How to Apply Bhasma
How to apply bhasma? What does Shiva Purana say about this?
Shiva Purana says: do as Jabala Maharshi has told.
Where do you get that?
In Bhasma Jabalopanishad.
Jabala Maharshi has written an Upanishad about the importance of bhasma — how to make bhasma, how to apply bhasma — all that.
The only problem here is that the mantras that Jabala Maharshi says are mostly Veda mantras.
Shiva Purana is meant for common folk who may not know these mantras.
What to do then?
Shiva Purana gives a solution for that as well:
केवलं धारणं ज्ञेयं अन्येषां मंत्रवर्जितं
Just follow the steps. You don't have to say the mantras.
That is good enough.
If you know the mantras, then chant those mantras also — which is even better.
Tripundra Dharana — the method mentioned here — is only for men.
With the five mantras called Pancha Brahma mantras — Sadyojatam Prapadyami, Vamadevaya, Aghorebhyah, Tatpurushaya, Ishana Sarva Vidyanam — saying these five mantras, take bhasma.
If you don't know these mantras, say Shivaya Namaha.
Now you have to do pranama to the bhasma:
अग्निरिति भस्म
वायुरिति भस्म
जलमिति भस्म
स्थलमिति भस्म
व्योमेति भस्म
देवा भस्म
ऋषयो भस्म
सर्वं ह एतदिति भस्म
पूतं पावनं नमामि सद्यः समस्ताघशासकं
Bow your head to bhasma. These mantras are simple. Anybody can do this.
Hereafter, all the mantras are Veda mantras.
Follow the procedure. You need not chant the mantras.
Keep the bhasma in your left palm with Vamadevaya Namaha.
Sprinkle water on the bhasma with Mrityunjaya Mantra.
Mix water in the bhasma.
Apply this paste from feet to head.
This is called Uddhoolanam.
When you do this, again the Pancha Brahma mantras are to be chanted.
After this, you have to make the tripundra at the specified places.
What is tripundra? Three lines.
Pundra in Sanskrit means sugarcane — lines straight like sugarcane, parallel to each other.
This is done with the three fingers — index, middle, and ring fingers.
When you take that bhasma paste, you have to say:
अग्नेर्भस्मासि
Then make tripundra:
-
On top of the head – towards the front (more appropriate if the head is shaven). Mantra: Murdhanam
-
On the forehead – Tryambakam
-
On the front side of the neck – नीलग्रीवाय
-
On the sides of the neck – त्र्यायुषं
-
On the cheeks – कालाय
-
On the eyelids – त्रिलोचनाय
-
On the ears – शृणवाम
-
On the mouth – प्रब्रवाम
-
On the chest – आत्मने
-
On the navel – नाभिः
-
On the right upper arm – भवाय
-
On the right elbow – रुद्राय
-
On the right wrist – दूरेवधाय
-
On the back arm – नमो हन्त्रे
Same with the left hand also.
This is how you have to do bhasma dharana as per Bhasma Jabalopanishad.
You can do without saying the mantras also.
Now, when you say 'from toes to head' — this may not be possible today.
Only Naga Sanyasis are seen to do this these days.
But you can very well touch all the organs of your body with bhasma in place of uddhoolana and then make the tripundras.
Even tripundra — you may not be able to make them in all these places.
In that case, do it in the Pancha Sthanas — forehead, arms, navel, and chest.
This is quite possible.
A Shiva bhakta should never be without bhasma on his body.
If you don't do bhasma dharanam even for a day, you have to do prayaschitta.
What is the prayaschitta for this?
Fasting for one whole day.
And chant Gayatri mantra 108 times, standing in the river.
There are many more interesting things about bhasma dharana.
We will see them later.
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