Shloka 23
Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya
Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification
पादे मूर्ध्नि हृदि चैव मूर्ध्नि हृत्पाद एव च । हृत्पादमूर्ध्नि संप्रोक्ष्य मंत्रस्नानं विदुर्बुधाः
pāde mūrdhni hṛdi caiva mūrdhni hṛtpāda eva ca | hṛtpādamūrdhni saṃprokṣya maṃtrasnānaṃ vidurbudhāḥ
પગ, મસ્તક અને હૃદય પર તથા ફરી મસ્તક, હૃદય અને પગ પર પવિત્ર જળ છાંટી—આ રીતે હૃદય, ચરણ અને શિરનું ક્રમશઃ સંસ્કાર કરીને—વિદ્વાનો તેને ‘મંત્ર-સ્નાન’ કહે છે; શિવપૂજામાં મંત્રદ્વારા થતી આંતરિક શુદ્ધિ.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Significance: Mantra-snāna functions as inner/outer readiness for darśana and pūjā; it is a practical ‘adhikāra-śuddhi’ that supports the soul’s approach to Pati.
Type: rudram
Role: teaching
FAQs
It defines “mantra-snāna” as a sacred inner cleansing: by consecrating head (thought), heart (devotion), and feet (conduct), the devotee aligns body-mind with Shiva (Pati), loosening impurities (pāśa) that bind the soul (paśu).
In Linga worship, purity is not only external; this sprinkling with mantra ritually prepares the worshipper to approach Saguna Shiva in the Linga with reverence, making the body a fit vessel for offering, japa, and abhiṣeka.
Perform mantra-snāna by sprinkling sanctified water while reciting Shiva-mantra (commonly the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), consecrating feet, head, and heart as a brief but complete purification before puja or japa.