History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c34.153.3

v2.c34.153.3

44-45, the Pṛthvī-candrodaya condemn the practice of branding the body with marks of the conch &c. with red-hot iron as fit only for śūdras. The Smṛtyartha-sāgara of Chalāri quotes passages of the Vāyupurāṇa and Viṣṇupurāṇa supporting branding. In the Kālāgnirudropa-niṣad the procedure¹⁶⁰⁵ of the tripuṇḍra mark is laid down. Holy ashes are taken from the sacred fire with the five mantras 'sadyo jātam' (Tai. Ār. 10. 43-47) and they are then invoked with the mantras 'agniriti bhasma'; part of the ashes is then taken in the palm of one's hand with the mantra 'mā nastoke', (Ṛg. I. 114. 8) and mixed with water and therewith lines are made on the head, the forehead up to the (middle of the) eyebrows and eyes, on the chest and shoulders, after repeating 'tryāyuṣam Jamadagner' when applying the ashes to the forehead, 'kaśyapasya tryāyuṣam' when applying to the navel (or chest) and so on (the head coming last). The Sāṅkhyāyana gṛ. says¹⁶⁰⁶ "He makes the tripuṇḍra mark with ashes with the five formulas 'tryāyuṣam' &c. on his forehead, chest, right and left shoulders and then on the back; (by doing this) he studies these Vedas, one, two, three or all." The Smṛtimuktāphala¹⁶⁰⁷ (āhnika p. 301) quotes a passage from Baudhāyana in which the words of the exhortation to the pupil returning home 'bhūtyai na pramaditavyam' occurring in the Tai. Up. I. 11 are interpreted as referring to the making of the tripuṇḍra mark with ashes (*bhūti*).