{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/db/bk11ch11.htm","path":"hin/db/bk11ch11.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk11ch11.htm","text":"THE ELEVENTH BOOK\nChapter XI\nOn the description of the greatness of the three kinds of Bhasmas\nN\u00e2rada asked :-- O Bhagav\u00e2n! How is the above Bhasma of three kinds? I am eager to hear this. Kindly describe this to me. N\u00e2r\u00e2yana said :-- O N\u00e2rada! I am now talking of the three kinds of ashes; hearing this even destroys one's sins and brings in good fame. When a cow evacuates her dung, just as the cow dung leaves her and is far from reaching the ground, one should catch it with one's hand and this cow-dung burnt with \u201cSadyoj\u00e2t\u00e2di,\u201d i.e., Brahm\u00e2 Mantra, becomes ashes which are called \u201cS\u2019\u00e2ntika Bhasma,\u201d i.e., ashes producing peace. Before the cowdung is about to reach the ground, the devotee should take it with his hand and uttering the six lettered Mantra, he is to burn the cowdung. The ashes from this are called Paustik Bhasma, i.e., ashes leading to nourishment.\nIf the cowdung be burned with the Mantra \u201cHaum,\u201d the ashes of this are called \u201cK\u00e2mada Bhasma,\u201d i.e., ashes leading to the granting of desires. O N\u00e2rada! On the full moon day, new moon day or on the eighth lunar day, a man is to get up from his bed early in the morning and be pure and go the cow enclosure. He is to salute the cows and take the cowdung, uttering the Mantra Haum. If he be a Br\u00e2hmin, he is to collect the white cow dung; if he be a Ksattriya, he would take the red cow\ndung; a Vais'ya, yellow cow dung and if he be a S\u2019\u00fbdra, he would take the black cow dung. Then by the mantra \u201cNamah\u201d he is to form that into a ball and cover it with the husk of rice or some other grain and dry it in a sacred place, repeating the mantra \u201cHaum.\u201d Bring fire from a forest or from the house of a Veda-knowing Br\u00e2hmin and reduce the cowdung to ashes by this mantra, uttering the mantra Haum. Next take out the ashes carefully from the fire place (Agni Kunda) and place it in a new jar or pot, again remembering the mantra \u201cHaum\u201d. Mix with the ashes the Ketak\u00ee dust, the P\u00e2tala flower dust, the root of the fragrant grass called khas khas, saffron and other sweet scented things with the mantra \u201cSatyoj\u00e2tam prapady\u00e2mi,\u201d etc. First perform the water bath, then the bath of the ashes. In case one cannot have the water bath, one is to have the ash bath. Washing the hands, feet and head with the mantra \u201cIs'\u00e2nah Sarvavidy\u00e2n\u00e2m,\u201d etc., and uttering \u201cTatpurusa\u201d one is to besmear one's face with ashes and by the mantra \u201cAghora\u201d apply ashes on one's chest; with the mantra V\u00e2madeva. He is to use ashes on his navel; and with the mantra \u201cSadyo J\u00e2ta,\u201d etc., all over his body; he is to quit his former cloth and put on another fresh cloth. Wash your hands and feet and sip (do \u00c2chaman). It will serve the purpose if one simply uses Tripundrak and if one does not besmear the whole body with ashes. Before the midday one is to use Bhasma with water; but after the midday with dry ashes one is to draw the Tripundra lines of ashes with the forefinger, middlefinger and ringfinger. The head, forehead, ears, neck, heart, and the arms are the places whereon the Tripundras are used. On the head the ashes are applied with five fingers and with the mantra \u201cHaum\u201d; on the forehead, the Tripundra is applied with mantra Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 by the forefinger, mindlefinger and ringfinger; on the right ear, it is applied with \u201cSadyoj\u00e2ta\u201d mantra; on the left ear, with \u201cVamadeva\u201d Mantra; on the neck with Aghora mantra by the middlefinger; on the chest with \u201cNamah\u201d mantra by the forefing middlefinger and ringfinger; on the right arm with vasat mantra by the three fingers; on the left arm with \u201cHam\u201d mantra by the three fingers; and on the navel, the ashes are to be applied with the mantra \u00ces'\u00e2nah sarva dev\u00e2n\u00e2m by the middlefinger. The first line in every Tripundra is Brahm\u00e2; the second line is Visnu; and the third, the topmost line is Mah\u00e2 Deva. The line of ashes that is marked by one finger is \u00ces'vara. The head is the place of Brahm\u00e2; the forehead is the site of \u00ces'vara; the two ears are the seats of the two As'vins and the neck is where Ganes'a resides. The Ksattriyas, Vais'yas, and S\u2019\u00fbdras are to use Tripundras without any mantra; they are also not to use the ashes on\nthe whole of the body. The lowest classes (e.g. the ch\u00e2nd\u00e2las, etc.,) and the uninitiated persons are to use the Tripundraks without any mantra.\nHere ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the description of the greatness of the three kinds of Bhasmas in the Mah\u00e2pur\u00e2nam S\u2019r\u00ee Mad Dev\u00ee Bh\u00e2gavatam of 18,000 verses by Mah\u00e2rsi Veda Vy\u00e2sa.","title":"The Devi Bhagavatam: The Eleventh Book: Chapter 11","type":"page"}