[Advaita-l] Bhsma tripuNDra vidhi in the ShankhAyana Grihya Sutra

[V Subrahmanian]

This sutra is stated to be of the BCE era. There is a Narayana Commentary
to it, authored in the 15/16th century CE.

https://tinyurl.com/yk5r2hbv

सौपर्णव्रतभाषितं दृष्टं वृद्धसंप्रदायानुष्ठितं त्र्यायुषं पञ्चभिर्मन्त्रैः
प्रतिमन्त्रं ललाटे हृदये दक्षिणस्कन्धे वामे च ततः पृष्ठे च पञ्चसु *भस्मना
त्रिपुण्ड्रं करोति*(6)

Narayana Bhashya:

कीदृशं त्रिपुण्ड्रं सौपणंव्रते परिशिष्टे भाषितं । पुनः कीदृशं
वृद्धसंप्रदायैः पूर्वैः ऋषिभिरनुष्ठितं कृतं । उक्तं च वीरभद्रपद्धतौ -
ह्यायुष्याणि कुरुते भस्मना ललाटे दक्षिणांसे तथा सव्यहृत्कंठे त्र्यायुषमिति
प्रतिमंत्रं । त्र्यायुष्याणि त्रिपुण्ड्राणि ।* पद्मपुराणे शंभुवचनं रामं
प्रति पापं नाशयते कृत्स्नमपि जन्मशताज्जितं । भस्मनात्सर्वपापानां स्मरणाच्च
महेशितुः । भस्मेति च समाख्यातं, तस्य धारण- मुत्तमं ॥ यथाविधि ललाटे वै
वह्निस्य प्रचारणात्। नाशयेल्लिखितां यामी पटस्थामिव हव्यभुक् । कण्ठे च
धारणात्कंठभोगादिकृत पातकं बाह्वोर्बाहुकृतं पापं वक्षसि मनसा कृतं । नाभ्यां
शिश्नकृतं पापं पृष्ठे गुदकृतं तथा पाश्वपोषरणाद्राम परस्त्रया लिंगनादिजम् ।
तद्भस्मधारणं शस्तं सर्वत्रैव त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् । ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां
श्रव्यग्नीनां च प्रधारणम् । गुणलोकत्रयाणां च धारणं तेन वै कृतमिति ।
कालाग्निरुद्रोपनिषदि *। मानस्तोक इति समुद्धृत्य शं नो देवीरिति ज्यायुषमिति
च शिरो लाटवक्षस्कंधेष्विति त्रिभित्र्यायुषस्त्रयंबके स्तिस्रो रेखाः
प्रकुर्वेतेति । त्रिपुण्ड्रं ब्राह्मणो विद्वान्मनसापि न लंघपेत् । श्रुत्या
विधीयते यस्मात्तत्यागी पतितो भवेत् ।  मध्यमानामिकांगुष्ठैः ललाटे भस्मना
कृतम् । तत्त्रिपुण्ड्रं भवेच्छंखं महापातकनाशनं । *इति लौगाक्षिसूत्रे *।
* बृहन्नारदीये* त्रिपुण्ड्रधारिणो ये वै ते च भागवतोत्तमाः । द्राक्षालंकृता
ये च विष्णुनामाभियंत्रिताः । इति ।

The Sutra:

The Suparna vow is stated. According to the tradition of the elders, five
mantras are used to apply the Tripundra with ash at five points - the
forehead, heart, right shoulder, left shoulder, and then the back.

Narayana's Commentary:

What kind of Tripundra is described in the Suparna vow appendix? And what
kind was practiced by the ancient sages in the old tradition? As stated in
the Virabhadra manual - "One should apply the ash marks for longevity on
the forehead, right shoulder, left heart-region and throat, reciting the
Tryayusham mantra for each mark. The three marks of ash are called
Tryayushyani (three marks of longevity)."

In the Padma Purana, पद्मपुराणम्/खण्डः ५ (पातालखण्डः)/अध्यायः १०५
https://sa.wikisource.org/s/x74  Lord Shambhu tells Rama: "The ash destroys
all sins accumulated over hundreds of births. Through ash and remembrance
of Maheshvara (Shiva), all sins are destroyed. This is called 'Bhasma'
(sacred ash) and wearing it is considered supreme. When applied properly on
the forehead according to ritual, it destroys sins just as fire consumes
offerings. Wearing it on the throat destroys sins committed through the
throat, on the arms destroys sins done by hands, on the chest destroys
mental sins, on the navel destroys sins of lust, and on the back destroys
related sins. O Rama, wearing the three lines of ash everywhere is
recommended."

The text continues with references from the Kalagnirudra Upanishad and
other texts, discussing the proper method of applying Tripundra using
specific mantras and fingers, and emphasizing its importance for Brahmins.
It concludes with references from the Laugakshi Sutra and Brihad-Naradiya
stating that those who wear Tripundra are considered supreme devotees,
especially when combined with other sacred symbols and Vishnu's names.

From the above we conclude that Bhasma Tripundra with vedic rituals is
admitted in the ancient Grihya Sutras like the Shankhayana, Laugakshi
Sutra, and the Kauthuma Grihya Sutra: https://tinyurl.com/5e29m3nw etc.

The Padmapurana link given above can be read with translation, for a very
interesting exposition on Bhasma mahatmyam.  There is a Shiva-Vishnu
dialogue bringing this out.

Om Tat Sat