Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 100
ततः श्रद्धार्द्रचित्तस्य स्नानं लिंगस्य चाचरेत् । गृहीत्वा गडुकं पूर्वं मलस्नानं समाचरेत्
tataḥ śraddhārdracittasya snānaṃ liṃgasya cācaret | gṛhītvā gaḍukaṃ pūrvaṃ malasnānaṃ samācaret
پھر جس کا دل شردھا سے نرم ہو، وہ لِنگ کا اَبھِشیک کرے۔ پہلے گڈُک (پانی کا برتن) لے کر مَلَسنان، یعنی تطہیری غسل، ادا کرے۔
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Listener: King (nṛpa) addressed in the sequence
Scene: A devotee with moist-eyed faith holds a gaḍuka, first rinsing and cleansing the liṅga base and surroundings (malasnāna), then preparing for a fuller abhiṣeka; water streams glint in lamplight.
FAQs
External cleansing becomes meaningful when performed with śraddhā—faith that purifies the heart along with the rite.
No specific tīrtha is mentioned; it is a procedural instruction for liṅga-abhiṣeka.
Begin liṅga bathing by first performing malasnāna (a cleansing wash) using a water vessel (gaḍuka).