प्रतिमाङ्गे न्यासादिInstalling the image: its baths and nyāsas
Verse 272
भस्मना प्रथमं स्नानं ततो वल्मीकमृत्स्नया । वराहदन्तिदन्तोत्थमृत्तिकाभिस्ततः परम् । वेश्याद्वारमृदा चापि प्रद्युम्नह्रदजातया ॥ २७२ ॥
bhasmanā prathamaṁ snānaṁ tatō valmīkamṛtsnayā | varāhadantidantōtthamṛttikābhistataḥ param | vēśyādvāramṛdā cāpi pradyumnahradajātayā || 272 ||
Translation
The first bath is with ash, then with earth from an anthill, after that with earth raised by the tusks of a boar and of an elephant, and with earth from a courtesan's door and earth from the lake of Pradyumna.
Word by word
- bhasmanā
- with ash
- prathamaṁ
- first
- snānaṁ
- the bath
- tataḥ
- (tataḥ) then
- valmīka
- from an anthill
- mṛtsnayā
- with earth
- varāha
- of a boar
- danti
- and of an elephant
- danta
- by the tusks
- uttha
- (uttha) raised
- mṛttikābhiḥ
- (mṛttikābhiḥ) with earth
- param
- after
- vēśyā
- of a courtesan
- dvāra
- from the door
- mṛdā
- with earth
- ca
- and
- api
- also
- pradyumna
- of Pradyumna
- hrada
- from the lake
- jātayā
- taken
Meaning
The image is bathed with earths gathered from many places, each with its traditional power to purify; the series begins with ash. The commentary frames verses 272-276 as an answer to "with what substance should he bathe the image?"
Commentary
Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated
But with what substance should he bathe the image? To that he says "bhasmanā" and the rest.