How Did The Ancients Take Bath As Per Shaiva Agamas

 Our contemporary norms differ from the past millennia. Have you ever wondered how our ancients carried out their daily living? 

The Kamika Agama, which contains various instructions from Lord Shiva on the conduct of a Shaivite, describes a fascinating manual on ceremonial bathing.

There are 6 means by which one showers: water, fire, mantra, mind, wind and one pertaining to Lord Indra ( Maha Indra ). The pramana is as below, from Kamika Agama:

वारुणञ्च तथाग्नेयं मान्त्र मानसमेव च। वायव्यञ्च महेन्द्राख्यं स्नानं षड्विधमीरितम्॥

vāruṇañca tathāgneyaṃ māntra mānasameva ca। vāyavyañca mahendrākhyaṃ snānaṃ ṣaḍvidhamīritam॥

Water

The water bath has variations and one of them is related to the usage of earth. The spiritual aspirant collects earth and energizes it with Shaiva mantras and smears them on specific parts of the body before submerging himself into a water body.

This bath also involves rituals pertaining to pranayama, recitation and meditation. The water bath is very elaborately described in the actual scripture.

सुगन्धामलकाद्यैस्तु स्नायाद्राजोपचारतः। राजवद्धमपीठादि सुस्थितो हेमकुम्भकैः॥ स्नात्वा निमज्जनार्थन्तु कुर्याच्छब्दस्सुमङ्गलैः। तीर्थे विन्यस्तमन्त्रांस्तु संहृत्य स्वहृदिन्यसेत्॥

sugandhāmalakādyaistu snāyādrājopacārataḥ। rājavaddhamapīṭhādi susthito hemakumbhakaiḥ॥ snātvā nimajjanārthantu kuryācchabdassumaṅgalaiḥ। tīrthe vinyastamantrāṃstu saṃhṛtya svahṛdinyaset॥

The verse above describes the royal bath pertaining to water in which an aspirant baths with perfumed items and myrobalan using golden kalashas. Mantras are recited while transferring the energy in the water into one's heart, so as to say.

Fire

भुक्तिमुक्तिदं आग्नेयं कार्य शुद्धेन भस्मना॥ स्नानं चतुर्विधं भस्म भवेत्कल्पादि भेदतः। कल्पञ्चैवानुकल्पञ्च उपकल्पं अकल्पकम्॥ तेष्वाद्यं तत उत्कृष्टतममन्यदभावतः।

bhuktimuktidaṃ āgneyaṃ kārya śuddhena bhasmanā॥ snānaṃ caturvidhaṃ bhasma bhavetkalpādi bhedataḥ। kalpañcaivānukalpañca upakalpaṃ akalpakam॥ teṣvādyaṃ tata utkṛṣṭatamamanyadabhāvataḥ।

This verse describes the fiery bath, which involves the use of bhasma ( vibhUti ). The fiery bath can grant liberation and materialistic benefits as well. The quality of this bath relies on the type of bhasma used. The 'Kalpa' bhasma is considered supreme.

The Kalpa bhasma comes with a meticulous procedure. In short, cow dung is obtained from a healthy cow and must be specifically collected before it falls to the ground, with the recitation of SadyojAta mantra ( Om Ham SadyojAta mUrtaye namaHa ). It is to be kneaded with the recitation of VAmadeva mantra ( Om him vAmadeva guhyAya namaHa ) It is to be then burnt in the Shiva-agni* using Aghora mantra and the resultant ash is termed 'Kalpa bhasma'. Upakalpa bhasma is obtained through a less rigid procedure and the akalpa bhasma is the term given to the vibhUti obtained via any other prescribed means.

*Shiva Agni is the form of Agni invoked by Shaivites during a homa / Agni-karyam. 

The bhasma bath is said to be more effective than the water bath. However, the bhasma shower is more specific to ascetics, while the water bath, for householders. The bhasma bath is generally done by sprinkling and smearing bhasma on the body with the recitation of adhered mantras.

Mantra

सद्यादि मन्त्रजप्तेन तोयेन परिमार्जनम्। मान्त्रं तद्वारुणस्नान विधावपि विधीयते॥

sadyādi mantrajaptena toyena parimārjanam। māntraṃ tadvāruṇasnāna vidhāvapi vidhīyate॥

The mantic bath is rather simple. It simply refers to the recitation of the Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha and Ishana Agamic mantras during shower. It can be done with a water bath.

The TAntrik Panchabrahma mantras are:

oṃ hoṃ īśānamūrdhāya namaḥ                     
oṃ heṃ tatpuruṣavakrāya namaḥ                 

oṃ huṃ aghorahṛdayāya namaḥ                    

oṃ hiṃ vāmadevaguhyāya namaḥ                 
oṃ haṃ sadyojātamūrtaye namaḥ                 

The sHaDanga mantras are :

oṃ hāṃ hṛdayāya namaḥ                             

oṃ hīṃ śirase namaḥ                                  

oṃ hūṃ śikhāyai namaḥ                               

oṃ haiṃ kavacāya namaḥ                            

oṃ hauṃ netrebhyo namaḥ                         

oṃ haḥ astrāya namaḥ

  

Mind

प्रणवस्मरणोपेतं प्राणायामेन मानसम्। सर्वस्नानेषु कर्तव्यं केवलं वा विधीयते॥

praṇavasmaraṇopetaṃ prāṇāyāmena mānasam। sarvasnāneṣu kartavyaṃ kevalaṃ vā vidhīyate॥

This mental bath can be incorporated into other forms of shower. It refers to the performance of pranayama during bath. As per KAmika Agama, the mental bath can be done independently as well, without incorporating it with other forms of shower.

Wind

कुर्यात् गोकुलसंचार धूलिबिर्वायुसम्भवैः। पुरुषेणैव मन्त्रेण स्नानानां उत्तमोत्तमम्॥

kuryāt gokulasaṃcāra dhūlibirvāyusambhavaiḥ| puruṣeṇaiva mantreṇa snānānāṃ uttamottamam||

Here, one should walk behind the moving cows and get ‘bathed’ in the dusty particles carried by the winds from the feet of the cows. The tatpuruSha mantra should be recited along this. This is the prime form of bathing ( uttam uttamam )

:) So if you are lazy and wanna save time and water, just walk behind a cow, expose yourself to the dusty brown from the feet and recite 'Om Hem TatpurusHa Vaktraaya NamaHa' :D

Indra

ऐन्द्रचातपवृष्ट्या स्यात् प्राङ्मुखेनोर्ध्व पाणिना। स्मरता मूर्धजं मन्त्रं गच्छता पदसप्तकम्॥'

aindracātapavṛṣṭyā syāt prāṅmukhenordhva pāṇinā। smaratā mūrdhajaṃ mantraṃ gacchatā padasaptakam॥

The Aindra ( relating to Indra ) bath is to be done under sunshine or rain. This is a rather interesting bath. One is required to face the east direction, raise both hands above the head and recite the shiraHa mantra ( Om hIm shirase namaHa ) while walking seven steps.

Over a cup of coffee talk...

यावच्छरीर संशुद्धिः तावच्छुद्धिर्नपश्यताम्। भावशुद्ध्या विशुद्धो यस्स शुद्धो नेतरस्सदा॥

yāvaccharīra saṃśuddhiḥ tāvacchuddhirnapaśyatām। bhāvaśuddhyā viśuddho yassa śuddho netarassadā॥

This is my favourite verse, which seems like the essence of the Snana vidhi chapter of Kamika Agama. The loose translation:

''The exact and absolute purity could not be obtained as long as the perfect purification of the physical body alone is maintained. Perfect purity is obtained only by the purity of the mind. All other varieties of bath could not give perfect and complete purity''

Read More:

(1) How Vedas are Science and Agamas, the Technology to it.

(2) How to Do Pillaiyar Kuttu As Per Shaiva Agamas