How To Do Achamana In Shaiva Tantra

आचमन / ācamana is a tantric ritual which is performed for self purification before the commencement of a ritual. We will look at how this is done in Śaivism.

In tantra, we use mantra ( sound ), kriya ( action ) and bhāvanā ( contemplation / visualization ).

ācamana is the first step in any ritual. 

There are some prerequisites to this step.

1. We start with प्रोक्षण / prokṣaṇa.

Before we find a place to sit, we have to cleanse that place. So take the पञ्च पात्र / Pañca pātra with its udharaṇī and walk to the spot. Sprinkle some water from the Pañca pātra with your udharaṇī, with the understanding that you are cleansing that place. Recite the astra mantra while you do this:

ॐ अस्त्राय फट् / oṃ astrāya phaṭ

This is called प्रोक्षण / prokṣaṇa. Now sit down on that spot you have just cleansed.

2. Next, we have to do गणपति वन्दनम् / Gaṇapati vandanam. Contemplate on Lord Gaṇapati and recite a Veda mantra or śloka. We request Him to remove all obstacles.

3. Next, guru vandanam. Contemplate on your teacher for śaiva āgama. Visualize him as the manifestation of śiva. Recite:

ओं शिव गुरवे नमः / oṃ śiva gurave namaḥ

4. Next, a prayer to Mother Earth, who supports us. Take some flower and offer it to Mother Earth reciting

ओं लं पृथिव्यै नमः / oṃ laṃ pṛthivyai namaḥ

5. Perform ācamana.

It comprises two components:

(1) तीर्थ प्रश्न / Tīrtha praśna

(2) अङ्ग स्पर्श / Aṅga sparśa

तीर्थ प्रश्न / Tīrtha praśna

Sit comfortably with a पञ्च पात्र / Pañca pātra filled with clean water.

Using the गोकर्णि / gokarṇi mudra, place an उधरणी / udharaṇī ( spoon ) of water at the centre of the palm, which is cupped.

Image: gokarṇi mudra, performed by slight flexion of the distal interphalangeal, middle phalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints of the index finger. The middle, ring and little finger are slightly flexed at the metacarpophalangeal joints with extended proximal and distal interphalangeal joints. The thumb is in an adducted and flexed position.

Now that was just me trying to flex anatomy. Simple words - just bend all your fingers with more exaggeration to the index. Use the tip of the thumb to touch the base of the index finger.

Sip the water which you have placed at the middle part of the palm which is cupped. When you sip the water, you should not make a contact between the lips and your hand. You should just gracefully lift the hand upwards and let the water slip and drop into the mouth.

You do this thrice, but with some rules with it..

With each sip, you should recite the mantras :

(1) ॐ आत्मतत्त्वाय स्वध / oṃ ātmatattvāya svadha

(2) ॐ विद्यातत्त्वाय स्वध / oṃ vidyātattvāya svadha

(3) ॐ शिवतत्त्वाय स्वध / oṃ śivatattvāya svadha

These three mantras indicate the tattvas in Śaivism.

Also, you must rinse your hand after each sip. After every sip, just take an udharaṇī of water and rinse your hand with the recitation of

ॐ अप उपस्पृश्य / oṃ apa upaspṛśya

( translates to, '' thus I am touching the water'' )

So the flow is:

(1) Sip with recitation of ॐ आत्मतत्त्वाय स्वध  / oṃ ātmatattvāya svadha

(2) Rinse with ॐ अप उपस्पृश्य / oṃ apa upaspṛśya

(3) Sip with ॐ विद्यातत्त्वाय स्वध / oṃ vidyātattvāya svadha

(4) Rinse with ॐ अप उपस्पृश्य / oṃ apa upaspṛśya

(5) Sip with ॐ शिवतत्त्वाय स्वध / oṃ śivatattvāya svadha

(6) Rinse with ॐ अप उपस्पृश्य / oṃ apa upaspṛśya

Now, use the base of the thumb to wipe your lips from right to left, twice with the recitation of astra mantra, each time you wipe.

ॐ अस्त्राय फट् / oṃ astrāya phaṭ

Finally, pour some water on your hand reciting:

ओं कवचाय नमः

oṃ kavacāya namaḥ

Wash both hands with that water reciting:

अप उपस्पृश्य

apa upaspṛśya

It indicates the washing of hands using the kavaca mantra. This is followed by the Aṅga sparśa

अङ्ग स्पर्श /Aṅga sparśa

This refers to the purification of the different parts of the body. Use the thumb to touch various parts of the body with the recitation of. The thumb denotes the size of the ātma.

ॐ हृदयाय नमः / oṃ hṛdayāya namaḥ

or with addition of the bīja mantra:

ॐ हाम् हृदयाय नमः / oṃ hām hṛdayāya namaḥ

The 12 points to be touched, in sequence:

1.chin

2.right nostril

3.left nostril

4.right eye

5.left eye

6.right ear

7.left ear

8.navel

9.chest 

10.right shoulder

11.left shoulder

12.head

This will conclude the ācamana process.