Chapter 26 - Procedure of Sacred Ablution

Nandin said:

1. Thereafter he should invoke the glorious and great goddess Gāyatrī the mother of the Vedas, with the mantra: “āyātu varadā devī”.^[1]

2-3. He shall offer pādya, ācamanīya, and arghya. He shall then perform three prāṇāyāmas. Thereafter, either sitting or standing he shall repeat the Gāyatrī along with Praṇava Om adopting one of the three modes, viz., repeating it a thousand or five hundred or hundred and eight times.

4-6. He shall offer the arghya again and worship the mother Goddess. He shall bow to her and then ritualistically dismiss her by repeating the mantra “uttame śikhare devī,”^[2] etc. Looking towards the east and saluting the goddess Gāyatrī, mother of the Vedas, he shall with the palms joined in reverence, pray to the Sun God repeating the Mantras “udutyaṃ jātavedasam”, “citram” and others. He shall then salute the sun and Brahmā in accordance with the injunctions.

7-10. He shall repeat the hymns to Sūrya, from Ṛk, Yajus and Sāman. He shall thereafter circumambulate the sun^[3] thrice. He shall then bow to Ātman, Antarātman and Paramātman the sun, Brahmā and fire.^[4] Thereafter he shall invoke the sage, the Pitṛs and Devas with their respective names by saying “I am invoking all”. Then he shall duly perform the tarpaṇa rite facing either east or north after meditating on their actual principal forms and saluting them in due order.

11. The tarpaṇa to Devas shall be performed with the water inlaid with flowers, the rites to the sages with the water mixed with Kuśa grass and the rites to the Pitṛs with water mixed with gingelly seeds. Scents should be mixed in the water in all cases.

12. O leading brahmins, the sacred thread is worn in the usual manner (i.e. over the left shoulder) when the rites to Devas are performed; it is worn like a garland when, the tarpaṇa to the sages is performed; it is worn from right shoulder leftward when the tarpaṇa to Pitṛs is performed.

13-15. For procuring all achievements the wise devotee who is well versed in the Vedas shall perform tarpaṇa to Devas with waters flowing down the tips of all fingers. He shall perform tarpaṇa to the sages with waters flowing down the tip of the little finger. He shall perform tarpaṇa to the pitṛs with waters flowing down the thumb of the right hand.

Similarly, O leading sages, he shall perform the five sacrifices, viz., Brahma, Deva, Manuśya, Bhūta and Pitṛ. He shall be devotedly engaged in these rites and be pure in soul.

16-19. O brahmins, the study of the Vedic texts of one’s own branch is Brahmayajña;^[5] the offering of cooked rice into the sacred fire is Devayajña; the offering of oblations to Bhūtas (living beings) as prescribed in the ritual is Bhūtayajña; it bestows prosperity on all living beings. The devotee shall bow to brahmins well-versed in the Vedic rituals as well as feed them and their wives. This is Manuṣya Yajña. What is offered for the sake of Pitṛs (the departed souls) is Pitṛyajña. Thus he shall perform these five Yajñas^[6] for achieving Siddhis.

20. Listen O Brahmins! Brahmayajña is the greatest of these Yajñas. A man engaged in Brahmayajña is honoured in the world of Brahmā.

21-24. By Brahmayajña all the Devas including Indra, Lords Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, all the Vedas and Pitṛs are pleased. No doubt need be entertained in this respect. The brahmin who is adept in Brahmayajña when he goes out of his village out of sight of hundreds of huts, shall turn towards the east, north or north-east^[7] and then perform the sacred rite of Ācamana for the sake of Brahmayajña. For propitiating the Ṛks, O brahmins, he shall fill the cup of his palm and drink water thrice.

25. For propitiating the Yajus he shall wash his hands, and wipe off his face twice with water. For the propitiation of Sāmaveda he shall touch the head.

26. The brahmin shall wash the eyes, nostrils and other limbs for the propitiation of the Atharvan and Aṅgiras texts.

For the propitiation of eighteen^[8] Purāṇas beginning with Brāhma, for the propitiation of eighteen Upapurāṇas beginning with Saura, and for the propitiation of holy Itihāsas beginning with Śaiva he shall touch his ears and the cardiac region. O sages, most excellent among the knowers of the Kalpa, for the propitiation of the Kalpa texts, he shall perform the Ācamana rite. After scattering bundles of Darbha grass, the devotee shall sit down and keep the right palm over the left palm. There must be a golden ring or the Kuśa loop^[9] round his finger. With great concentration and following his own school he shall perform the Brahmayajña duly. Though an excellent brahmin or sage but if he takes food without performing the five great Yajñas, he will be born in the womb of sows. Hence a person should assiduously perform the same seeking for auspiciousness.

33. After Brahmayajña he shall perform Ablution for the self, collect the holy water duly and enter the camp with perfect self-control.

34. Outside the house he shall wash his hands and feet with water. Thereafter, for purity’s sake he shall perform the sacred bath with ashes duly.

35-36. The ashes should be perfectly cleaned by means of Praṇava. It must be taken from what remains after performing Agnihotra. When the sun has risen in the morning the Agnihotra should be performed with the Mantra “jyotiḥ sūryaḥ.”^[10] In the evening the same should be performed with the Mantra “jyotir agniḥ”.^[11] If the sun has not risen fully, the performance of Agnihotra is rendered ineffective. The ashes of the sacrifice performed alter the sun has risen is alone sacred and splendid.

37-41. These is nothing holy like truth and nothing sinful like untruth. Repeating the Mantra of Īśāna he shall smear ashes on the head; repeating the Mantra of Tatpuruṣa, he shall smear ashes on his face; repeating the Mantra of Aghora he shall do so over his chest; O men of holy rites! he shall apply ashes over the secret parts by repeating the Mantra of Vāmadeva and similarly on the feet by repeating the Mantra of Sadya. By repeating the Praṇava he shall smear ashes all over the body. Thereafter he shall wash hands and feet. After washing them off he shall take ashes with his mind set on the lord of Devas and perform Ablution repeating the Mantras viz., “āpo hi ṣṭhā”^[12] and other sacred formulas taken from Ṛk, Yajus and Sāman texts. Thus for your welfare O brahmins, the mode of procedure for holy bath has been described to you succinctly. He who performs thus even for once shall attain the highest abode of God.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

āyātu varadā devī Taittirīya Āraṇyaka. 10.26.1.

[2]:

uttame śikhare devī Taittirīya Āraṇyaka. 10.3.1.

[3]:

Vibhāvasu—the sun. Śivatoṣiṇī. quotes Amara: “vibhāvasur grahapatiḥ”.

[4]:

Vibhāvasu—the fire. Ibid: “citrabhānu vibhāvasuḥ”,

[5]:

brahma-yajña is defined as sva-śākhādhyayanam—the study of particular recensions to which the scholar belongs. Śivatoṣiṇī. quotes from an unknown source: “yat svādhyāyam adhīyīta ekāmapi ṛcaṃ yajuḥ sāma vā tad brahma-yajñaḥ”.

[6]:

The five daily sacrifices to be performed by a householder constitute brahma-yajña, pitṛ-yajña, deva-yajña, bhūta-yajña and nṛ-yajña. These are defined as:—[adhyāpanaṃ brahmayajñaḥ pitṛyajñastu tarpaṇam | homo daivo balirbhauto bṛyajño'tithipūjanam ||]—Liṅga substitutes [adhyayanam] for [adhyāpanam].

[7]:

prāgudīcyām—īśānyām Śivatoṣiṇī. in the north-eastern direction.

[8]:

For the nomenclature and number of the Purāṇas, see Introduction.

[9]:

brahma-bandha: the term is not clear.

[10]:

jyotiḥ sūryaḥ Taittirīya Āraṇyaka. 4.10.5.

[11]:

jyotir agniḥ TA. 4.10.5.

[12]:

apo hi ṣṭhā TS. 4.1.5.1.