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PADMA PURANA - HOW TO PREPARE SACRED

ASH There cannot be burning without fire." Siva said: "Fire certainly exists in the eye of Sankara. These three qualities are the cow; and knowledge wouldbe

(i.e. is) the auspicious cowdung. Upanisad is said to be the urine (of the cow). Then one should prepare the sacred ash from them. One should consecrate the cow; the dung of her whose calves are dead, withthe

hymn Agavah. (Uttering the hymn) one should make the cow eat the grass and drink the water with the hymn Gavo gavo Gavah. Or the one who observes the vow, should observe a fast on the fourteenth day of the bright and the dark fortnights. Then the next day one should get up in the morning and being pure and composed and having bathed, having put on garments that are washed, should go to the cow for the dung. Having carefully got her up, one should get the urine from the cow. One should hold it in a pitcher made of gold, silver, copper or clay; or (one should hold it) in a blue lotus, or a vessel made of palasa (leaves) or in a horn. One should have the cow-urine and a little cowdung also. One should take in an excellent pot as told before, without letting it fall on the ground. The wise one should purify the cowdung with the hymn Srih me bhajatu(`May

prosperity resort to me'). With the hymn Alaksmirmayi (`Prosperity shouldnot

come to me'), one should purify the cowdung. With the hymn Sam tva sincami (`I sprinkle you'), he should put the cow-urine

into the cowdung. With the hymn Pancanam tva one should prepare fourteen pindas. Havingdried them with the rays of the sun, one should put the balls of the cowdung in the vessel already referred to. According to the rule in his own Grhya (Sutra), he should install them and kindle fire. Then one should put balls (saying) `to Arnadeva'. The wise one should perform the two rites called Aghara (i.e. sprinkling clarified butter upon fire) and Ajyabhaga (offering two portions of clarified

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butter to Agni and Soma). Then he should make offerings to the lord of destruction. Then thirteen offerings like Jaya etc. should be made. Then five hymns like Namo Hiranyabahave (should be recited). Thus havingmade

all offerings ending with the fourth with the accompaniment of hymns, he should offer (an oblation) to Rudra, Sarva with the hymn Yasya vai kankati.A

wise man should offer with these the three that are known. Having made the Vyahrtis (i.e. uttering the words like Bhur, Bhuvas etc.), he should offer the right sacrifice (to Agni). Then having withheld the remaining fuel, he should add other water to the water in the full vessel with the Yajus formula Purnamasanta. He should sprinkle that water on his head with the hymn Brahmanesuamratam.

Then with the hymn Pracyam he should sprinkle the water in the directions.He

should give a present to a brahmana. He should bring a ball of boiled rice. With the hymn `For the protection of the rite of all gods, I shall bring this to you, O fire; cover this one of mine today', he should cover the fire with that ball. The covering by it is said to be remaining in fire for three days. He should feed the brahmanas, and being restrained in speech, should himself eat. If he desires more sacred ash, he should bring more cowdung. After three days or one day, on the third or fourth day, he, having bathed in the morning, having put on white garments, having worn a white sacredthread, having put on white flowers and unguents, with his teeth (brushed) white, (his body) besmeared with the sacred ash, with the utterance of the hymn Tadva should, indeed, not give up the sacred ash. Having offered presents, he should observe the sixteen formalities like invocation. Then he should collect the fire. With (the utterance of) the hymn Agne, bhasma, he should take the sacred ash produced (from the cowdung). Then,he

should clean it with (the utterance of) the hymn Agnirasmi (`I am fire'), then mix it with the water of Ganga or the milk of a cow. Then having powdered camphor, Kasmira-saffron, usira, sandal with agaru (a kind of sandal) well, he should drop that powder into the sacred ash with sacred hymn (i.e. syllable) Om. Then the hymn (that is said i.e. prescribed) at the time of sprinkling the milk is : `O goddess, your sacred milk, giving intelligence, is nectar here (i.e. on the earth); due to your favour men are freed from all

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sins'. Then the learned one should invoke the small lumps of the sacred ash with the utterance of Om. With (the utterance of) the hymn, Anoraniyan the wise one (should do so). Sambhu said :

Having thus procured the sacred ash and having taken it (in his hands), the knower of the hymns should clean it with Om and should get it hallowed with seven hymns. (He should apply it) to his head with (a hymn addressed) to Isana. (He should apply it) to his face with (the hymn) Tat Purusa. He should hallow the chest with the Aghora (hymn) and, the private parts withthe

Vama (hymn), the feet with the Sadyojata hymn, and the entire body withOm.

Then he should dust the entire body from the soles of his feet to his head (with sacred ash). Then he should sip water, and should put on a white, washed garment. Having sipped water again, he should do his rites fully. Then having taken the sacred ash and cleaned it with (the utterance of) Om,he

should, recollecting (Siva) the three-eyed one, the support of the three qualities, the creator of the three (Vedas) and the mighty one, with the hymn Namah Sivaya, put the mark consisting of three lines on his forehead. Saying (the hymn) Namah Sivabhyam, he should also put the mark consistingof

three lines on both his arms. Saying (the hymn) Aghoraya namah he shouldput (a similar mark) on both his forearms. Then (uttering the hymn) Bhimaya he (should put the mark consisting of three lines) on his back, and the backside of his head. (Saying) `salutation to Nilakantha, the should of all' he should put it on his head. Then having washed both his hands, he should perform (the proper) rites.