THE KALAGNIRUDROPANISAD zi [This Upanisad, which is the twenty-eighth among the 108 Upanisads and forms part of the Krsna Yajur- ‘veda, deals with the rule prescribed for Bhasmadharana (wearing the Tripundra mark with ashes), as the means to be employed for the attainment of the knowledge of the Brahman, in the form of a discourse between the sage Sanatkumara and Lord Kalagnirudra.] THE SEER AND OTHER PARTICULARS RELATING TO THE MANTRA OF THE KALAGNIRUDROPANISAD Then commences the Kalagnirudropanigad that helps the Updsaka to attain the state of Kalagnirudra: the seer of the Mantra of this Upanisad is Sarhvarta- kagni (Rsi of Pralayakala Sun). Its metre is Anustubh. Its deity is Kalagnirudra (that destroys and reduces completely to ashes the ignorance of the Atman and its concomitants). Its application is in the Japa (prayer) intended to win the favour of Sti Kalagnirudra. (1) ENQUIRY INTO THE RULE RELATING TO THE TRIPUNDRA Thereafter Sanatkumara, the Manasaputra, born of the mind of Brahma, the Creator, who came toTHE KALAGNIRUDROPANISAD 55 know the supreme import of the highest truth as soon as he was born and duly became blessed, he having discharged all his prescribed duties, still with a view to regenerating ignorant folk asked the Lord Kalagnirudra, who had manifested himself before him as a result of his meditating on him for a long time and by way of the fruition of the meritorious Karma of the world of ignotant folk, thus after pondering in the following manner within himself: “Should a knower of Brahman seek to impart instruction unto ignorant folk who are not eligible to receive it’ for want of proper training and the requisite purity of the mind and say, all at once, to the ignorant and the half-enlightened: “All this is Brahman”, he will soon find himself dragged down into the bottomless pit of hell by such a disciple; hence should he strive to purify the interior of such folk through adequate means; this done, knowledge of Brahman will dawn in their minds of its own accord ; thence will they attain the end and aim of their life. In this matter, the ex- clusive means to be adopted, conducive to the achieve- ment of the end in view, is the Tripundra alone.” Thinking in this strain, Sanatkumara interrogated Kalagnirudra thus: ‘‘ O Lord, pray impart instruction unto me relating to the rule prescribed for wearing the Tripundra mark, along with an exposition of the underlying truth, so that the ignorance of the Atman deeply ingrained in ignorant folk might be uprooted and they might attain, through their purified mind, the means of seeking after the knowledge of the highest56 SAIVA UPANISADS state of existence, the Brahman, and themselves become Brahman and expound the same unto others in the right manner in detail: What is the material to be employed for the Tripundra? Of what character is the place over which the Tripundra is to be marked? What is the authority for it? What are the lines? What are the Mantras to be uttered when making the mark? What is the power to be attained by the mark? What is its deity? Who is the maker of the mark ? What is the nature of the fruit to be attained therefrom?” (2) RuLeE RELATING TO THE Tripuypra KNowNn AS THE S'AMBHAVAVRATA Lord Kalagnirudra replied unto him thus: “ As for the material to be employed for making the Tripundra mark, that is the ashes generated from completely burnt cow-durig, having taken the ashes in the right hand with the uttering of the Mantras of the five Brah- mans, “Sadyojata” and others, placing it over the left palm and reciting over it this Mantra thus: “ Agniriti bhasma Vayuriti bhasma Khamiti bhasma Jalamiti bhasma Sthalamiti bhasma” (What is fire is ashes; what is air is ashes; what is ether is ashes; what is water is ashes; what is the soil of the earth on which we stand is ashes), all the while touching the ashes with the right hand, then taking it up carefully with the right hand, with the uttering of the Mantra, “Ma nastoke tanaya” (Pray, do thou not unto our little disciple, our son) and so on, mixing it well withTHE KALAGNIRUDROPANISAD 57 water with the Mantra, “ Ma no mahantam” (Pray do thou not unto our great) and so on, one should place the Tripundra mark over the crest, the forehead, the chest and the shoulders with the Mantra, “ Triyayusarh jamadagneh” (The three durations of life of Jamadagni) and so on. With the five Mantras beginning with the word “ Triyayusam ” (The three durations of life), with the Tryambakanuvakas (sections of the Veda dealing with Tryambaka containing the Mantras of the Mrt- yufijaya Stkta), with the Mantras expounding the three Saktis (creative powers), Durga, Laksmi and Sarasvati, commencing respectively with “‘Jatavedase sunavama somam” (Unto the sacrificial fire do we pour libations of the Soma-juice) and so on, “ Hiragyavarnarh hari- nim” [The spouse of Hari (Laksmi) of the colour of gold] and so on, and “ Pavakad nah Sarasvatr” (Our Sarasvati, shining brightly) and so on, or the powers of sentient action, knowledge and desire, one should make transversely the three parallel lines over the head, fore- head, chest and shoulders. This making of the three line marks, with the formality prescribed above is what is known as the vow of Sambhu. This S'ambhava-vrata has been mentioned in all the Vedas and by the exposi- tots of the Vedas. Hencé should the seeker after libera- tion keep this vow for the sake of not reincarnating again and again. (3) THE MEASURE OF THE TRIPUNDRAREKHA Then Sanatkumara, with a view to knowing the exact measure, enquired about the measure of wearing58 SAIVA UPANISADS - the Tripundra (the three parallel lines). Unto him replied Rudra as follows: As for the wearing of the Tripundra, as prescribed in the Vedas, the lines are three-fold alone. Across the forehead, as far as it stretches on either side, then as far as the eyes stretch on either side and then as far as the two fore-crests, right and left, stretch on either side and in between the eye-brows as well, should the Tripundra be worn. (4,5) EXPOSITION OF THE POTENCY, THE DEITY AND OTHER PARTICULARS RELATING TO THE TuHREE Lines (REKHA) What is its (Tripundra’s) first line (Rekha), that is the Garhapatya-fire (including the earth-fire and the like) ; the syllable ““A ” individually and collectively, of the Pranava; mobility (abiding in the Vis'va, the Viraj and the Otr among the three Gunas), the Bhilloka; the Atman (of the line); the power of sen- tient action (of four-faced Brahma); the Rgveda; the early morning austerity; and Mahesvara (the great Paramatman non-differentiated from the inner- most Atman) is its deity. What is its (Tripundra’s) second line, that is the Daksina-fire; the syllable “U”, individually and conjointly, of the Pranava; the rhythm (of the Taijasa, the Siitra and the Anujfiiatr among the three Gunas); the Antaratman (Visgu) ; the power of desire (of the form of truthful resolve) ; the Yajurveda; and the noon-tide austerity ; and Sadasiva is its deity. What is its (Tripundra’s)THE KALAGNIRUDROPANISAD 59 third line, that is the Ahavaniya-fire; the syllable “M”, individually and conjointly, of the Pranava ; -the inertia (of the Prajfia, the Ivvara and the Anujfiai- karasa among the three Gunas); the Paramatman (Rudra); the power of knowledge (of the form of unbridled omniscience) ; Samavedla ; the third austerity (of the evening twilight) and Mahadeva is its deity. Thus. (6-8) FRUIT OF PRACTISING THE VIDYA That knower who practises with ashes in confor- mity with the rule relating to the Tripundra mark, after receiving instructions from the mouth of his Guru, be he a celibate, householder, recluse, or mendi- cant (following the rules prescribed for his stage in life) ; becomes hallowed from the effects of heinous ordinary sins. He becomes one who has had his ablutions in all the sacred waters (three and a half crores in num- ber) even without resorting to them. He attains the fruit of having studied all the four Vedas (to wit,a perfectly pure mind). He becomes one who has come to know all the Devas. He becomes the reciter of all the Rudra-mantras in perpetuity. He attains the secondary fruit of having enjoyed all enjoyments of this as well as the other world. He attains the principal fruit of giving up his body and attaining Sivasayujya (communion with Sliva, vis., the transcendent fruit of the incorporeal state of Kaivalya). He does not return again, he does not return again.” So said the lord Kalagnirudra unto Sanatkumara. (9)60 SAIVA UPANISADS Fruit -oF STUDYING THE UPANISAD He who is incapable of practising in the aforefaid manner but only studies this Upanigad, becomes (in the manner described herein) the Brahman alone, shining at the topmost part of the Pranava as the Turiya, the one absolute existence. Om, this is the truth. Thus the Upanigsad. (10)