स्नानविधिः — गायत्र्यावाहन, सूर्यवन्दन, तर्पण, पञ्चमहायज्ञ, भस्मस्नान, मन्त्रस्नान
यजुषां परिमृज्यैवं द्विः प्रक्षाल्य च वारिणा प्रीत्यर्थं सामवेदानाम् उपस्पृश्य च मूर्धनि
yajuṣāṃ parimṛjyaivaṃ dviḥ prakṣālya ca vāriṇā prītyarthaṃ sāmavedānām upaspṛśya ca mūrdhani
So soll man, nachdem man sich gemäß dem Verfahren der Yajur‑Veda abgewischt und sich zweimal mit Wasser gewaschen hat, zur Freude der Sāma‑Veda das geweihte Wasser an den Scheitel des Hauptes berühren; damit ist die innere und äußere Reinigung vollendet, bevor man zur Verehrung Patis, des Herrn Śiva, schreitet.
Suta Goswami
It prescribes the preparatory śauca (purification) sequence—Yajur-based cleansing, washing twice, and touching sanctified water to the crown—so the worshipper approaches the Liṅga with ritual and inner fitness, removing pasha-like impurities before seeking Pati’s grace.
By emphasizing purification before worship, it implies Śiva as Pati—the supremely pure Lord—approached through disciplined refinement of the pashu (individual soul) so that bondage (pāśa) is attenuated and receptivity to Śiva’s anugraha (grace) increases.
A Vedic-style ācamana/śuddhi practice: cleansing and washing, then applying sanctified water to the crown (mūrdhan), aligning body-mind for Śiva-pūjā in a Pāśupata spirit of purity and restraint.