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 ||
En el río, uno debe bañarse mirando hacia la corriente ascendente; en otro lugar, debe mirar hacia el Sol. Debe bañarse después de invocar en su kamaṇḍalu (vasija de agua) las aguas sagradas de los tīrthas, como el Gaṅgā y otros.
Narada (teaching tīrtha-snāna procedure within Uttara-bhāga context)
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"From calm bodily discipline (directional posture) to sanctifying the act by invoking revered tīrthas into the vessel."}
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.