214 - Dharmashastra

Brahma said: 

1-2. Now, I Shall explain the rules and rites regarding bath since all other rites are based on bath. The person who wishes to take bath Shall bring earth, cowdung, gingelly seeds, Kusha grass and fragrant flowers at the time of bath. He must place all of them on the bank in a secluded place along with the scented water. 

3-8. The earth and the cowdung Should be divided into three parts. With water and earth, he Should wash his hands and feet. With the sacred thread worn as usual (Upaviti) and the tuft tied he Should perform Achamana silently with the mantra "Om urum hi raja Varuno1 Varunaya namah" he must propitiate the water and circumambulate. With the Ruk mantra "Om ye te shatam2.... svarkah svaha" he must whirl the water all round. With the Ruk "Om sumitriya na3.... yancha vayam dvishmah" he Shall take two handfuls of water and scatter it to the north and he Shall then wash his feet, calves and hips three times.

1. RV. 1.24.8.

2. KS. 25.1.11.

3. VS. 6. 22.

9-11. He Shall wash his hands and perform Achamana and then bow to the water. With the seven Vyahruti mantras he Shall perform Achamana again. He Shall then rub his limbs with earth repeating the mantra "Idam Vishnu4....pamsure." Then he Shall face the sun and take his dip repeating the mantra --"Om apo asman matarah5 .... shuchira putaemi".

4. RV. 1.22.17.

5. Ibid. 10.17.10.

12-13. Then he Shall clean the vessels, dip and dip again himself slowly. Repeating the mantra "Om ma nastoke6 .... sadasi tva havamahe" he Shall rub cowdung over the limbs.

6. Ibid. 1.114.8.

14-16. Then he Shall dip himself into the water repeating the various Varuna mantras such as "Imam me7.... satyamrutayah" "Tattva yami.... pramoshih", etc.

7. Ibid. 1.25.19.

17. After plunging again and standing up he Shall drink the water from Kusha grass. 

18-19. The nine Ruks, viz—"Apo hi Shtha and the two following ones, "Devirapa"8 and the next, "Apo deva"; the Ruk "Drupadadiva''9, the Ruk "Shanno devi"'10 the Ruk "Apo devi" the Ruks called "Pavamanyah"-all these nine Ruks must be repeated.

8. MS. 1.1.11.

9. AV. 6.115.3.

10. RV. 10.9.4.

20-21. Repeating the mantra 'Chitpatirma'11 he Shall slowly plunge again. He Shall then repeat the other mantras of Varuna according to his ability.

11. VS. 4.4.

22. The first dip and the last dip Should be accompanied by the repetition of Pranava, the seven Vyahrutis and the Gayatri. 

23. The Marjana Should be done inside water. The Aghamarshana1 mantra Should be repeated thrice.

1. RV. 10.190.

24. Other Mantras that he remembers correctly can be repeated with great devotion and concentration. 

25. He can repeat Pranava and Gayatri as many times as possible. Or he can remember Vishnu the imperishable. 

26. Apah (waters) constitute the residence of Vishnu. He is called Appati, hence Lord Vishnu and the waters Should be remembered. [For Mantras ace Text] 

27-29. With the Mantra 'Tad Vishnoh'2 he Should take as many plunges as possible. Gayatri is the Mantra for the remembrance of Vishnu. Various mantras Should be repeated in the course of the bath.

2. Ibid. 1.22.20.

30. After the bath is over he Should wear clean dry cloth. He Should wash his hands and feet with earth. 

31. He must perform Achamana repeatedly. Bath and Meal are to be taken with mantras repeated. Drupada3 mantra Should be repeated three times. Aghamarshana Mantra4 is also to be repeated.

3. AV. 6.115.3.

4. RV. 10.190.

32. After Achamana he Should repeat the Asu mantra. Then he Should worship the sun with flower offerings above the head. 

33-34. After scattering water, he Should repeat the mantra Udutyam5, Chitram6 etc. Then he Should look at the sun and repeat the mantras "Taccakshuh"7 etc. and "Hamsah Shucisad”8 etc. and worship the sun with Gayatri.

5. Ibid. 1.50.1. 

6. Ibid 1. 115.1. 

7. Ibid 7.66.16.

8. Ibid. 4.40.5. 

35-36. The Anuvaka “Vibhrat” etc. and Purusha Sukta, Shiva Sankalpa and Mandala Brahmana Should be repeated and Japayajna performed duly. 

37-39. Adhyatmavidya Should be practised for the fulfilment of Japa. Shri, Medha, Dhruti, Kshiti, Vak, Vagishvara, Pushti, Tushti, Uma, Arundhati, Shachi, the Matrus (mothers) Jaya, Vijaya, Savitri, Santi, Svaha, Svadha, Dhruti and Aditi Shall be duly worshipped. 

40. The wives of sages, the Virgins and the Kamya devatas Should be propitiated. He who wishes for everything auspicious Should propitiate the goddess Sarvamangala. 

41. "May the whole universe beginning with Brahma and ending with a blade of grass be propitiated," saying thus three handfuls of water Should be sprinkled. Tarpana is thus duly performed.