The Rule for Wearing the Tripundra

Verse 1 (skanda.2.135.1)

।। ब्रह्मोवाच ।। ।। त्वयोक्तो विधिसंयुक्तो मार्गशीर्षो मदापनः ।। को विधिस्तस्य देवेश सर्वं मे ब्रूहि केशव

brahmovāca tvayokto vidhisaṁyukto mārgaśīrṣo madāpanaḥ ko vidhistasya deveśa sarvaṁ me brūhi keśava

Brahma said: You have told me that Margashirsha, joined with its proper rite, leads to the attainment of you. What is that rule, O Lord of gods? Tell me all of it, O Keshava.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.135.2)

।। ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। ।। रात्रावन्ते समुत्थाय उपस्पृश्य यथाविधि ।। नमस्कृत्या गुरुं स्वीयं संस्मरेन्मामतंद्रितः

śrībhagavānuvāca rātrāvante samutthāya upaspṛśya yathāvidhi namaskṛtyā guruṁ svīyaṁ saṁsmarenmāmataṁdritaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: Rising at the end of night, touching water according to rule, and bowing to one's own guru, one should remember me without laziness.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.135.3)

सहस्रनामभिर्भक्त्या कीर्तयेद्वाग्यतः शुचिः ।। बहिर्ग्रामात्समुत्सृज्य मलमूत्रं यथाविधि

sahasranāmabhirbhaktyā kīrtayedvāgyataḥ śuciḥ bahirgrāmātsamutsṛjya malamūtraṁ yathāvidhi

With devotion he should recite the thousand names, restrained in speech and pure; going outside the village, he should void urine and stool according to rule.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.135.4)

शौचं कृत्वा यथान्यायमाचम्य प्रयतः शुचिः ।। दंतधावनपूर्वं च स्नानं कृत्वा यथाविधि

śaucaṁ kṛtvā yathānyāyamācamya prayataḥ śuciḥ daṁtadhāvanapūrvaṁ ca snānaṁ kṛtvā yathāvidhi

Having performed purification duly, sipped water, being controlled and pure, and having first cleaned the teeth, he should bathe according to rule.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.135.5)

आदाय तुलसीमूलमृदं तत्पत्रसंयुताम् ।। मूलमंत्रेणाऽभिमंत्र्य गायत्र्या वा महामते

ādāya tulasīmūlamṛdaṁ tatpatrasaṁyutām mūlamaṁtreṇā'bhimaṁtrya gāyatryā vā mahāmate

Taking the earth from the root of the Tulasi together with its leaves, and consecrating it with the root-mantra or with the Gayatri, O great-minded one—

Verse 6 (skanda.2.135.6)

मंत्रेणैवाऽनुलिप्तांगः स्नायादप्स्वघमर्षणम् ।। अनुद्धृतैरुद्धृतैर्वा जलैः स्नानं विधीयते

maṁtreṇaivā'nuliptāṁgaḥ snāyādapsvaghamarṣaṇam anuddhṛtairuddhṛtairvā jalaiḥ snānaṁ vidhīyate

With the body anointed by that very mantra, he should bathe in the waters reciting the Aghamarshana hymn; bathing is prescribed with waters either drawn or undrawn.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.135.7)

तीर्थं प्रकल्पयेद्विद्वान्मन्त्रेणाऽनेन मन्त्रवित् ।। ॐनमो नारायणायेति मूलमन्त्र उदाहृतः

tīrthaṁ prakalpayedvidvānmantreṇā'nena mantravit oṁnamo nārāyaṇāyeti mūlamantra udāhṛtaḥ

The wise one, knower of mantras, should consecrate the tirtha with this mantra — 'Om namo Narayanaya' is declared as the root mantra.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.135.8)

दर्भपाणिस्तु विधिना आचांतः पुरतः शुचिः ।। चतुर्हस्तसमायुक्तं चतुरस्रं समंततः ।। प्रकल्प्याऽऽवाहयेद्गंगामेभिर्मंत्रैर्विचक्षणः

darbhapāṇistu vidhinā ācāṁtaḥ purataḥ śuciḥ caturhastasamāyuktaṁ caturasraṁ samaṁtataḥ prakalpyā''vāhayedgaṁgāmebhirmaṁtrairvicakṣaṇaḥ

With kusha grass in hand, duly sipped water, pure, standing in front, the discerning one should mark out a square area measuring four hasta on every side, and invoke the Ganga with these mantras.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.135.9)

विष्णुपादप्रसूताऽसि वैष्णवी विष्णुदेवता ।। त्राहि नस्त्वमघादस्मादाजन्ममरणांतिकात्

viṣṇupādaprasūtā'si vaiṣṇavī viṣṇudevatā trāhi nastvamaghādasmādājanmamaraṇāṁtikāt

'You are born from the foot of Vishnu, O Vaishnavi, whose deity is Vishnu; save us from this sin, from birth until the end of death.'

Verse 10 (skanda.2.135.10)

तिस्रः कोट्योऽर्धकोटी च तीर्थानां वायुरब्रवीत् ।। दिवि भुव्यंतरिक्षे च तानि ते संति जाह्नवि

tisraḥ koṭyo'rdhakoṭī ca tīrthānāṁ vāyurabravīt divi bhuvyaṁtarikṣe ca tāni te saṁti jāhnavi

Three and a half crore tirthas — thus spoke Vayu; in heaven, on earth, and in the atmosphere, all these are yours, O Jahnavi (Ganga).

Verse 11 (skanda.2.135.11)

नंदिनीत्येव ते नाम देवेषु नलिनीति च ।। दक्षपुत्री च विहगा विश्वगा योगिनां मता

naṁdinītyeva te nāma deveṣu nalinīti ca dakṣaputrī ca vihagā viśvagā yogināṁ matā

Among the gods your name is Nandini, and also Nalini; you are the daughter of Daksha, the sky-going one, held by yogis to pervade the universe.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.135.12)

विद्याधरी सुप्रसन्ना तथा लोकप्रसादिनी ।। क्षेमा च जाह्नवी चैव शांता शांतिप्रदायिनी

vidyādharī suprasannā tathā lokaprasādinī kṣemā ca jāhnavī caiva śāṁtā śāṁtipradāyinī

You are Vidyadhari, ever gracious, and also the giver of grace to the worlds; you are Kshema, and Jahnavi too, Shanta, the bestower of peace.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.135.13)

एतानि पुण्यनामानि स्नानकाले सदा पठेत् ।। सदा संनिहिता तत्र गंगा त्रिपथगामिनी

etāni puṇyanāmāni snānakāle sadā paṭhet sadā saṁnihitā tatra gaṁgā tripathagāminī

These sacred names one should always recite at the time of bathing; there the Ganga, who flows through the three worlds, is ever present.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.135.14)

सप्तवाराभिजप्तेन करसंपुटयोजितम् ।। मूर्ध्ना कृतांजलिर्भूयस्त्रिचतुः पंच सप्त वा ।। स्नानं कुर्यान्मृदा तद्वदामंत्र्याऽनुविधानतः

saptavārābhijaptena karasaṁpuṭayojitam mūrdhnā kṛtāṁjalirbhūyastricatuḥ paṁca sapta vā snānaṁ kuryānmṛdā tadvadāmaṁtryā'nuvidhānataḥ

Having recited the mantra seven times over water cupped in joined palms, and again bowing with joined hands to the head, thrice, four, five, or seven times — he should likewise bathe with the consecrated clay, following the due procedure.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.135.15)

अश्वक्रांते रथक्रांते विष्णुक्रांते वसुन्धरे ।। मृत्तिके हर मे पापं यन्मया दुष्कृतं कृतम्

aśvakrāṁte rathakrāṁte viṣṇukrāṁte vasundhare mṛttike hara me pāpaṁ yanmayā duṣkṛtaṁ kṛtam

'O earth trodden by the horse, trodden by the chariot, trodden by Vishnu's stride; O clay, remove my sin, whatever evil I have done.'

Verse 16 (skanda.2.135.16)

उद्धृताऽसि वराहेण कृष्णेन शतबाहुना ।। नमस्ते सर्वभूतानां प्रभवाऽरणि सुव्रते

uddhṛtā'si varāheṇa kṛṣṇena śatabāhunā namaste sarvabhūtānāṁ prabhavā'raṇi suvrate

'You were lifted up by Krishna in the form of the Boar, of a hundred arms; salutation to you, the source of all beings, O well-vowed one.'

Verse 17 (skanda.2.135.17)

एवं स्नात्वा ततः पश्चादाचम्य च विधानतः।। उत्थाय वाससी शुक्ले कूले वै परिधाय च

evaṁ snātvā tataḥ paścādācamya ca vidhānataḥ utthāya vāsasī śukle kūle vai paridhāya ca

Having bathed thus, and then sipped water according to rule, rising up he should put on two white garments on the riverbank.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.135.18)

आचम्य तर्पयेद्देवान्पितॄंश्चैव ऋषींस्तथा ।। निष्पीड्य वस्त्रमाचम्य धौतवस्त्रेण वेष्टितः

ācamya tarpayeddevānpitṝṁścaiva ṛṣīṁstathā niṣpīḍya vastramācamya dhautavastreṇa veṣṭitaḥ

Having sipped water, he should offer libations to the gods, to the ancestors, and likewise to the sages; wringing out his cloth, sipping water again, wrapped in a washed garment—

Verse 19 (skanda.2.135.19)

विमलां मृत्तिकां रम्यामादाय द्विजसत्तम ।। मन्त्रेणैवाऽभिमंत्र्याऽथ ललाटादिषु वैष्णवः ।। धारयेदूर्ध्वपुण्ड्राणि यथासंख्यमतंद्रितः

vimalāṁ mṛttikāṁ ramyāmādāya dvijasattama mantreṇaivā'bhimaṁtryā'tha lalāṭādiṣu vaiṣṇavaḥ dhārayedūrdhvapuṇḍrāṇi yathāsaṁkhyamataṁdritaḥ

Taking pure and pleasant clay, O best of the twice-born, and consecrating it with the mantra, the devotee of Vishnu should then, without laziness, apply the upward marks on the forehead and other places, in their due number.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.135.20)

ब्रह्मन्द्वादशपुण्ड्राणि ब्राह्मणः सततं वहेत् ।। चत्वारि भूभृतां पुत्र पुण्ड्राणि द्वे विशां स्मृते ।। एकं पुंड्रं च नारीणां शूद्राणां च विधीयते

brahmandvādaśapuṇḍrāṇi brāhmaṇaḥ satataṁ vahet catvāri bhūbhṛtāṁ putra puṇḍrāṇi dve viśāṁ smṛte ekaṁ puṁḍraṁ ca nārīṇāṁ śūdrāṇāṁ ca vidhīyate

O Brahma, a brahmin should always wear twelve marks; for kshatriyas, O son, four marks are prescribed; for vaishyas, two are remembered; and for women and shudras, one mark is ordained.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.135.21)

ललाट उदरे चैव वक्षो वै कण्ठकूबरे ।। कुक्ष्योर्बाह्वोः कर्णयोश्च पृष्ठे त्रिके च वै शिरः ।। तिलका द्वादश प्रोक्ता ब्राह्मणस्य सदाऽनघ

lalāṭa udare caiva vakṣo vai kaṇṭhakūbare kukṣyorbāhvoḥ karṇayośca pṛṣṭhe trike ca vai śiraḥ tilakā dvādaśa proktā brāhmaṇasya sadā'nagha

On the forehead, the belly, the chest, at the throat and collarbone, on both sides of the belly, on both arms, on both ears, on the back, at the base of the spine, and on the head — twelve tilaka marks are thus declared for the brahmin always, O sinless one.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.135.22)

ललाटे हृदि बाह्वोश्च क्षात्रः पुंड्राणि धारयेत्।। ललाटे हृदये वैश्यो भाले वै शूद्रयोषिताम्

lalāṭe hṛdi bāhvośca kṣātraḥ puṁḍrāṇi dhārayet lalāṭe hṛdaye vaiśyo bhāle vai śūdrayoṣitām

The kshatriya should bear the marks on the forehead, the heart, and both arms; the vaishya on the forehead and the heart; and for shudras and women, only on the forehead.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.135.23)

ललाटे केशवं ध्यायेन्नारायणमथोदरे।। वक्षःस्थले माधवं च गोविंदं कण्ठकूबरे

lalāṭe keśavaṁ dhyāyennārāyaṇamathodare vakṣaḥsthale mādhavaṁ ca goviṁdaṁ kaṇṭhakūbare

On the forehead one should meditate on Keshava, on the belly on Narayana; on the chest, Madhava, and at the throat-collarbone, Govinda—

Verse 24 (skanda.2.135.24)

विष्णुं च दक्षिणे कुक्षौ बाहौ च मधुसूदनम् ।। त्रिविक्रमं कर्णमूले वामनं वामपार्श्वके

viṣṇuṁ ca dakṣiṇe kukṣau bāhau ca madhusūdanam trivikramaṁ karṇamūle vāmanaṁ vāmapārśvake

Vishnu on the right side of the belly, and Madhusudana on the arm; Trivikrama at the root of the ear, and Vamana on the left side—

Verse 25 (skanda.2.135.25)

श्रीधरं वामबाहौ च हृषीकेशं च कर्णके ।। पृष्ठे तु पद्मनाभः स्यात्त्रिके दामोदरं न्यसेत्

śrīdharaṁ vāmabāhau ca hṛṣīkeśaṁ ca karṇake pṛṣṭhe tu padmanābhaḥ syāttrike dāmodaraṁ nyaset

Shridhara on the left arm, and Hrishikesha on the other ear; on the back should be Padmanabha, and at the base of the spine one should place Damodara—

Verse 26 (skanda.2.135.26)

तत्प्रक्षालनतोयेन वासुदेवं तु मूर्धनि।। एवं कार्यं ब्राह्मणस्य क्षत्रियस्योपधारयेत्

tatprakṣālanatoyena vāsudevaṁ tu mūrdhani evaṁ kāryaṁ brāhmaṇasya kṣatriyasyopadhārayet

And with the water used to wash that clay, Vasudeva should be set upon the head. Thus it should be done for the brahmin; hear now what is enjoined for the kshatriya.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.135.27)

ललाटे केशवं ध्यायेद्धृदये माधवं तथा ।। बाह्वोश्च उभयोर्वत्स स्मरेद्वै मधुसूदनम्

lalāṭe keśavaṁ dhyāyeddhṛdaye mādhavaṁ tathā bāhvośca ubhayorvatsa smaredvai madhusūdanam

On the forehead one should meditate on Keshava, and likewise on Madhava at the heart; and on both arms, O child, one should remember Madhusudana.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.135.28)

क्षत्रियस्य विधिः प्रोक्तो वैश्यकृत्यं निशामय ।। ललाटे केशवं ध्यायेद्धृदये माधवं तथा

kṣatriyasya vidhiḥ prokto vaiśyakṛtyaṁ niśāmaya lalāṭe keśavaṁ dhyāyeddhṛdaye mādhavaṁ tathā

Thus the rule for the kshatriya has been declared; now hear the observance for the vaishya. On the forehead one should meditate on Keshava, and likewise on Madhava at the heart.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.135.29)

योषिच्छूद्रौ स्मरेतां च केशवं भालदेशके ।। अनेन विधिना कुर्यात्पुंड्राणि मम तुष्टये

yoṣicchūdrau smaretāṁ ca keśavaṁ bhāladeśake anena vidhinā kuryātpuṁḍrāṇi mama tuṣṭaye

Women and shudras should remember Keshava alone, on the forehead. By this rule one should apply the marks, for my satisfaction.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.135.30)

श्यामं शांतिकरं प्रोक्तं रक्तं वश्यकरं तथा ।। श्रीकरं पीतमित्याहुः श्वेतं मोक्षकरं शुभम्

śyāmaṁ śāṁtikaraṁ proktaṁ raktaṁ vaśyakaraṁ tathā śrīkaraṁ pītamityāhuḥ śvetaṁ mokṣakaraṁ śubham

Dark clay is said to bring peace, red clay likewise brings the power to subjugate; yellow, they say, brings prosperity, and auspicious white clay brings liberation.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.135.31)

एकांतिनो महाभागाः सर्वलोकहिते रताः ।। सांऽतरालं प्रकुर्वंति पुण्ड्रं हरिपदाकृतिम्

ekāṁtino mahābhāgāḥ sarvalokahite ratāḥ sāṁ'tarālaṁ prakurvaṁti puṇḍraṁ haripadākṛtim

Exclusive devotees, of great fortune, devoted to the welfare of all worlds, make the mark with a gap in the middle, shaped like the footprint of Hari.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.135.32)

मध्ये छिद्रेण संयुक्तमेतद्धि हरिमंदिरम् ।। ऊर्ध्वं सौम्यमृजुं सूक्ष्मं सुपार्श्वं सुमनोहरम्

madhye chidreṇa saṁyuktametaddhi harimaṁdiram ūrdhvaṁ saumyamṛjuṁ sūkṣmaṁ supārśvaṁ sumanoharam

This mark, joined with a gap in the middle, is indeed the very temple of Hari — upright, gentle, straight, fine, well-flanked, and altogether beautiful.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.135.33)

निरंतरालं यः कुर्यादूर्ध्वपुंड्रं द्विजाऽधमः ।। स हि तत्र स्थितं लक्ष्म्या सह मां च व्यपोहति

niraṁtarālaṁ yaḥ kuryādūrdhvapuṁḍraṁ dvijā'dhamaḥ sa hi tatra sthitaṁ lakṣmyā saha māṁ ca vyapohati

Whatever base twice-born makes the upward mark without a gap in the middle, he indeed drives away me and Lakshmi both, though we abide there.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.135.34)

अच्छिद्रमूर्ध्वपुंड्रं तु ये कुर्वंति द्विजाधमाः ।। तैर्ललाटे शुनः पादं निक्षिप्तं वै न संशयः

acchidramūrdhvapuṁḍraṁ tu ye kurvaṁti dvijādhamāḥ tairlalāṭe śunaḥ pādaṁ nikṣiptaṁ vai na saṁśayaḥ

Those base twice-born who make the upward mark without any opening — by them, without doubt, the paw-print of a dog is set upon the forehead.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.135.35)

तस्माच्छिद्रान्वितं पुंड्रं महच्छिद्रं शुभान्वितम् ।। धारयेद्ब्राह्मणो नित्यं हरिसालोक्यसिद्धये

tasmācchidrānvitaṁ puṁḍraṁ mahacchidraṁ śubhānvitam dhārayedbrāhmaṇo nityaṁ harisālokyasiddhaye

Therefore the brahmin should always wear the mark furnished with a gap, an auspicious mark with a wide opening, for the attainment of the same world as Hari.