas and the rites of the varnas, and has committed sins, as soon as he wears the Tripundra he is freed. Men who do rites but have discarded wearing ash are not liberated from samsara even after crores of births. A brahmana who marks the Tripundra of ash on his head is like one who has studied everything from his guru and done every rite. Men who strike out when they see those who wear ash are born as chandalas in their next births; the learned understand this. It is said brahmanas and kshatriyas must devoutly apply ash to their limbs with the "ma nastoke" mantra. A vaishya or a woman uses the Tryambaka mantra. A shudra uses the five-syllable mantra. Others, widows and the like, follow the rule laid down for shudras. The five-brahma mantra is recommended for householders. The Tryambaka mantra is the rule for those in brahmacharya. For those in the forest the rule is said to be the Aghora mantra. Mendicants use Pranava to wear the Tripundra. Those who are beyond the bounds of varnas and ashramas are full of the thought "I am Shiva." They are restrained Shivayogis and always hold Ishana. No varna should give up the excellent practice of wearing ash, nor should any other being. This is Shiva's instruction. If a person has bathed in ash and particles of ash cling to his limbs, it is as if he wears that many Shiva lingams on his body. Doubtless the Tripundra of ash frees brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, shudras, those of mixed varnas, women, widows, girls, heretics, those in brahmacharya, householders, forest dwellers, those in sannyasa and those who follow other vows. As fire burns when touched, willingly or unwillingly, so ash purifies all men whether worn willingly or unwillingly.

No man should eat a little food or drink a little water without applying ash or wearing rudraksha. Whether householder, forest dweller, mendicant, of a varna or an outcaste, if he does so, he goes to hell. In that case, a person within the varna system is freed by doing japa of the gayatri, and a mendicant by Pranava. A person who criticizes the Tripundra actually criticizes Shiva; those who wear it faithfully actually wear him. Shame on a forehead without ash. Shame on a village without a Shiva temple. Shame on a birth that does not worship Isha. Shame on accounts that do not take refuge in Shiva. Maheshvara Hara is the support of the three worlds. It is a sin to look at a person who criticizes him, or one who criticizes the wearing of the Tripundra. Such people are sinners destined only for hell. They are born as people of mixed varnas, pigs, asuras, donkeys, jackals and insects. They do not see the sun or moon by day or night; they see only nightmares. Unless they do japa of the Shatarudriya, they cannot be liberated. If a foolish man criticizes the wearing of ash, it is true that he is destined for hell and has no salvation. Sage, a tantrika has no right in a sacrifice meant for Shiva. A person who wears the upward Tripundra also has no right. A person who wears the symbol of a blazing chakra is similarly barred. The Brihad Jabala Upanishad says there are many worlds to be gained. Taking that into account, effort must be made to wear ash. As sandalwood paste can be applied over sandalwood paste, more ash can be applied over the Tripundra ash. But an intelligent person will not wear anything else over the vibhuti on his forehead. Women wear the ashes on the forelocks of their hair, and this is true of brahmani widows too. Those in the ashramas must always wear vibhuti. It destroys all sins and gives the fruit of final liberation. Following the norms, ash is used to make a Tripundra mark. A person who does so is freed from a multitude of major and minor sins. A person in brahmacharya, a householder, one in vanaprastha, a mendicant, a brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya, shudra, the worst of men and one who has been cast out: when they rub on ash and wear the Tripundra, all are purified. When ash is applied in the proper manner, heaps of sins are taken away. In particular, a person who wears ash is freed of these sins: killing a woman or a cow; killing a hero; killing a horse; stealing others' possessions; outraging another's wife; criticizing others; stealing another's field; oppressing another; stealing crops and pleasure grounds; burning a house; accepting gifts of cattle, gold, buffaloes, sesame, blankets, garments, cooked food, grain and water from inferiors; union with public courtesans, intoxicated women, vrishalis and dancers; union with women in their season, maidens and widows; selling flesh, hides, juices and salt; slander, false arguments and perjury and love of falsehood. There are many such innumerable sins, and they are destroyed at once when the Tripundra is worn. If one steals Shiva's property, criticizes Shiva anywhere or criticizes Shiva's devotee, atonement can never purify such a person. But a person who wears rudraksha on his body or the Tripundra on his forehead is worshipped even if a chandala, and is supreme among all varnas. There are holy places in this world, the Ganga and other rivers; a person who wears the Tripundra on his forehead gains the merit of bathing in all of them. Among seven crore great mantras the five-syllable mantra is the foremost, and there are crores of other mantras, but Shiva alone is the reason behind all of them. Sage, through these mantras all the gods become friendly, but if a person shines in wearing the Tripundra, all of them become accessible to him.

A person who wears the Tripundra saves a thousand forebears and a thousand successors in his line. He enjoys all pleasures in this world, has long life and no ill health. When his life is over and he dies, he enjoys happiness. He gains the eight siddhis as attributes, takes a divine and auspicious form, and climbs into a divine celestial car served by heavenly beings. In order, he enjoys many pleasures in the worlds of the vidyadharas, the very energetic gandharvas and Indra and the other guardians of the worlds. He gains the rank of lord of beings. He reaches Brahma's abode and sports with a hundred maidens, enjoying many pleasures as long as Brahma's lifespan lasts. Then he enjoys pleasures in Vishnu's world for a span of ten Brahmas. After that he reaches Shiva's world, where all his desires are met forever, and doubtless finally gains sayujya with Shiva. After weighing the essence of all the Upanishads repeatedly, this is the conclusion reached: the Tripundra is best. A brahmana who criticizes vibhuti will be born in a lower varna, go to terrible hells and endure hardship for the span of a four-faced Brahma. A man who wears the Tripundra at ancestral rites, sacrifices, japa, oblations to the Vishvadevas and worship of gods is pure in self and conquers death. To get rid of filth one bathes with water; a bath with ash always purifies. Bathing with mantras takes away sin; bathing with knowledge takes a person to the supreme destination. Ash is the most sacred of holy places, and a man who bathes with it gains fruits equal to bathing in all holy places. Bathing with ash is a supreme holy place, as if one bathed in the Ganga every day. Ash is directly Shiva's form and purifies the three worlds. If a brahmana gives gifts, practises knowledge, meditation and japa without wearing the Tripundra, these become futile. Men in vanaprastha, maidens and men who have not had initiation mix it with water and wear it until midday; after that water is not used. In this way, a man who controls his mind and always wears the Tripundra is known as Shiva's devotee and gains pleasures and liberation. Rudraksha gives many auspicious things. A man with no rudraksha on his limbs and no Tripundra either has a wasted birth. So I have briefly told you the greatness of the Tripundra. It is a mystery for all living beings, and you must keep it secret.

Bulls among sages, three lines are made. The learned have said what it must be like on the forehead: it starts from the middle of the eyebrows and extends to the end of the eyebrows on either side. To make the Tripundra, another line of the same length is drawn on the forehead. Between them, with the middle and ring fingers, a line is drawn in the opposite direction. A line drawn with the thumb is also known as the Tripundra. Or the three middle fingers can carefully take the ash and draw three lines. One who wears the Tripundra faithfully gains pleasures and liberation. Nine gods are associated with each of the three lines, located on different limbs; listen attentively. Mahadeva is the god of the first line, which stands for "A," the garhapatya fire, the earth, dharma, the guna rajas, the Rig Veda, the power of kriya and the morning savana. Tigers among sages, those devoted to taking initiation in Shiva should know this. Maheshvara is the god of the second line, which stands for "U," the dakshina fire, space, the Yajur Veda, the power of will, the individual self within and the midday savana. Shiva is the god of the third line, which stands for "M," the ahavaniya fire, the supreme self, the guna tamas, the sky, the power of knowledge, the Sama Veda and the third savana. In this way, full of devotion, one must always bow to the gods of the locations and then wear the Tripundra, and one will be purified and gain pleasures and liberation. Lord among sages, so I have told you of the gods in the different limbs. Now hear devotedly of these locations. The placement can be done in thirty-two places, sixteen, eight or five. The thirty-two excellent places are the head, forehead, two ears, two eyes, two nostrils, mouth, neck, two arms, two elbows, two wrists, chest, two flanks, navel, two testicles, two thighs, two knees, two calves, two heels and two feet. In these places, when wearing the Tripundra, the learned name fire, water, earth, wind, the directions, the lords of the directions and the Vasus. The eight Vasus are Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Apa, Anala, Anila, Pratyusha and Prabhasa. One can also apply the Tripundra in sixteen places with self-control: head, forehead, neck, two shoulders, two arms, two elbows, two wrists, chest, navel, two flanks and back. The gods to be established there are the two Ashvins, Shiva, Shakti, Rudra, Isha, Narada and nine Shaktis, Vaamaa and the others; these are the sixteen. The two Ashvins are Nasatya and Dasra. Or the sixteen places are the head, hair, two ears, mouth, two arms, chest, navel, two thighs, two knees, two feet and back, and the sixteen gods are Shiva, Chandra, Rudra, Brahma, Vighnesha, Vishnu, Shri in the heart, Shambhu, Prajapati in the navel, Naga, the two Nagakanyas, the two Rishikanyas in the feet, and the holy places and the ocean on the broad back. The eight places are the private parts, forehead, the two excellent ears, two shoulders, chest and navel, and the gods are Brahma and the seven rishis. Lords among sages, so I have told the rules for using ash. Or knowledgeable people wear ash in five places: head, two arms, chest and navel. Considering time and place, one should do whatever is possible about rubbing on ash and wearing the Tripundra. Remembering Shiva, the Tripundra can be applied on the forehead alone, chanting "Namah Shivaya," to the three-eyed one, foundation of the three gunas and origin of the three gods. It can be applied on the sides, chanting "Ishabhyam Namah," and on the forearms, chanting "Bijabhyam Namah." If it is below, the bow is to the ancestors; if above, to Umesha. On the back, or the back of the head, the bow is to Bhima.