Chapter 265 - The sacred bathing of the deities (dikpāla-snāna)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1. Listen to me. I shall describe the bathing that accomplishes all objects and that is propitiatory. A wise man should bathe [i.e., snāna] the planets and (Lord) Viṣṇu on the banks of a river.

2. One who is afflicted by fever as well as one who is afflicted by planets causing obstacles (should bathe it) in a temple. One who desires to acquire knowledge (should bathe it) on (the banks of) a tank or in the house and one who desires victory (should do the sacred ablution) at a sacred place.

3. A woman who has a miscarriage should be bathed in a lotus tank, and one whose issue dies after birth should bathe in the presence of an aśoka (tree).

4. One who desires to have flowers, one who desires to have progeny and who desires to have a house and other fortunes (should bathe) respectively at a place abounding in flowers, an ocean and in the presence of (the image of Lord) Viṣṇu.

5. Bathing [i.e., snāna] in (the asterisms) śravaṇa, revatī and puṣya is meritorious for all. One who wishes to do the ceremonial bathing [snāna] has to observe a purificatory vow for seven days prior to that.

6-8a. (The herbs) punarnavā, rocanā, śatāṅga, guruṇītvak, madhūka, the two sorts of rajanī, tagara, nāgakeśara, ambarī, mañjiṣṭhā, māṃsī, yāsaka, kardama, priyaṅgu, mustard, kuṣṭha, balā, brāhmī, saffron and the five things got from a cow should be mixed with the flour of barley and rubbed (on the body). One should then bathe.

8b-11a. (Lord) Viṣṇu should be worshipped on the pericarp of a circle, (Lord) Brahmā on the right side and (Lord) Śiva on the left side. (Lord) Indra and others should be drawn from the east onwards in order together with their weapons and associates. Bathing circles should be drawn in the different directions and the intermediary directions. (Lords) Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Īsa (Śiva), Śakra (Indra) and others and their weapons should then be worshipped and oblation offered. One hundred and eight twigs, sesamum and ghee (are offered) to each one (of the gods).

11b-13. The pitchers bhadra, subhadra, siddhartha, amogha, citrabhānu, parjanya and sudarśana that give prosperity should be placed on the ground. (The gods should be invoked in them as follows): “May the Aśvins, Rudras, Maruts, Viśvedevas, Demons, Vasus and Munis and other gods get pleased and enter these pitchers.”

14-16. The herbs jayantī, vijayā, jayā, śatāvarī, śatapuṣpā, viṣṇukrāntā, aparājitā, jyotiṣmatī, atibalā, sandal, uśīra, keśara, musk, camphor, bālaka, patraka, tvak, jātīphala (nutmeg), clove, earth and the five things got from a cow should be put into the pitcher. Then the person (who desires to have the ceremonial bath) should be made to sit on the auspicious seat and bathed by brahmins.

17-18. Then oblations should separately be offered to the gods with the sacred formulas used in the anointing of kings. Then the final oblation should be made and the fee paid to the preceptor. In olden times (Lord) Indra was able to kill the demons being (thus) bathed by the preceptor. (I) have described (to you) the bathing of the guardians of the directions (that give) victory in the battle and other things.