1.Prepare a snana-vedi (pedestal for bathing the Deity),
situated within a well decorated mandapa (ideally, a
four-pillared canopied temporary pavillion
fenced off by red string).
2.Perform all the pUrvanga-karmas for self-purification:
snana, bhuta-suddhi, nyasa, etc.
3.Bring the Lord onto the ved… while waving camaras and
sheltering Him with an umbrella.
4.Svasti-vacana (invocation of auspiciousness: chant prayers
such as Brahma- samhita, Purusha-sukta,
Vishnu-smarana, Mangala-shanti). (See P.P.
Supplement 3, pp. 95-108).
5.Dig-bandhana (binding the directions). (See P.P. Supp.,
pp. 63-64).
6.Ghata-sthApana (establishing the pot). (Place a copper,
brass, or clay pot filled with water on a platform next to
the vedi; place five leaves on it, then a
coconut or banana, then flowers or a garland; worship Ganesha in the pot
with 5, 10, or 16 upacharas).
7.Sankalpa (ceremonial vow). (“O Govinda, now, on this
[lunar day], in the [lunar fortnight], during the [lunar
month], for the pleasure of Sri Sri [Radha-Shyamasundara
- name of your presiding Deities] we will perform the abhisheka bathing
ceremony of [Lord Sri Krishna]”).
Upachara Dana (offering the articles of worship)
1.Asanam (offer a seat to the Lord: for how to offer this
and other standard upacharas, refer to P.P. Chapter Three or Chapter Four).
2.SvAgatam (offer welcome).
3.PAdyam (offer footwash).
4.Arghyam (offer arghya).
5.Achaman…yam (offer water for sipping).
6.Madhuparka (offer madhuparka).
7.Punar-Acaman…yam (again offer water for sipping).
8.Pishta-dipa (Make a stiff dough from flour, sugar and
water and fashion into receptacles for holding wicks and
ghee. Arrange these on a plate, decorated
with colored rice-flour. Light the lamps and wave them before the Lord.)
Then smear scented oil on the Lord’s body.
9.Tila-udvartanam (rub ground sesame seed on the Lord’s
body).
Snana (bathing)
1.First, bathe the Lord in water mixed with sesame seed
paste.
2.Change the Lord’s cloth and bathe again in pure water.
3.Pañca-gavya-snana (bathe the Lord in a mixture
of the five auspicious products of cows: cow urine, cow dung
and ghee (these in small proportion), cow
milk and yogurt.
4.Kusha water
5.Pañcamrta-snana (bathe the Lord in milk, yogurt,
ghee, honey, and sugar-water, in that order).
6.Ushnodaka-snana (bathe the Lord with warm water).
7.Sarvaushadhi-snana (bathe the Lord with water containing
herbs).1
8.Mahaushadhi-snana (bathe the Lord with water containing
a second mixture of herbs).2
9.Mangala-snana (bathe the Lord in water mixed with auspicious
things, such as flowers, dUrva grass, and darbha
grass).
10.Ashtaka-bija-snana (bathe the Lord in water containing eight
types of seeds: barley, wheat, wild rice, sesame,
millet, rice paddy, panic seed, and rice which
grows in sixty days).
11.Gandhodaka-snana (bathe the Lord in water mixed with scents
such as musk and aguru).
12.Gandha (smear the Lord’s body with sandalwood pulp).
13.Candanodaka-snana (bathe the Lord in water mixed with sandalwood
pulp).
14.Sahasra-dhara-snana (bathe the Lord with each of the following
substances, pouring them one after another
through a “sahasra-dhara,” a round tray with
many holes in it, held over the Lord, which gives a shower effect:
pure water; mahausha- dhi-water; gandha-water;
ashtaka- bija-water; water mixed with flowers; fruit juices;
jewel-water [water in which jewels have been
soaking]).
15.Kalasa-snana (bathe the Lord with 8 large pots of water [ideally
pots should hold ca. 12 liters each]).
Concluding Activities
1.Vastra (after drying the Lord with soft towels, dress
in new garments).
2.Yajñopavita (offer a new sacred thread to the
Lord).
3.Nirmañchana (wave in circles [as in offering
€rat…] herbs such as kusha grass tips before the Lord).
4.Dristhi-uttarana (Wave nima fruits, white and black
mustard seeds and salt in front of the Lord to drive away
inauspicious entities).
5.Matsya-mochana (drop a small fish [made of silver or
copper] into a pot of water before the Lord).
6.PAdyam (offer foot wash to the Lord).
7.Acamaniyam (offer water for sipping to the Lord).
8.Kalasa-drishti (Present a pot filled with water and
topped with leaves and coconut to the Lord and place it before
Him along with a variety of fruits).
9.Netronmilanam (Bless the Lord’s eyes by touching them
with a golden or silver wand).
10.Añjana (apply collyrium to the Lord’s eyes).
11.Tilaka (Apply rocana [yellow pigment from a cow] tilaka to
the Lord’s forehead. One’s mother or sister should
then touch one hundred and eight blades of
dUrva grass and puffs of raw cotton to the Lord’s head.
12.Homa (perform a simple fire yajña before the Lord,
offering sesame seeds into the fire).3
13.Pushpa & mAlA (offer flowers and flower garlands to the
Lord).
14.Pratisara (bind the Lord’s right wrist with yellow thread).
15.Darpasham (offer a mirror for the Lord to view Himself).
16.Ghrita-darshanam (show a container filled with ghee to the
Lord).
17.Chamara (wave a camara before the Lord).
18.Bhushanam (decorate the Lord with ornaments).
19.Go-danam (on the occasion of a birthday a cow may be given
to a brAhmana).
20.VandApanam (On an auspicious day one should worship auspicious
items. Bring together the following items.
Then place all the items on an attractive
plate or tray and, while holding the plate with both hands, offer it three
times to the Lord). earth; gandha; stone;
rice paddy (unhusked rice); dUrva grass; flowers; fruit; yogurt; ghee;
svAstikam; sindhur (vermilion); conch; kajjala
(collyrium); rochana; boiled rice; gold; silver, copper; white mustard
seeds; mirror; lamp.
21.Samskaras (you may then have the samskaras, ending with upanAyanam
(giving the sacred thread) performed for
the Lord. The priests performing these rites
should then be worshiped by giving them cloth, garlands, etc.).
22.DhUpam (offer incense to the Lord).
23.Dipam (offer lamps to the Lord).
24.Naivedyam (offer food to the Lord).
25.Acaman…yam (offer water for sipping to the Lord).
26.TAmbUlam (offer betelnut to the Lord).
27.NirAjanam (offer Arati with pishta-dipas).
28.Abhisinchanam (sprinkle the Lord with auspicious items such
as dUrva grass).
29.swastir-vacanam (the brahmanas should give blessings).
30.Stuti (recite verses of praise of Govinda from the Vedas
or Puranas (or Brahma-samhitA).
31.Vrata (during the daylight hours of the ashtami one should
observe the vow of fasting in the association of devotees,
and, staying awake at night, at midnight one
should perform the abhisheka according to the vidhi just described,
accompanied by joyful singing and dancing.
The next day one should celebrate the Lord’s appearance with great
festivity and respect maha-prasada with the
Vaishnavas).