waking and preparing
Waking and remembering the Lord
Upon awakening, chant the Hare Krishna mantra, or at least ‘Krishna, Krishna, Krishna.’
Offer obeisances to your spiritual master while chanting his pranama prayer(s):
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate [spiritual master’s name] iti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto [spiritual master’s name], who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Rise up and fold up your bedding
The Hari-bhakti-vilasa recommends several verses you may chant upon awakening to glorify the Lord and counteract bad dreams. The following verse, spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami, is a favorite of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s followers:
jayati jana-nivaso devaki-janma-vado
yadu-vara-parishat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam
sthira-cara-vrijina-ghnah susmita-sri-mukhena
vraja-pura-vanitanam vardhayan kama-devam
Lord Sri Krishna is He who is known as Jana-nivasa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and who is also known as Devaki-nandana or Yasoda-nandana, the son of Devaki and Yasoda. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, as well as every man who is impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the gopis of Vrindavana. May He be all glorious and happy!
Bathing and dressing
- If you need to pass urine or stool, do so now with your brahmana thread (upavita) wrapped around your right ear and then clean yourself (sauca).
- Brush your teeth, scrape your tongue, and rinse your mouth. If you plan to shave, do it now, before bathing.
- When starting to bathe, you may recite the following mantra:
(om) apavitrah pavitro va sarvavastham gato ‘pi va
yah smaret pundarikaksham sa bahyabhyantarah sucih
“Whether pure or impure, or having passed through all conditions of material life, one who remembers lotus-eyed Krishna becomes externally and internally clean.
- After drying yourself, rinse the towel or gamcha you used.
- Tie your sikha, put on clean clothes
Acamana
Perform simple acamana as follows:
- Sit on an asana, take some water from an acamana cup (panca-patra) with the acamana spoon and sprinkle it on your hands and feet.
- Chant om kesavaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha (the base of the thumb) of your right hand.
- Chant om narayanaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha of the right hand.
- Chant om madhavaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha of the right hand.
Perform simple acamana as follows:
- Sit on an asana, take some water from an acamana cup (panca-patra) with the acamana spoon and sprinkle it on your hands and feet.
- Chant om kesavaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha (the base of the thumb) of your right hand.
- Chant om narayanaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha of the right hand.
- Chant om madhavaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha of the right hand.
Applying tilaka
Mix gopi-candana in your left palm with a little water until a smooth paste is formed; then, while applying tilaka and clearing the middle space, chant the name of the appropriate form of the Lord.
Gayatri japa
While sitting or standing on an asana, chant the gayatri mantras.
