20.202
dvadasa-tilaka-mantra ei dvadasa nama
acamane ei name sparsi tat-tat-sthana
SYNONYMS
dvadasa-tilaka—for twelve marks of tilaka; mantra—the mantra; ei—these; dvadasa nama—twelve names; acamane—in washing with water; ei name—with these names; sparsi—we touch; tat-tat-sthana—the respective places "When putting the twelve tilaka marks on the twelve places of the body, one has to chant the mantra consisting of these twelve Visnu names.
After daily worship, when one anoints the different parts of the body with water, these names should be chanted as one touches each part of the body.
PURPORT
While marking the body with tilaka, one should chant the following mantra, which consists of the twelve names of Lord Visnu lalate kesavam dhyayen
narayanam athodare
vaksah-sthale madhavam tu
govindam kantha-kupake
visnum ca daksine kuksau
bahau ca madhusudanam
trivikramam kandhare tu
vamanam vama-parsvake
sridharam vama-bahau tu
hrsikesam tu kandhare
prsthe ca padmanabham ca
katyam damodaram nyaset “When one marks the forehead with tilaka, he must remember Kesava.
When one marks the lower abdomen, he must remember Narayana.
For the chest, one should remember Madhava, and when marking the hollow of the neck one should remember Govinda.
Lord Visnu should be remembered while marking the right side of the belly, and Madhusudana should be remembered when marking the right arm.
Trivikrama should be remembered when marking the right shoulder, and Vamana should be remembered when marking the left side of the belly.
Sridhara should be remembered while marking the left arm, and Hrsikesa should be remembered when marking the left shoulder.