Devibhagavatapurana 11.12: dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ | bhasmadhāraṇamāhāmyavarṇanam

11.12.1

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca |
devarṣe śṛṇu tatsarvaṃ bhasmoddhūlanajaṃ phalam |
sarahasyavidhānaṃ ca sarvakāmaphalapradam ||

11.12.2

kapilāyāḥ śakṛtsvacchaṃ gṛhītvā gagane'patat |
na klinnaṃ nāpi kaṭhinaṃ na durgandhaṃ na coṣitam ||

11.12.3

uparyadhaḥ parityajya gahṇīyātpatitaṃ yadi |
piṇḍīkṛtya śivāgnyādau tatkṣipenmūlamantritam ||

11.12.4

ādāya vāsasā''cchādya bhasmādhāne vinikṣipet |
sukṛte sudṛḍhe śuddhe kṣālite prokṣite śubhe ||

11.12.5

vinyasya mantrī mantreṇa pātre bhasma vinikṣipet |
taijasaṃ dāravaṃ cātha mṛṇmayaṃ cailameva ca ||

11.12.6

anyadvā śobhanaṃ śuddhaṃ bhasmādhāraṃ prakalpayet |
kṣaume caivātiśuddhe vā dhanavadbhasma nikṣipet ||

11.12.7

prasthito bhasma gṛhṇīyātsvayaṃ cānucaro'pi vā |
na cāyuktakare dadyānna cāśucitale kṣipet ||

11.12.8

na saṃspṛśettu nīcāṅgairna kṣipenna ca laṅghayet |
tasmādbhasitamādāya viniyuñjīta mantritam ||

11.12.9

vibhūtidhāraṇavidhiḥ smṛtiprokto mayeritaḥ |
yadīyācaraṇenaiva śivatulyo na saṃśayaḥ ||

11.12.10

śaivaiḥ sampāditaṃ bhasma vaidikaiḥ śivasannidhau |
bhaktyā paramayā grāhyaṃ prārthayitvā tu pūjayet ||

11.12.11

tantroktavartmanā siddhaṃ bhasma tāntrikapūjakaiḥ |
yatrakutrāpi dattaṃ cettadgrāhyaṃ naiva vaidikaiḥ ||

11.12.12

śūdraiḥ kāpālikairvātha pākhaṇḍairaparaistu tat |
tripuṇḍraṃ dhārayedbhaktyā manasāpi na laṅghayet ||

11.12.13

śrutyā vidhīyate yasmāttattyāgī patito bhavet |
tripuṇḍradhāraṇaṃ bhaktyā tathā dehāvaguṇṭhanam ||

11.12.14

dvijaḥ kuryāddhi mantreṇa tattyāgī patito bhavet |
uddhūlanaṃ tripuṇḍraṃ ca bhaktyā naivācaranti ye ||

11.12.15

teṣāṃ nāsti vinirmokṣaḥ saṃsārājjanmakoṭibhiḥ |
yena bhasmoktamārgeṇa dhṛtaṃ na munipuṅgava ||

11.12.16

tasya viddhi mune janma niṣkalaṃ saukaraṃ yathā |
yeṣāṃ vapurmanuṣyāṇāṃ tripuṇḍreṇa vinā sthitam ||

11.12.17

śmaśānasadṛśaṃ tatsyānna prekṣyaṃ puṇyakṛjjanaiḥ |
dhigbhasmarahitaṃ bhālaṃ dhiggrāmamaśivālayam ||

11.12.18

dhiganīśārcanaṃ janma dhigvidyāmaśivāśrayām |
tripuṇḍraṃ ye vinindanti nindanti śivameva te ||

11.12.19

dhārayanti ca ye bhaktyā dhārayanti tameva te |
yathā kṛśānurahito bhūdharo na virājate ||

11.12.20

aśeṣasādhane'pyevaṃ bhasmahīnaṃ śivārcanam |
uddhūlanaṃ tripuṇḍraṃ ca śraddhayā nācaranti ye ||

11.12.21

taiḥ pūrvācaritaṃ sarvaṃ viparītaṃ bhavedapi |
bhasmanā vedamantreṇa tripuṇḍrasya ca dhāraṇam ||

Unless the Tripundra mark is taken up according to the S’âstras, the Vaidik Karmas (works) or those performed according to the Smritis prove injurious; the good works whatsoever done by any man count for nothing; the holy words heard seem as if unheard and the study of the Vedas counted as if not studied.
The study of the Vedas, Sacrifices, Charities, asceticisms, vows and fastings of that man, who does not use the Tripundra, all become fruitless. Without using Bhasma (ashes) if one wants liberation, then that desire is equivalent to live after taking poison. There is no doubt in this. The Creator has not made the forehead vertically high nor round; but he has made it slightly slanting and curved fit to have the Tripundra. Making thus the forehead, the Creator wants, as it were, to inform everyone that every one ought to use Tripundra marks; the curved lines also are made visible for this purpose. Still the igorant illiterate man does not put up the Tripundra. Unless the Brâhmanas use the curved Tripundras, their meditation won't be successful; they will not have liberation, knowledge, nor their asceticism would bear any fruit. As the S’ûdras have no right in the study of the Vedas, so the Brâhmans have not any right to perform the worship of S’iva, etc., unless they use the Tripundras. First of all, facing eastward, and washing hands and feet, he ought to make a resolve and then he takes a bath of the ashes mentally, controlling his breath. Then taking the ashes of the Agnihotra sacrifice he is to put some ashes on his own head, uttering “Îs'âna” mantra. Then he is to recite the Purusa S’ûkta Mantra and apply ashes on his face; with the Aghora mantra on his chest; with the Vâmadeva mantra, on his anus; with Sadyojâta mantra on his legs; and with the mantra Om, he is to besmear his whole body with ashes. This is called the bath of fire by the Munis. So bring all the actions to a successful issue one is to take first of all this bath of fire. Washing his hands, then, he is to make Âchaman duly; and, according to the above-mentioned rules, he is to apply ashes on his forehead, heart, and all round the neck with the five mantras above-mentioned; or with each mantra he is to apply the Tripundras. Thus all works are fructified and he gets the right to do all the Vaidik actions. The S’ûdras, even, are not to use the ashes touched by the lowest classes. All the actions ordained by the S'âstras are to be done after being besmeared with ashes of the Agnihotra sacrifice; otherwise no action will bear any fruit. All his truth, purity, Japam, offering, oblations to the sacrifice, bathing in the holy place of pilgrimage, and worshipping the gods become useless, who does not hold Tripundra. No fear of disease, sins, famine, or robbers comes to the Brâhmins who use Tripundra and rosary of Rudrâksa and thus remain always pure. In the end, they get the Nirvâna liberation. During the time of Srâddhas (solemn obsequies performed in honour of the manes of deceased ancestors) the Brâhmins purify the rows where persons are fed; so much so that the Devas glorify them. One must use the Tripundra marks before one performs any Srâddha, Japam sacrifice, offering oblations or worshipping the Visvedevâs; then one gets deliverance from the jaws of death. O Nârada! I am now speaking further of the greatness in holding the Bhasma; listen.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness in holding the Tripundra and Bhasma in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

11.12.22

vinā vedocitācāraṃ smārtasyānarthakāraṇam |
kṛtaṃ syādakṛtaṃ tena śrutamapyaśrutaṃ bhavet ||

11.12.23

adhītamanadhītaṃ ca tripuṇḍraṃ yo na dhārayet |
vṛthā vedā vṛthā yajñā vṛthā dānaṃ vṛthā tapaḥ ||

11.12.24

vṛthā vratopavāsena tripuṇḍraṃ yo na dhārayet |
bhasmadhāraṇakaṃ tyaktvā muktimicchati yaḥ pumān ||

11.12.25

viṣapānena nityatvaṃ kurute hyātmano hi saḥ |
sraṣṭā sṛṣṭicchalenāha tripuṇḍrasya ca dhāraṇam ||

11.12.26

sasarja sa lalāṭaṃ hi tiryagūrdhvaṃ na vartulam |
tiryagrekhāḥ pradṛśyante lalāṭe sarvadehinām ||

11.12.27

tathāpi mānavā mūrkhā na kurvanti tripuṇḍrakam |
na taddhyānaṃ na tanmokṣaṃ na tajjñānaṃ na tattapaḥ ||

11.12.28

vinā tiryaktripuṇḍraṃ ca vipreṇa yadanuṣṭhitam |
vedasyādhyayane śūdro nādhikārī yathā bhavet ||

11.12.29

tripuṇḍreṇa vinā vipro nādhikārī śivārcane |
prāṅmukhaścaraṇau hastau prakṣālyācamya pūrvavat ||

11.12.30

prāṇānāyamya saṅkalpya bhasmasnānaṃ samācaret |
ādāya bhasitaṃ śuddhamagnihotrasamudbhavam ||

11.12.31

īśānena tu mantreṇa svamūrdhani vinikṣipet |
tata ādāya tadbhasma mukhe ca puruṣeṇa tu ||

11.12.32

aghorākhyeṇa hṛdaye guhye vāmāhvayena ca |
sadyojātābhidhānena bhasma pādadvaye kṣipet ||

11.12.33

sarvāṅgaṃ praṇavenaiva mantreṇoddhūlanaṃ tataḥ |
etadāgneyakaṃ snānamuditaṃ paramarṣibhiḥ ||

11.12.34

sarvakarmasamṛddhyarthaṃ kuryādādāvidaṃ budhaḥ |
tataḥ prakṣālya hastādīnupaspṛśya yathāvidhi ||

11.12.35

tiryaktripuṇḍraṃ vidhinā lalāṭe hṛdaye gale |
pañcabhirbrahmabhirvāpi kṛtena bhasitena ca ||

11.12.36

ghṛtametattripuṇḍraṃ syātsarvakarmasu pāvanam |
śūdrairantyajahastasthaṃ na dhāryaṃ bhasma ca kvacit ||

11.12.37

bhasmanā sāgnihotreṇa liptaḥ karma samācaret |
anyathā sarvakarmāṇi na phalanti kadācana ||

11.12.38

satyaṃ śaucaṃ japo homastīrthaṃ devādipūjanam |
tasya vyarthamidaṃ sarvaṃ yastripuṇḍraṃ na dhārayet ||

11.12.39

tripuṇḍradhṛgvipravaro yo rudrākṣadharaḥ śuciḥ |
sa hanti rogaduritavyādhidurbhikṣataskarān ||

11.12.40

samāpnoti paraṃ brahma yato nāvartate punaḥ |
sa paṅktipāvanaḥ śrāddhe pūjyo vipraiḥ surairapi ||

11.12.41

śrāddhe yajñe jape home vaiśvadeve surārcane |
dhṛtatripuṇḍraḥ pūtātmā mṛtyuṃ jayati mānavaḥ |
bhasmadhāraṇamāhātmyaṃ bhūyo'pi kathayāmi te ||

11.12.41.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmekādaśaskandhe bhasmadhāraṇamāhāmyavarṇanaṃ nāma dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||