Bhasma dharana and Linga archana – Mahabharata
In the Anushasanika Parva 13, in chapter 247 there is a conversation between Shiva and Parvati. It is a small chapter where the Pashupata Yoga is described. Shiva says with respect to Bhasma:
रक्षार्थं मङ्गलार्थं च पवित्रार्थं च भामिनि।
लिङ्गार्थं चैव भक्तानां भस्म दत्तं मया पुरा॥ 13-247-14 (91207)
तेन संदिग्धसर्वाङ्गा भस्मना ब्रह्मचारिणः।
जटिला मुण्डिता वाऽपि नानाकारशिखण्डिनः॥ 13-247-15
[NilakanTha has cited the first verse above in his commentary to the Siva Sahasra Nama (‘bhasmagopta’, with a variation: laanChanaartham instead of lingaartham) of the Mahabharata]
[For the sake of protection, auspiciousness, purity, O beloved, for identity (mark), of the devotees, in the yore the bhasma was ordained by Me. Applying it all over their bodies (in the prescribed manner), brahmacharins, vanaprasthas or sannyasins (of tonsured head) and those sporting a variety of tufts….
स्थापितं त्रिषु लोकेषु शिवलिङ्गं मया मम।
नमस्कारेण वा तस्य मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः॥ 13-247-20..
[In all the three worlds I have consecrated the Shiva Linga. Even by prostrating to it one is freed of all demerits.]
And a detailed method of offering worship to the Shiva Linga is stated.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं योगं पाशुपतं महत्।
[I have rendered the exalted Pashupata Yoga in its complete form, O Devi.]
The above verses are taken from the Kumbhakonam edition:
https://sanskritdocuments.org/…/mb…/mahabharata-k-13-sa.html
//This e-text is based on the `Southern Recension’ of the Mahābhārata, edited by Krishnacharya 1906–1914. Prof. Shrinivasa Varakhedi worked on this with the support of his research team members, Prof. K. V. Ramakrishnamacharyulu, Prof. Amba Kulakarni, Prof. Prahladachar, members of MSP Bangalore and many others. Dr. Dominik Wujastyk converted the files to utf-8 IAST encoding and Patrick Mc Allister converted them into a single XML file for the SARIT project in 2012.//
मद्भक्ता न विनश्यन्ति मद्भक्ता वीतकल्मषाः।
मद्भक्ताः सर्वलोकेषु पूजनीया विशेषतः॥ 13-247-35 (91228)
मद्द्वेषिणश्चि ये मर्त्या मद्भक्तद्वेषिणश्च वा।
यान्ति ते नरकं घोरमिष्ट्वा क्रतुशतैरपि॥ 13-247-36 (91229)
Shiva says: My devotees never perish; My devotees are free of taints. My devotees are worthy of especial worship in all the worlds. Those people who hate me or my devotees will attain to horrible hell even if they have performed hundreds of vedic yajnas.
warm regards
