3. Mantra and Application of Bhasma

[...] Bhasmajābāla Upaniṣad up.I.5

With regard to the application of Bhasma Bhasmajābāla Upaniṣad says, the devotee should honour the Brahmins with a grand feast. Then only he will become purified. Then he should take the Bhasma from the vessel with the Pañca-Brahma-Mantras, ‘Mānastoka’, ‘Sadyojātam’, etc., and with the idea that ‘fire is Bhasma, air is Bhasma, water is Bhasma, earth is Bhasma, ether is Bhasma, gods are Bhasma, Ṛṣis are Bhasma, all this universe and existence are Bhasma; I prostrate to this sacred and purifying Bhasma which destroys all my sins.’Thus, the devotee should keep a little Bhasma with the clean palm of his left hand saying, ‘Vāmadevāya’ (this is to Vāmadevāya) sprinkling with the Mantra ‘Tṛyambakam’ etc., and cleaning it with the Mantra ‘Śuddham śuddhena’ etc. Then he should filter it nicely. Then he should apply it from head to foot, with the five Brahma-Mantras. With the first finger, middle finger and ring finger, he should apply the same to the middle of the head saying ‘O Bhasma! Thou has come from Agni!’ and he should apply Bhasma at the top of the head with the Mantra ‘Mūrdhanam.’ On the forehead with ‘Tṛyambakam etc.’, on the neck with ‘Nīlagrīvāya etc., on the right side of the neck with ‘Tṛyāyuṣam etc. and Vāma etc.’, on the cheeks with ‘Kālāya etc.’, on the ‘eyes with ‘Trilocanāya etc.’, on the ears with ‘Sṛṇavāma etc.’, on the mouth with ‘Prabravāma etc.’, on the heart (chest) with ‘Ātmane etc.’, on the navel with ‘Nābhih etc.’, on the right shoulder with ‘Bhavāya etc.’, on the right elbow with ‘Rudrāya etc.’, on the right wrist with ‘Śarvāya etc.’, on the back of the right palm with ‘Paśupataye etc.’, on the left shoulder with ‘Ugrāya etc.’, on the left elbow with ‘Agre-vadhāya etc.’, on the left wrist with ‘Dūre-vadhāya etc.’, on the back of the left palm with ‘Namo Hantra’ etc.’, and over the shoulder-blades with ‘Śaṅkarāya etc.’The devotee should then prostrate to Śiva with the Mantra ‘Somāya’ etc. He should wash the hands and drink that ash-water with the Mantra ‘Āpah. Punantu’ etc. The water should never be spilt down from any cause. Thus, this practice of Bhasmadhāraṇa should be done in the morning, noon and evening. If he does not do this, he will become fallen.

This very thing is the prescribed Dharma of all Brahmins. Without having Bhasmadhāraṇa in this fashion, he should never take any food, water or anything else. Accidentally if this practice is forgotten, that day, Gāyatri should not be repeated. No Yājña should be done on that day; no Tarpaṇa should be offered to gods, Ṛṣis or Pitṛs. This is the eternal Dharma that destroys all sins and gives the final state of Mokṣa.^[1]