Kṣaura-Snāna-Vidhi — Rite of Tonsure/Shaving and Purificatory Bath (Śaiva Procedure)
तत्रैकां मृदमादाय दापयित्वान्यपाणिना । करौ द्वादशधा लिप्य प्रत्येकं केन क्षालयेत्
tatraikāṃ mṛdamādāya dāpayitvānyapāṇinā | karau dvādaśadhā lipya pratyekaṃ kena kṣālayet
ณ ที่นั้นให้หยิบดินชำระล้างก้อนหนึ่งวางไว้บนมืออีกข้าง แล้วทาที่มือทั้งสองเป็นสิบสองส่วน จากนั้นล้างแต่ละส่วนตามลำดับเพื่อให้สะอาดบริสุทธิ์
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa
Role: nurturing
It teaches śauca (ritual purity) as a foundation for Shiva-worship: disciplined cleansing of the body supports steadiness of mind, making devotion fit to approach Pati (Shiva) with reverence.
Before approaching the Shiva-linga (Saguna worship), the devotee purifies the hands—the primary instruments of offering—so the external rite mirrors inner purity and attentiveness in puja.
A prescribed hand-cleansing using purifying earth/clay, smearing in twelve parts and washing each in order—used as preparatory śauca before mantra-japa, offerings, and linga-puja.