The holy Pāśupata rite - Verse 56
Linga Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · 2 · Verse 18.56
Sanskrit Original
सो ऽपि पाशुपतो विप्रो विमृज्याङ्गानि संस्पृशेत। भस्माच्छन्नो द्विजो विद्वान महापातकसंभवैः।।
so 'pi pāśupato vipro vimṛjyāṅgāni saṃspṛśet| bhasmācchanno dvijo vidvān mahāpātakasaṃbhavaiḥ||
Devas said:: Salvation of Brahmacārins (religious students), due to this holy rite, has been noticed. One can take ashes from the fire of the Agnihotra sacrifice, repeating the mantra “Agni” etc. and wipe off the limbs and touch them. That brahmin is also a devotee of Paśupati. A learned brahmin who smears himself with ashes is undoubtedly liberated from all sins, even those that are called “mahāpātakas” (great sins). The ashes is the virile essence of Fire and a person who uses Bhasman becomes a virile person.