श्रीकृष्ण उवाच स्नानार्थं मृत्तिकां मंत्रैर्गृह्णीयादंभसि स्थितः ।।4.31.१
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said:
इमं मंत्रं पठन्पार्थ आदित्याय प्रदर्शयेत्
Reciting this mantra, O Pārtha, one should offer it to the Sun.
तां मृदं शिरसि प्रार्थ्य पूर्वं दत्त्वांगसंधिषु
Having invoked that clay upon the head, first apply it to the joints of the limbs.
त्वमापो योनिः सर्वेषां दैत्यदानवरक्षसाम्
You are the source of all waters, the origin of all Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas.
स्नातोऽहं सर्वतीर्थेषु सर्वप्रस्रवणेषु च
I am bathed in all sacred waters and in all holy streams.
ध्यायन्ध्वनिमिमं मंत्रं ततः स्नानं समाचरेत् न जल्पेच्च न वीक्षेत क्वचित्पापिष्ठमेव हि
Meditating on this sound, this mantra, then one should perform the bath; one should not speak or look at anything impure.
दूर्वाश्वत्थौ शमीं स्पृष्ट्वा मां च मंत्रेण मंत्रवित्
Touching darbha grass, the aśvattha tree, and the śamī tree, and me, with the mantra, the knower of mantras should proceed.
त्वं दूर्वेऽमृतजन्मासि सर्वदेवैश्च वंदिता
You, O darbha, are born of nectar and are praised by all the gods.
( इति दूर्वामंत्रः शमी शमय तत्पापं यन्मया दुरनुष्ठि तम्
(Thus is the darbha mantra:) O śamī, pacify that sin which I have committed through faulty action.
( इति शमीमंत्रः) अश्वत्थमंगं लभते मंत्रमेतं निबोध मे शत्रूणां च समुत्थानमश्वत्थ शमयस्व मे ।। 4.31.
(Thus is the śamī mantra:) The aśvattha attains a limb; listen to this mantra from me: O aśvattha, pacify for me the arising of enemies.
( इत्यश्वत्थमंत्रः) गां दद्यात्तु ततो देवीं सवत्सां सप्रदक्षिणाम्
(Thus is the aśvattha mantra:) Then one should give a cow, with her calf, after circumambulating her.
सर्वदेवमये देवि दैवतैस्त्वं सुपूजिता
O goddess, composed of all the gods, you are well worshipped by the deities.
( इति गोमंत्रः) एवं मंत्रं पठन्पार्थ भक्तिभावेन भावितः
(Thus is the cow mantra:) In this way, reciting the mantra, O Pārtha, with devotion and contemplation.
प्रदक्षिणीकृता तेन पृथिवी नात्र संशयः
By circumambulating in this way, the earth is encompassed—of this there is no doubt.
प्रक्षाल्य च मृदा पादौ आहिताऽग्निगृहं विशेत्
Having washed the feet with clay, one should enter the fire-sanctuary.
शर्वाय शर्वपुत्राय पार्वत्या गोः सुताय च भूयोभूयोयमाहुत्या हुत्वाहुत्वा जुहोति वै
To Śarva, to the son of Śarva, to Pārvatī, and to the son of the cow, again and again, with offerings, one should make oblations.
ओंकारपूर्वकैर्मंत्रैः स्वाहाकारांतयोजितैः
With mantras beginning with Oṃ and ending with the utterance of svāhā.
एभिमंत्रपदैर्भक्त्या शक्त्या वा काममेव वा
With these mantra-words, with devotion, with power, or as one desires.
भक्ष्यैर्नानाविधैरन्यैः शक्त्या वा मंत्रविद्वशी
With various kinds of foods and other items, or by one's ability, the knower of mantras performs the ritual.
स्नपनं केचिदिच्छंति सगुडे ताम्रभाजने 4.31.
Some desire the ritual bathing in a copper vessel with jaggery.
कृष्णागरुमयं चैव श्रीखण्डघटितं पुनः
And again, with a vessel made of black aloe wood or fashioned from sandalwood.
अन्यैरालोहितैः पार्थ पुष्पैर्वस्त्रैः फलैः शुभैः
With other red flowers, O Partha, and auspicious cloths and fruits.
यावद्धि शक्यते चित्तं वित्तवान्भक्तिभावितः
As much as the mind is able, one who possesses wealth and is filled with devotion.
किञ्चित्ताम्रमये पात्रे वंशजे मृन्मयेपि वा
In a vessel made of copper, bamboo, or even clay.
( ॐ अंगारकाय नमः शिरसि ॐ भौमाय नमः स्कंधयोः ॐ रक्ताय नमः उरसि ॐ आराय नमः जंघयोः एषाष्टपुष्पिका गुग्गुलं घृतसंयुक्तं कृष्णागरुसमन्वितम्
Om, homage to Angaraka on the head; Om, homage to Bhauma on the shoulders; Om, homage to Rakta on the chest; Om, homage to Ara on the legs; this is the eight-flowered offering: guggul mixed with ghee and accompanied by black aloe.
होमं कुर्वीत पूर्वोक्तैर्मंत्रैर्मंगलसं ज्ञितैः
One should perform the fire offering with the previously mentioned mantras, known for auspiciousness.
निष्पावकं भोजनं वा दद्याच्छक्त्या सदक्षिणम्
Or, according to one's ability, one should give food without pulses, along with the proper offering.
पश्चाद्भुञ्जीत मौनेन भूमिं कृत्वा तु भाजनम्
Afterwards, one should eat in silence, using the earth as the plate.
सर्वौषधिरसावासे सर्वदा सर्व दायिनि
In the abode of all medicinal herbs, always, everything is to be given.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच उपोष्या कतिमात्रा सा किमेका वद यादव ।। 4.31.
Yudhishthira said: What is the measure of fasting, is it only one? Tell me, O Yadava.