The Pashupata Vow, in the Glory of the Sacred Ash

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.11.10.1)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । आग्नेयं गौणमज्ञानध्वंसकं ज्ञानसाधकम् । गौणं नानाविधं विद्धि ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्मविदांवर

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca āgneyaṁ gauṇamajñānadhvaṁsakaṁ jñānasādhakam gauṇaṁ nānāvidhaṁ viddhi brahmanbrahmavidāṁvara

Shri Narayana said: The 'agneya' fire-born ash is of the secondary type; it destroys ignorance and accomplishes knowledge. O Brahman, best among the knowers of Brahman, know that this secondary type is of many kinds:

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.11.10.2)

अग्निहोत्राग्निजं तद्वद्विरजानलजं मुने । औपासनसमुत्पन्नं समिदग्निसमुद्भवम्

agnihotrāgnijaṁ tadvadvirajānalajaṁ mune aupāsanasamutpannaṁ samidagnisamudbhavam

that born from the agnihotra fire; likewise, O sage, that born from the Viraja fire; that arisen from the household worship-fire; that born from the fire kindled with sacred fuel-sticks;

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.11.10.3)

पचनाग्निसमुत्पन्नं दावानलसमुद्भवम् । त्रैवर्णिकानां सर्वेषामग्निहोत्रसमुद्भवम्

pacanāgnisamutpannaṁ dāvānalasamudbhavam traivarṇikānāṁ sarveṣāmagnihotrasamudbhavam

that arisen from the cooking-fire; that born from a forest conflagration. For all of the three upper classes, that born from the agnihotra fire,

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.11.10.4)

विरजानलजं चैव धार्यं भस्म महामुने । औपासनसमुत्पन्नं गृहस्थानां विशेषतः

virajānalajaṁ caiva dhāryaṁ bhasma mahāmune aupāsanasamutpannaṁ gṛhasthānāṁ viśeṣataḥ

and that born from the Viraja fire — this ash should be worn, O great sage. That arisen from the household worship-fire is especially prescribed for householders;

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.11.10.5)

समिदग्निसमुत्पन्नं धार्यं वै ब्रह्मचारिणा । शूद्राणां श्रोत्रियागारपचनाग्निसमुद्भवम्

samidagnisamutpannaṁ dhāryaṁ vai brahmacāriṇā śūdrāṇāṁ śrotriyāgārapacanāgnisamudbhavam

that born from the samidh-fire should be worn by the celibate student; for shudras, that arisen from the cooking-fire in the house of a learned brahmin,

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.11.10.6)

अन्येषामपि सर्वेषां धार्यं दावानलोद्भवम् । कालश्चित्रा पौर्णमासी देशः स्वीयः परिग्रहः

anyeṣāmapi sarveṣāṁ dhāryaṁ dāvānalodbhavam kālaścitrā paurṇamāsī deśaḥ svīyaḥ parigrahaḥ

and for all others, that arisen from a forest fire should be worn. As for the proper time — the full-moon day of the month Chitra; and the proper place — one's own dwelling or accepted domain,

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.11.10.7)

क्षेत्रारामाद्यरण्यं वा प्रशस्तः शुभलक्षणः । तत्र पूर्वत्रयोदश्यां सुस्नातः सुकृताह्निकः

kṣetrārāmādyaraṇyaṁ vā praśastaḥ śubhalakṣaṇaḥ tatra pūrvatrayodaśyāṁ susnātaḥ sukṛtāhnikaḥ

or a field, a grove, or a forest — any auspicious, well-marked place. There, on the thirteenth day preceding the full moon, having bathed well and duly performed the daily rites,

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.11.10.8)

अनुज्ञाप्य स्वमाचार्यं सम्पूज्य प्रणिपत्य च । पूजां वैशेषिकीं कृत्वा शुक्लाम्बरधरः स्वयम्

anujñāpya svamācāryaṁ sampūjya praṇipatya ca pūjāṁ vaiśeṣikīṁ kṛtvā śuklāmbaradharaḥ svayam

having taken leave of one's own teacher, having worshipped and prostrated to him, and having performed the special worship, one should personally don white garments,

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.11.10.9)

शुद्धयज्ञोपवीती च शुक्लमाल्यानुलेपनः । दर्भासने समासीनो दर्भमुष्टिं प्रगृह्य च

śuddhayajñopavītī ca śuklamālyānulepanaḥ darbhāsane samāsīno darbhamuṣṭiṁ pragṛhya ca

wear a pure sacred thread, and be adorned with white garlands and unguents; seated on a seat of darbha grass, and holding a handful of darbha grass,

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.11.10.10)

प्राणायामत्रयं कृत्वा प्राङ्मुखो वाप्युदङ्मुखः । ध्यात्वा देवं च देवीं च तद्विज्ञापनवर्त्मना

prāṇāyāmatrayaṁ kṛtvā prāṅmukho vāpyudaṅmukhaḥ dhyātvā devaṁ ca devīṁ ca tadvijñāpanavartmanā

having performed pranayama three times, facing east or facing north, and having meditated upon the God and the Goddess, one should formally announce:

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.11.10.11)

व्रतमेतत्करोमीति भवेत्सङ्कल्पदीक्षितः । यावच्छरीरपातं वा द्वादशाब्दमथापि वा

vratametatkaromīti bhavetsaṅkalpadīkṣitaḥ yāvaccharīrapātaṁ vā dvādaśābdamathāpi vā

'I undertake this vow' — thus one becomes consecrated by resolve, choosing to observe it either until the falling of the body, or for twelve years,

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.11.10.12)

तदर्धं वा तदर्धं वा मासद्वादशकं तु वा । तदर्धं वा तदर्धं वा मासमेकमथापि वा

tadardhaṁ vā tadardhaṁ vā māsadvādaśakaṁ tu vā tadardhaṁ vā tadardhaṁ vā māsamekamathāpi vā

or for half of that, or half of that again, or for twelve months, or half of that, or half of that again, or even a single month,

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.11.10.13)

दिनद्वादशकं वापि दिनषट्कमथापि वा । तदर्धं दिनमेकं वा व्रतसङ्कल्पनावधि

dinadvādaśakaṁ vāpi dinaṣaṭkamathāpi vā tadardhaṁ dinamekaṁ vā vratasaṅkalpanāvadhi

or for twelve days, or for six days, or half of that, or — at minimum — a single day: this is the limit of the vow's resolve.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.11.10.14)

अग्निमाधाय विधिवद्विरजाहोमकारणात् । हुत्वाऽऽज्येन समिद्भिश्च चरुणा च यथाविधि

agnimādhāya vidhivadvirajāhomakāraṇāt hutvā''jyena samidbhiśca caruṇā ca yathāvidhi

Having duly established the sacred fire for the purpose of the Viraja fire-offering, and having offered oblations with ghee, fuel-sticks, and the rice-oblation, according to rule,

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.11.10.15)

पूताहात्पुरतो भूयस्तत्त्वानां शुद्धिमुद्दिशन् । जुहुयान्मूलमन्त्रेण तैरेव समिदादिभिः

pūtāhātpurato bhūyastattvānāṁ śuddhimuddiśan juhuyānmūlamantreṇa taireva samidādibhiḥ

and further, on that purified day, intending the purification of the principles, one should make oblations with the root mantra, using those same fuel-sticks,

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.11.10.16)

तत्त्वान्येतानि मे देहे शुध्यन्तामित्यनुस्मरन् । पश्चाद्भूतादितन्मात्राः पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि च

tattvānyetāni me dehe śudhyantāmityanusmaran paścādbhūtāditanmātrāḥ pañcakarmendriyāṇi ca

while continually reciting, 'May these principles in my body be purified.' The principles to be purified are: first the elements and their subtle essences, and the five organs of action,

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.11.10.17)

ज्ञानकर्मविभेदेन पञ्च पञ्च विभागशः । त्वगादिधातवः सप्त पञ्च प्राणादिवायवः

jñānakarmavibhedena pañca pañca vibhāgaśaḥ tvagādidhātavaḥ sapta pañca prāṇādivāyavaḥ

divided respectively into the five organs of knowledge and the five of action; the seven bodily constituents beginning with skin; the five vital breaths beginning with prana;

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.11.10.18)

मनो बुद्धिरहङ्कारो गुणाः प्रकृतिपूरुषौ । रागो विद्या कला चैव नियतिः काल एव च

mano buddhirahaṅkāro guṇāḥ prakṛtipūruṣau rāgo vidyā kalā caiva niyatiḥ kāla eva ca

the mind, the intellect, the ego; the three gunas; Prakriti and Purusha; attachment, limited knowledge, creative capacity, destiny, and time —

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.11.10.19)

माया च शुद्धविद्या च महेश्वरसदाशिवौ । शक्तिश्च शिवतत्त्वं च तत्त्वानि क्रमशो विदुः

māyā ca śuddhavidyā ca maheśvarasadāśivau śaktiśca śivatattvaṁ ca tattvāni kramaśo viduḥ

Maya, pure knowledge, Maheshvara and Sadashiva, Shakti, and the principle of Shiva — these are known, in due order, to be the thirty-six principles.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.11.10.20)

मन्त्रैस्तु विरजैर्हुत्वा होतासौ विरजो भवेत् । अथ गोमयमादाय पिण्डीकृत्याभिमन्त्र्य च

mantraistu virajairhutvā hotāsau virajo bhavet atha gomayamādāya piṇḍīkṛtyābhimantrya ca

Having offered oblations with the Viraja mantras, the officiant himself becomes free of impurity. Then, taking cow-dung, forming it into a lump, and consecrating it with mantra,

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.11.10.21)

न्यस्याग्नौ तं च संरक्ष्य दिने तस्मिन् हविष्यभुक् । प्रभाते च चतुर्दश्यां कृत्वा सर्वं पुरोदितम्

nyasyāgnau taṁ ca saṁrakṣya dine tasmin haviṣyabhuk prabhāte ca caturdaśyāṁ kṛtvā sarvaṁ puroditam

one should place it in the fire and preserve it there; on that day one should eat only sanctified food; and having, at dawn on the fourteenth day, performed everything as previously described,

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.11.10.22)

तस्मिन्दिने निराहारः कालशेषं समापयेत् । प्रातः पर्वणि चाप्येवं कृत्वा होमावसानतः

tasmindine nirāhāraḥ kālaśeṣaṁ samāpayet prātaḥ parvaṇi cāpyevaṁ kṛtvā homāvasānataḥ

one should remain without food on that day and pass the rest of the time fasting. Then in the morning of the festival day, having likewise performed the rites, at the conclusion of the fire-offering,

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.11.10.23)

उपसंहृत्य रुद्राग्निं गृहीत्वा भस्म यत्नतः । ततश्च जटिलो मुण्डः शिखैकजट एव च

upasaṁhṛtya rudrāgniṁ gṛhītvā bhasma yatnataḥ tataśca jaṭilo muṇḍaḥ śikhaikajaṭa eva ca

having concluded the Rudra-fire, and carefully taken up the ash, one should then become either matted-haired, shaven-headed, or wearing a single tuft,

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.11.10.24)

भूत्वा स्नात्वा पुनर्वीतलज्जश्चेत्स्याद्दिगम्बरः । अन्यः काषायवसनश्चर्मचीराम्बरोऽथवा

bhūtvā snātvā punarvītalajjaścetsyāddigambaraḥ anyaḥ kāṣāyavasanaścarmacīrāmbaro'thavā

and having bathed again, if one is free from shame, one may go unclothed; otherwise, one may wear ochre robes, or garments of hide or bark,

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.11.10.25)

एकाम्बरो वल्कलवान्भवेद्दण्डी च मेखली । प्रक्षाल्य चरणौ पश्चाद्द्विराचम्यात्मनस्तनुम्

ekāmbaro valkalavānbhaveddaṇḍī ca mekhalī prakṣālya caraṇau paścāddvirācamyātmanastanum

or a single cloth, or bark garments, and should carry a staff and wear the sacred girdle. Having then washed the feet, and sipped water twice for purification,

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.11.10.26)

सङ्कलीकृत्य तद्भस्म विरजानलसम्भवम् । अग्निरित्यादिभिर्मन्त्रैः षड्भिराथर्वणैः क्रमात्

saṅkalīkṛtya tadbhasma virajānalasambhavam agnirityādibhirmantraiḥ ṣaḍbhirātharvaṇaiḥ kramāt

having gathered together that ash born from the Viraja fire, and consecrated it in due order with the six Atharvana mantras beginning 'agnir iti',

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.11.10.27)

विमृज्याङ्गानि मूर्धादिचरणान्तं च तैः स्पृशेत् । ततस्तेन क्रमेणैव समुद्धूल्य च भस्मना

vimṛjyāṅgāni mūrdhādicaraṇāntaṁ ca taiḥ spṛśet tatastena krameṇaiva samuddhūlya ca bhasmanā

one should wipe the limbs, and touch each part from the head down to the feet with those mantras. Then, in that same order, having smeared oneself thoroughly with the ash,

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.11.10.28)

सर्वाङ्गोद्धूलनं कुर्यात्प्रणवेन शिवेन वा । ततश्च पुण्ड्रं रचयेत्त्रियायुषसमाह्वयम्

sarvāṅgoddhūlanaṁ kuryātpraṇavena śivena vā tataśca puṇḍraṁ racayettriyāyuṣasamāhvayam

one should perform the smearing of all the limbs, with the Pranava or with the Shiva mantra. Then one should apply the ash-mark called Tryayusha, the tripundra.

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.11.10.29)

शिवभावं समागम्य शिवभावमथाचरेत् । कुर्यात्त्रिसन्ध्यमप्येवमेतत्पाशुपतं व्रतम्

śivabhāvaṁ samāgamya śivabhāvamathācaret kuryāttrisandhyamapyevametatpāśupataṁ vratam

Having attained a Shiva-like state of being, one should then act with the disposition of Shiva. One should perform this Pashupata vow in this manner at all three daily twilights.

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.11.10.30)

भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं चैव पशुत्वं विनिवर्तयेत् । तत्पशुत्वं परित्यज्य कृत्वा पाशुपतं व्रतम्

bhuktimuktipradaṁ caiva paśutvaṁ vinivartayet tatpaśutvaṁ parityajya kṛtvā pāśupataṁ vratam

It bestows both worldly enjoyment and liberation, and it turns back the state of bondage. Having abandoned that bound state, and having performed the Pashupata vow,

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.11.10.31)

पूजनीयो महादेवो लिङ्गमूर्तिः सदाशिवः । भस्मस्नानं महापुण्यं सर्वसौख्यकरं परम्

pūjanīyo mahādevo liṅgamūrtiḥ sadāśivaḥ bhasmasnānaṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ sarvasaukhyakaraṁ param

Mahadeva, in the form of the linga, the eternal Shiva, should be worshipped. The ash-bath is of great merit, and is the supreme bestower of every happiness.

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.11.10.32)

आयुष्यं बलमारोग्यं श्रीपुष्टिवर्धनं यतः । रक्षार्थं मङ्गलार्थं च सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धये

āyuṣyaṁ balamārogyaṁ śrīpuṣṭivardhanaṁ yataḥ rakṣārthaṁ maṅgalārthaṁ ca sarvasampatsamṛddhaye

Since it increases longevity, strength, and health, together with prosperity and nourishment, it serves for protection, for auspiciousness, and for the increase of all wealth.

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.11.10.33)

भस्मस्निग्धमनुष्याणां महामारीभयं न च । शान्तिकं पौष्टिकं भस्म कामदं च त्रिधा भवेत्

bhasmasnigdhamanuṣyāṇāṁ mahāmārībhayaṁ na ca śāntikaṁ pauṣṭikaṁ bhasma kāmadaṁ ca tridhā bhavet

For men anointed with ash, there is no fear of great pestilence. The ash is threefold: pacifying, nourishing, and desire-granting.