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MISCELLANEOUS

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 would
be
(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, with
the
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 should
not
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. Having
dried
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
 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 having
made
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 Brahmanesu
amratam.
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 sacred
thread,
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
 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 with
the
Vama (hymn), the feet with the Sadyojata hymn, and the entire body with
Om.
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 consisting
of
three lines on both his arms. Saying (the hymn) Aghoraya namah he should
put
(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.