मुनिमोहशमनम्
Pāśupata-yoga, Siddhis, Puruṣa-darśana, Saṃsāra, and Prāṇa-Rudra Pañcāhutī
भस्मस्नायी भवेन् नित्यं भस्मलिप्तः सदा भवेत् यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान्
bhasmasnāyī bhaven nityaṃ bhasmaliptaḥ sadā bhavet yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi śrāvayedvā dvijottamān
Er soll stets mit heiliger Asche (bhasma) baden und immerdar mit Asche gesalbt bleiben. Wer—besonders der Beste unter den Zweimalgeborenen—dies rezitiert, hört oder hören lässt, wird in der śaivischen Disziplin gefestigt, die den paśu (die gebundene Seele) reinigt und zum Herrn, dem Pati (Śiva), hinwendet.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shaiva observance taught within the Linga Purana tradition)
It elevates bhasma-snāna and bhasma-lepana as daily Shaiva disciplines that prepare the devotee for Linga-puja by cultivating purity, detachment, and constant remembrance of Mahadeva.
By centering ash—symbol of dissolution and transcendence—it points to Shiva as Pati, the Lord beyond birth and decay, who frees the paśu from pāśa through disciplined devotion and right conduct.
Bhasma-dhāraṇa (smearing sacred ash) and bhasma-snāna (ash-bath), a Pāśupata-aligned observance that supports vairāgya and steadiness for Shiva-upāsanā.