Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 10

Arcana-vidhi: The Method of Deity Worship

Vedic, Tantric, and Mixed

Devanagari script

पूर्वं स्‍नानं प्रकुर्वीत धौतदन्तोऽङ्गशुद्धये । उभयैरपि च स्‍नानं मन्त्रैर्मृद्ग्रहणादिना ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

pūrvaṁ snānaṁ prakurvīta dhauta-danto ’ṅga-śuddhaye ubhayair api ca snānaṁ mantrair mṛd-grahaṇādinā

Translation

Zuerst soll man den Körper reinigen, indem man die Zähne säubert und badet. Danach vollziehe man eine zweite Reinigung, indem man Erde aufträgt und sowohl vedische als auch tantrische Mantras rezitiert.

Synonyms

• pūrvam: first
• pūrvam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: “first/beforehand”)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• prakurvīta: should perform
• prakurvīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• dhauta-dantaḥ: having cleaned the teeth
• dhauta-dantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhauta (कृदन्त, √dhāv/√dhu “to wash”) + danta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadhāraya: “washed teeth”); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• aṅga-śuddhaye: for bodily purification
• aṅga-śuddhaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + śuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: “purification of the body/limbs”); śuddhi = स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ubhayaiḥ: by both (ways)
• ubhayaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग-विशेषण (adjective usable in all genders), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: “also/even”)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: “and”)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• mantraiḥ: with mantras
• mantraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• mṛt-grahaṇa-ādinā: by (rites) such as taking clay, etc.
• mṛt-grahaṇa-ādinā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + grahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-समूह (Tatpuruṣa chain: “etc. beginning with taking clay”); ādi-शब्दान्त (ending with ādi), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Characters & Entities

• Uddhava
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about bathing before worship?

In Canto 11, Kṛṣṇa instructs that one should first bathe and clean the teeth to purify the body, preparing oneself for devotional worship.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in Canto 11?

Kṛṣṇa is teaching Uddhava the practical method of devotional service, including proper cleanliness and ritual preparation as part of deity worship and disciplined sādhana.

Practical application of cleanliness and mantra in modern devotional life?

Before japa, kīrtana, or home pūjā, maintain basic hygiene and a clean environment, and pair external cleanliness with mantra remembrance to cultivate a focused, reverent mind.