Chapter 72 - Mode of bathing and daily worship (snāna-viśeṣa)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The God said:

1. O Skanda! I shall describe the modes of bathing [snāna] and worship [pūja] after the installation [pratiṣṭhā ] everyday. Having bathed one should dig up eight fingers of earth with the sword.

2. The pit should be filled with the earth thus removed and it should be carried to the river bed and placed there. It should then be purified with the weapon.

3-5. The grass should be lifted up with the śikhā (tuft) (mantra) and divided into three with the armour (mantra). Having washed upto the navel and foot with one part of them, the other part should be burnt with the astra mantra and sprinkled all over the body. Having pressed the eyes with the hands one should remain immersed in the water for some time after controlling the. breath. One should contemplate in the heart, the weapon, radiant like the deadly fire. Having finished the mud bath [i.e., mala-snāna] in this way one should rise up from waters.

6-7. Having worshipped the astrasandhyā (the union of weapon), one should bathe according to the injunctions laid down [i.e., vidhi-snāna]. The sacred waters of the rivers Sarasvatī and others should be drawn into the heart with the (formation of) aṅkuśa-mudrā (a formation with the fingers resembling the goad). Having established it (there), one should collect the remaining mud formulating the saṃhāramudrā (posture with the fingers indicating destruction) and enter the navel-deep water.

8-9. (The remaining mud) should be made into three parts on the left palm facing the north. One part of it on the south once with the aṅga mantras, the next part with the (previous mantra) seven times and the one on the north with the Śiva mantra ten times and duly thus the parts should be sanctified. After having recited the mantra for the weapon ending with huṃ phaṭ, the first part (of the earth) should be scattered in all directions.

10. Having the part on the north and reciting the Śiva-mantra the waters of Śiva should be accomplished. The part on the south (sanctified with the aṅga mantra) should be smeared all over the body from head to foot.

11-12. After having recited the four aṅgamantras and covered all the (nine) apertures (in the body) with the recitation of the sammukhīkaraṇa mantra (mantra accomplishing the presence), one should contemplate Lord Śiva or Lord Hari or the Ganges and plunge into the waters. Then the ṣaḍaṅga mantra (mantra for assigning to the limbs of the body) ending with vauṣat [vauṣaṭ?] should be recited and water poured (over the head).

13-15. One should place water in the pitchers in the east (and other directions) in order to prevent any harm during ablution. Having bathed one should apply sweet perfumes such as emblic myrabolans which are (considered as) royal honour. Having bathed and come out, that water should be made to cease to exist with the saṃhāriṇī (mudrā). One should then bathe [i.e., snāna] from head to foot with the ashes duly purified by the saṃhitā (vedic) mantras or concluding rites with (the recitation) of the mantra huṃ phaṭ.

16-17. Having performed the malasnāna, (bathing with mud), the vidhisnāna (bathing with the recitation of mantras), one should besmear the head, face, heart, and the genital organ with the (mantras of gods) Īśa (Īśāna), Tatpuruṣa, Aghora, Guhyaka and Jāta (Sadyojāta) in the three twilights, night, and. before and after the commencement of rainy season.

18-19. If a person happens to touch a woman, an eunuch, a man of lower caste, a cat, hare or mouse just after getting up from sleep, or eaten food or drunk water one should do the āgneyaka bathing, standing up with uplifted arms, the face having turned towards the east, being cleansed by the shower of sun’s rays.

20. The māhendra bathing (consists in the recitation of the) Īśa mantra and walking seven steps in the midst of herds of cows being besmeared with the dust (arising) from the hoofs.

21. The pāvana (purifying) bathing (should be done) with the nine mantras or the constituent mantra and the pouring of water (should be done) with the mantras sadyojāta, etc.

22. The bathing with the mantra should be done in this manner in honour of (the gods) Varuṇa, Agni and others with (the recitation) of the principal mantra being preceded by the regulation of the breath.

23. The mental bathing [i.e., mānasa-snāna—mānasaṃ snānaṃ] which has been universally enjoined should be performed in honour of Lord Viṣṇu, by uttering the mantra sacred to him.

24. O Guha (son of Lord Śiva)! I shall describe the rules (relating to) the twilight (worship) (to be performed) with different mantras. After having had a look one should drink the water, the Brahma and Śaṅkara tīrthas (from the root of different fingers).

25. (One should pronounce) the different principles consti-tuting one’s self ending with the tern svadhā, touching firmly the (nine) apertures (in the body). After having done the sakalīkaraṇa (accomplishing deed) one should remain composed by (the performance of) regulation of breath.

26. The performer should mentally repeat thrice the śivasaṃhitā. After having sipped water and performing nyāsa (assigning gods or mantras in different parts of the body, one should meditate upon the goddess brāhmī and the sandhyā in the morning as follows:

27. (The goddess) having red complexion, has four faces, four arms with hanging garlands in the right arms and a stick and kamaṇḍalu (small pitcher) in the left arms and seated in the crossed-leg posture on the swan.

28. The midday twilight should be contemplated as Vaiṣ-ṇavi, white (in complexion), seated with crossed-legs on the Garuḍa, holding conch and disc in the left arm and the mace and abhaya (mudrā) (hand showing protection) in the right hand.

29. Raudrī should be meditated upon as seated on the lotus and as riding the bull, possessing three eyes, decorated by the moon and holding trident and rosary in the right arm and the protective posture (abhaya) and mace in the left arm.

30. The twilight is the witness of deeds of men. The soul (should be known) as following its radiance. The fourth twilight is that of the learned and it is meditated upon in the night.

31. The supreme sandhyā is declared as that which remains. invisible in the cavities situated at the heart, and the upper end of the nose and which secures the realization of Śiva.

32. The root of the fore-finger (is known to be) the pitṛtīrtha and that of the little finger as that of Prajāpati. The root of the thumb (is known to be) that of Brahmā, while the forepart of the hand is held sacred for all gods.

33. It is the place of sacred fire on the palm of the left hand, and the soma on that of the right hand. All the tips and folds on the fingers (are sacred) for the sages.

34. After having got ready the sacred waters for Śiva with the mantras pertaining to Śiva, one should sprinkle that water with the saṃhitā mantras.

35. The water sprinkled from the right hand should drip down through the left hand and the head should be sprinkled (with water) with the (repetition of) mantras.

36. The water remaining in the right palm should be carried to the tip of the nose and should be conceived as white in colour and as the embodiment of knowledge. The water should then be drawn through the right nostril and retained.

37. That water should then be ejected into the right palm after having conceived it as black in colour because of the redemption of one’s sins. It should be thrown on a stone slab. This is known to be the aghamarṣaṇa (redeeming from sin) rite.

38. Then one should repeat the gāyatrī mantra as many times as possible after having offered the respectful arghya consisting, of kuśa, flowers and unbroken rice to Śiva with the mantras of Śiva ending with (the syllable) svāhā (oblation).

39. I shall describe the offering of water oblations to the god. One should utter the mantra Śivāya svāhā (oblations to Śiva) and offer water. (The syllable) svāhā should be repeated in all cases.

40. (The nyāsa should be done as) hrāṃ, to the heart; hrīṃ, to the head; hrūṃ, to the tuft of hair; hraiṃ, to the armour and the weapons, (or in the alternative), the eight gods (can be located) in the heart and other limbs).

41-44. (The water oblations should be performed for the following gods)—hrāṃ, to the Vasus, Rudras, Viśve (devas), (to the sages)—hāṃ to Bhṛgus, Aṅgirās, Atri; salutation to Vasiṣṭha, Pulastya, Kratu, Bhāradvāja; salutations to Viśvāmitra, to Pracetas; vaṣaṭ to Sanaka; hāṃ vaṣaṭ to Sananda, vaṣaṭ to Sanātana, vaṣaṭ to Sanatkumāra; vaṣaṭ to Kapila, to Pañcaśikha, (the ceremony being done) with the fingers of the right hand placed at the elbow joint of the left.

45. Vauṣaṭ to all spirits. One should (offer water of oblations) to the spirits, gods, and manes with the sacred thread placed on the right shoulder and with the tips of the kuśa and sesamum.

46. (Oblation should be offered) to the fire, the conveyor of offerings, to Soma, to Yama, to Aryamā, (the manes), Agni-manes, Agniṣvātta (and) Barhiṣada with the addition of svadhā (food).

47. (Oblations should be given) to (the manes) Ājyapa, Soma and to all manes as it would be done for the gods. Oṃ, hāṃ to Īśāna, the svadhā (food) should be offered to the (manes) (departed) father and grand-father.

48. (Oblations should be offered) to the great-grandfather and the manes in the form of preta (the form of the manes during the period of obsequies after one’s death), the fathers, grandfathers, and great grand-fathers.

49-50. Food oblations (should be given) to great-greatgrand-fathers, mother side relatives such as the maternal grandfathers, great-grandfathers, great-great-grandfathers and all manes. Food oblation (should be offered) to all departed paternal relatives, preceptors, to different quarters of heaven, to their lords, to the divine mothers and to demons.