Do you know the importance and benefits of wearing bhasma?
Let's see what Shiva Purana has to say about this.
You must be knowing this -
Bhasma should be worn as tripundra, as 3 horizontal lines.
Both Bhagawan Shiva and Bhagawan Vishnu wear bhasma as tripundra.
There are references in scriptures about Devi Parvathy and Devi Lakshmi praising this.
Wearing bhasma itself is sufficient to give you relief from all troubles.
Wearing bhasma is one of the best ways to connect to Lord Shiva.
In fact, if you are a devotee of Shiva you should always have bhasma on your body.
There is a very important injunction - never chant On Namah Shivaya if you don't have bhasma applied on your body.
Brihajjabalopanishad says, if you want to worship Bhagawan Shiva, then there should be bhasma on your body.
Then only you will get any benefit.
Those wearing bhasma are respected even by Devas and Asuras.
Even being around people who wear bhasma gives you a lot of punya.
They are jangama teerthas, holy teerthas that are movable.
Sthavara teerthas, the immovable teerthas are places like Kashi and Tirupati.
Jangama teerthas are noble people.
The term dharma primarily stands for Varnashrama Dharma.
The society arranged into the four varnas and once's own life lived by going through the four ashramas of brahmachari, householder, vanaprasthi, and sanyasi.
But even if you are unable to follow this system, just wear bhasma, it will absolve you of all your shortfalls.
When you are wearing bhasma you should chant On Namah Shivaya.
Or you can say Shivoham Shivoham, visualize that you are Shiva himself and wear bhasma.
Women can also wear bhasma.
Bhasma is equal to fire that purifies everything.
If you wear bhasma, then all the mantras and stotras that you chant will bear fruit.
Wearing bhasma is good for health and long life.
A person wearing bhasma will have a peaceful old age.
There are 32 placed on your body where you should wear bhasma.
But Shiva Purana specifies at least five most important places - forehead, both hands, chest, and navel