4.62

punah taila diya kaila sri-anga cikkana

sankha-gandhodake kaila snana samadhana

SYNONYMS

punah—again; taila diya—with oil; kaila—made; sri-anga—the body of the Deity; cikkana—shiny; sankha-gandha-udake—in water scented with flowers and sandalwood pulp and kept within a conchshell; kaila—did; snana—bath; samadhana—execution.

After the maha-snana was finished, the Deity was again massaged with scented oil and His body made glossy.

Then the last bathing ceremony was performed with scented water kept within a conchshell.

PURPORT

In his commentary on this occasion, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura quotes from the Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

Barley powder, wheat powder, vermilion powder, urad dal powder and another powder preparation called avata (made by mixing banana powder and ground rice) are applied to the Deity’s body with a brush made from the hair at the end of a cow’s tail.

This produces a nice finish.

The oil smeared over the body of the Deity should be scented.

To perform the maha-snana, at least two and a half manas (about twenty-four gallons) of water are needed to pour over the body of the Deity.