Linga Purana

अनेन विधिना स्नात्वा सकृत्पूज्य च शङ्करम् ब्रह्मकूर्चं च पीत्वा तु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

By bathing according to this method, worshipping Shankara once, and drinking the Brahma-kurcha, one is freed from all sins.

त्रिविधं स्नानमाख्यातं देवदेवेन शंभुना हिताय ब्राह्मणाद्यानां चतुर्मुखसुतोत्तम

Three types of bathing have been described by the god of gods, Shambhu, for the benefit of Brahmins and others, O excellent son of Four-Faced Brahma.

वारुणं पुरतः कृत्वा ततश्चाग्नेयमुत्तमम् मन्त्रस्नानं ततः कृत्वा पूजयेत्परमेश्वरम्

First perform the Varuna bath, then the excellent Agneya bath, then the mantra bath; after that, one should worship the Supreme Lord.

भावदुष्टो ऽम्भसि स्नात्वा भस्मना च न शुध्यति भावशुद्धश्चरेच्छौचम् अन्यथा न समाचरेत्

If one bathes in water with a corrupted mind, one is not purified even by ashes; one should practice purity of mind, otherwise one should not perform purification.

सरित्सरस्तडागेषु सर्वेष्व् आ प्रलयं नरः स्नात्वापि भावदुष्टश्चेन् न शुध्यति न संशयः

Even if a person bathes in all rivers, lakes, and ponds until the end of time, if the mind is impure, purification does not occur—there is no doubt.

नृणां हि चित्तकमलं प्रबुद्धमभवद्यदा प्रसुप्तं तमसा ज्ञानभानोर्भासा तदा शुचिः

When the lotus of the mind among people has awakened, it is pure; when it is asleep in darkness, only the light of knowledge makes it pure.

मृच्छकृत्तिलपुष्पं च स्नानार्थं भसितं तथा आदाय तीरे निःक्षिप्य स्नानतीर्थे कुशानि च

For the purpose of bathing, one should take clay, cow dung, flowers, and ashes, place them on the bank, and also kusha grass at the bathing spot.

प्रक्षाल्याचम्य पादौ च मलं देहाद्विशोध्य च द्रव्यैस्तु तीरदेशस्थैस् ततः स्नानं समाचरेत्

After washing and rinsing the feet, and cleansing the body of dirt with substances found on the bank, one should then perform the bath.

उद्धृतासीतिमन्त्रेण पुनर्देहं विशोधयेत् मृदादाय ततश्चान्यद् वस्त्रं स्नात्वा ह्यनुल्बणम्

With the mantra 'uddhritāsīti', one should again purify the body, take clay, then another garment, and bathe, avoiding anything unclean.

गन्धद्वारां दुराधर्षाम् इति मन्त्रेण मन्त्रवित् कपिलागोमयेनैव खस्थेनैव तु लेपयेत्

With the mantra 'gandhadvārāṃ durādharṣām', the knower of mantras should apply cow dung from a Kapila cow, using only what is in the air.

पुनः स्नात्वा परित्यज्य तद्वस्त्रं मलिनं ततः शुक्लवस्त्रपरीधानो भूत्वा स्नानं समाचरेत्

After bathing again and discarding the soiled garment, one should put on a white garment and then perform the bath.

सर्वपापविशुद्ध्यर्थम् आवाह्य वरुणं तथा सम्पूज्य मनसा देवं ध्यानयज्ञेन वै भवम्

For complete purification from all sins, one should invoke Varuna, worship the deity mentally, and perform meditation-sacrifice to Bhava.

आचम्य त्रिस्तदा तीर्थे ह्य् अवगाह्य भवं स्मरन् पुनराचम्य विधिवद् अभिमन्त्र्य महाजलम्

After rinsing three times at the holy place, immersing oneself while remembering Bhava, and rinsing again according to the procedure, one should sanctify the sacred water.

अवगाह्य पुनस्तस्मिन् जपेद्वै चाघमर्षणम् तत्तोये भानुसोमाग्निमण्डलं च स्मरेद्वशी

Immersing again, one should recite the Aghamarshana hymn; in that water, the master should remember the circles of the Sun, Moon, and Fire.

आचम्य च पुनस्तस्माज् जलादुत्तीर्य मन्त्रवित् प्रविश्य तीर्थमध्ये तु पुनः पुण्यविवृद्धये

After rinsing again, emerging from the water, the knower of mantras should enter the center of the holy place once more for the increase of merit.

शृङ्गेण पर्णपुटकैः पालाशैः क्षालितैस् तथा सकुशेन सपुष्पेण जलेनैवाभिषेचयेत्

With a deer’s horn, palasha leaves, properly washed, with kusha grass and flowers, one should sprinkle water for ablution.

रुद्रेण पवमानेन त्वरिताख्येन मन्त्रवित् तरत्समन्दीवर्गाद्यैस् तथा शान्तिद्वयेन च

The knower of mantras should use the Rudra, Pavamana, and Tvarita hymns, as well as the Taratsamandi group and the two peace hymns.

शान्तिधर्मेण चैकेन पञ्चब्रह्मपवित्रकैः तत्तन्मन्त्राधिदेवानां स्वरूपं च ऋषीन् स्मरन्

With the single śānti rite and the five Brahma purifications, remembering the forms of the presiding deities of those mantras and their seers,

एवं हि चाभिषिच्याथ स्वमूर्ध्नि पयसा द्विजाः ध्यायेच्च त्र्यम्बकं देवं हृदि पञ्चास्यम् ईश्वरम्

Thus, having anointed his own head with water, the twice-born should meditate in his heart on the three-eyed Lord, the five-faced Īśvara.

आचम्याचमनं कुर्यात् स्वसूत्रोक्तं समीक्ष्य च पवित्रहस्तः स्वासीनः शुचौ देशे यथाविधि

Having performed ācamana, as prescribed in his own sūtra, with pure hands, seated in a clean place, as is proper,

अभ्युक्ष्य सकुशं चापि दक्षिणेन करेण तु पिबेत्प्रक्षिप्य त्रिस्तोयं चक्री भूत्वा ह्यतन्द्रितः

Sprinkling himself with water and holding kuśa grass in his right hand, he should drink water three times, being attentive and forming a circle.

प्रदक्षिणं ततः कुर्याद् धिंसापापप्रशान्तये एवं संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तं स्नानाचमनमुत्तमम्

Then he should perform circumambulation for the pacification of harm and sin; thus, in brief, the excellent method of bathing and ācamana has been described.

सर्वेषां ब्राह्मणानां तु हितार्थे द्विजसत्तमाः

All this is for the benefit of all brāhmaṇas, O best of the twice-born.

आवाहयेत्ततो देवीं गायत्रीं वेदमातरम् आयातु वरदा देवीत्य् अनेनैव महेश्वरीम्

Then he should invoke the goddess Gāyatrī, the mother of the Vedas, saying, 'May the boon-giving goddess come,' and likewise Maheśvarī.

पाद्यमाचमनीयं च तस्याश्चार्घ्यं प्रदापयेत् प्राणायामत्रयं कृत्वा समासीनः स्थितो ऽपि वा

He should offer water for washing the feet, for sipping, and arghya to her; having performed the threefold prāṇāyāma, whether seated or standing.

सहस्रं वा तदर्धं वा शतमष्टोत्तरं तु वा गायत्रीं प्रणवेनैव त्रिविधेष्वेकमाचरेत्

He should recite the Gāyatrī with praṇava a thousand times, or half that, or one hundred and eight times, performing one set in each of the three ways.

अर्घ्यं दत्त्वा समभ्यर्च्य प्रणम्य शिरसा स्वयम् उत्तमे शिखरे देवीत्य् उक्त्वोद्वास्य च मातरम्

Having offered arghya, worshipped, and bowed his head, he should say 'O goddess on the highest peak,' and then dismiss the mother.

प्राच्यालोक्याभिवन्द्येशां गायत्रीं वेदमातरम् कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा प्रार्थयेद्भास्करं तथा

Facing east, having bowed to Gāyatrī, the mother of the Vedas, with hands joined in reverence, he should also pray to Bhāskara.

उदुत्यं च तथा चित्रं जातवेदसमेव च अभिवन्द्य पुनः सूर्यं ब्रह्माणं च विधानतः

He should bow to the rising sun, the brilliant one, and Jātavedas; then again, according to rule, to Sūrya and Brahmā.