पुष्पाक्षतान् कुशतिलान् गोमयं शुद्धमेव च
Flowers, unbroken rice, sacred grass, sesame seeds, and pure cow dung—
स्नानं समाचरेन्नित्यं गर्तप्रस्त्रवणेषु च
One should bathe daily, in pits or flowing streams.
पञ्चपिण्डान् समुद्धृत्य स्नायाद् वासंभवे पुनः
Having taken up five lumps, one should bathe again if possible.
अधश्च तिसृभिः कायं पादौ षड्भिस्तथैव च
Below, with three; the body, and the feet, with six likewise.
गोमयस्य प्रमाणं तत् तेनाङ्गं लेपयेत् ततः
That is the measure of cow dung; with it, one should then smear the limbs.
प्रक्षाल्याचम्य विधिवत् ततः स्नायात् समाहितः
Having rinsed and sipped water as prescribed, one should then bathe with focused mind.
भावपूतस्तदव्यक्तं ध्यायन् वै विष्णुमव्ययम्
Purified in mind, meditating on that imperceptible, the imperishable Viṣṇu.
तस्मान्नारायणं देवं स्नानकाले स्मरेद् बुधः
Therefore, at the time of bathing, the wise should remember the god Nārāyaṇa.
आचान्तः पुनराचामेन्मन्त्रेणानेन मन्त्रवित्
Having rinsed the mouth, one should rinse again, reciting this mantra, if one knows the mantras.
त्वं यज्ञस्त्वं वषट्कार आपो ज्योती रसो ऽमृतम्
You are the sacrifice, you are the vaṣaṭ-call, you are the waters, the light, the essence, the immortal.
सावित्रीं वा जपेद् विद्वान् तथा चैवाघमर्षणम्
Or the learned one may recite the Sāvitrī, as well as the Aghamarṣaṇa hymn.
इदमापः प्रवहत व्याहृतिभिस्तथैव च
O waters, flow forth with the utterances, just so.
अन्तर्जलगतो मग्नो जपेत् त्रिरघमर्षणम्
Immersed and submerged in the water, one should recite the Aghamarṣaṇa hymn three times.
आवर्तयेद् वा प्रणवं देवं वा संस्मरेद्धरिम्
Or one may repeat the sacred syllable Om, or remember the god Hari.
अन्तर्जले त्रिरावर्त्य सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
By repeating it three times in the water, one is freed from all sins.
विन्यस्य मूर्ध्नि तत् तोयं मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः
Placing that water on the head, one is released from all offenses.
तथाघमर्षणं सूक्तं सर्वपापापनोदनम्
Likewise, the Aghamarṣaṇa hymn is known to dispel all sins and wrongs.
प्रक्षिप्यालोकयेद् देवमुद्वयं तमसस्परि
Having sprinkled, one should behold the god, the remover of darkness.
हंसः शुचिषदेतेन सावित्र्या च विशेषतः
The pure swan, by this (mantra), and especially by the Sāvitrī.
सावित्रीं वै जपेत् पश्चाज्जपयज्ञः स वै स्मृतः
Afterwards, one should recite the Sāvitrī; this is known as the recitation-sacrifice.
शतरुद्रीयमथर्वशिरः सौरांश्च शक्तितः
The Śatarudrīya, the Atharvaśiras, and the hymns to the Sun should be recited according to one's ability.
तिष्ठंश्चेदीक्षमाणोर्ऽकं जप्यं कुर्यात् समाहितः
If standing, one should, with concentration, perform the recitation while gazing at the sun.
कर्तव्या त्वक्षमाला स्यादुत्तरादुत्तमा स्मृता
A rosary made of akṣa-beads is to be used; the superior is considered to be from the north.
न कम्पयेच्छिरोग्रीवां दन्तान्नैव प्रकाशयेत्
One should not move the head or neck, nor show the teeth.
एकान्ते सुशुभे देशे तस्माज्जप्यं समाचरेत्
In a solitary and auspicious place, one should perform the recitation.
तैरेव भाषणं कृत्वा स्नात्वा चैव जपेत् पुनः
Having spoken with them and bathed, one should again recite.
सौरान् मन्त्रान् शक्तितो वै पावमानीस्तु कामतः
He should recite the Sāvitri mantras to the best of his ability, and the Pavamāni hymns as he wishes.
अन्यथा तु शुचौ भूम्यां दर्भेषु सुसमाहितः
Otherwise, with a pure mind, he should sit on clean ground or on darbha grass.
आचम्य च यथाशास्त्रं शक्त्या स्वाध्यायमाचरेत्
Having performed ācamana according to the scriptures, he should undertake self-study as he is able.
अदावोङ्कारमुच्चार्य नमो ऽन्ते तर्पयामि वः
At the beginning, uttering the syllable 'Om', and at the end, saying 'Salutations', he should offer oblations to you.