Alternative for Bath

What is the meaning of secondary bath?

Not taking a bath is a big fault according to the scriptures, but sometimes it is not possible to take a bath due to physical illness, staying in a journey or lack of water. In such a situation, secondary bath is of great importance in place of main bath, which is also a classical synonym. Apart from this, take secondary bath after coming home from outside, before and after food, after listening to bad conversation, after mourning, after crying and even when the mind is unwell. During this bath, wash the face, hands up to the elbows and feet up to the knees and gargle with water in the mouth. Hands washed before eating should not be wiped with a cloth. Keep them in a vertical direction and let them dry like this. No other object should be touched during the meal. Wash hands with water before and after eating in a restaurant, then dry the hands with the dryer installed on the washbasin. But never wipe the hands with the towel hanging there because many people use it to wipe hands.

 There are four types of secondary baths which are generally accepted- first is Upasnaan (waist bath),

second is Mantra bath, third is Gayatri bath and fourth is Tirtha bath. In 'Upasnaan' (waist bath), the body is wiped with a wet cloth and wrapped around the waist, then a clean washed cloth is worn. The recitation of three verses starting with 'Apohishtha' mantra and the next six verses (total nine verses) is called 'Mantra bath'. Mantra bath is done at the time of doing Sandhya. Sprinkling the body with water consecrated with Gayatri mantra is 'Gayatri bath'. Sprinkling the body of a revered person or idol with the Tirtha prepared by trees like Tulsi, Bilva, Durva and Darbha is called 'Tirtha bath'.

Apart from this, applying ash on the body is called 'Air Bath'. Sitting in the sunlight and taking light on the whole body is called 'Solar Bath'. Meditating on Vishnu is called 'Vishnu Bath' or 'Manas Bath'. During the journey to Manasarovar etc., one has to take secondary bath for several days. Secondary bath is also used for evening or other daily rituals, but it is necessary to take main bath for Naimittik fast, worship and Shraddha Karma. Bath and food have a close relationship with each other. Eating without bath is prohibited by the scriptures. No ritual or Purashcharana is done immediately after eating, however, after 2 hours of eating, one can take main bath and do normal worship and Purashcharana. But Mahapurashcharana of mantras like Gayatri and Mrityunjay should not be done after food.