Shloka 23
The Greatness of the Month of Māgha
Māgha-snāna, Harivāsara, and the Kāṣṭhīlā-Upākhyāna
स्रोतोमुखः सरिति चान्यत्र भास्करसंमुखः । स्नायादावाह्य तीर्थानि गंगादीन्य कर्मण्डलात् ॥ २३ ॥
srotomukhaḥ sariti cānyatra bhāskarasaṃmukhaḥ | snāyādāvāhya tīrthāni gaṃgādīnya karmaṇḍalāt || 23 ||
In a river one should bathe facing upstream; elsewhere, one should face the Sun. One should bathe after invoking the sacred tīrtha-waters—such as the Gaṅgā and others—into one’s kamaṇḍalu (water-vessel).
Narada (teaching tīrtha-snāna procedure within Uttara-bhāga context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It codifies tīrtha-snāna as a disciplined dharmic act: correct orientation and the ritual invocation (āvāhana) of sacred waters align the bather with cosmic order (Sūrya) and the sanctity of revered rivers like Gaṅgā.
Though procedural, it supports bhakti by treating bathing as reverent worship—invoking Gaṅgā and holy tīrthas is an act of remembrance and surrender, preparing the body-mind for Hari/Vishnu-oriented devotion.
Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implicit: it gives a concise rule for snāna—directional discipline and āvāhana of tīrtha-waters via a kamaṇḍalu—showing applied ritual science rather than abstract philosophy.