Wearing Kaupina🔗

Kiraṇa Āgama Mahātantra - Caryā Pāda Revealed by Ishwara Sadashiva to Garuda

Then, having finished the morning ablutions as prescribed earlier,one should wear a strip of sacred cloth, kaupina over the privities. Kaupina is to be twelve angulas in breadth and two hastas (hands) in length. The cord to be girt round the hips (for the purpose of wearing kaupina) should have been made of eight or sixteen strings. Or, it can be made of cow-hair, darbha and grasses like balbaja and asmantaka. The Kaṭisutra is to be eight angulas more than the circumference of the hip and loins. Its thickness should be prepared so as to be without any knot. Begirding the cord around, one should knot it exactly on the hip. The strip of cloth should be worn through the cord three parts of it being pendent.

One should wear, according to his stage, either a pure white garment or reddish loin cloth in a fitting manner. After finishing his sandhyā worship, he should meditate for sometime. Then taking flowers in his hands he should go to his Guru’s house. There, having prostrated before the Guru as enjoined in the scriptures, she should study or listen to the Śivāgamas or other common scriptures dealing with the nature of Bhagavān Śiva.

The Guru should sleep in the yāgagṛha or in some other auspicious place. Now I will explain about the wearing of Jaṭā, the matted hair. The Guru can wear the braided hair forming a coil on top of the head. Those who are with shaven head should not wear the matted hair. There are various patterns in braiding the locks of hair, Jaṭā, which are beneficent and auspicious.

Nākasphuṭa, Kaṭaka, Janaka (of circular form) – these are the varieties of Jaṭas. These kinds of Jaṭas are formed by partitioning the locks of hair into 15 or 13, 11, 9 or 5 parts. There are some more kinds of Jaṭas known as KANAKA, etc, which may be divided even into 50 or 36 or 38 or 28 or 81 or 14 parts according to one’s own convenience.

Staying in a sacred place one should wear Jaṭa by yoking the locks of hair with one another. It is enjoined in this scripture that a person who wears Jaṭa, by some way or the other violates the rules and get debased because of bad conduct, etc., then the auspicious Jaṭa will become bereft of its divinity and serenity. Even the sacred place where he stays becomes defiled. Therefore, he should by all means, be protective of its serenity.

Early in the morning one should come out of his residence, having taken with him bhasma (vibhūti), kaupīna and daṇḍa. Proper caskets should be made for the purpose of placing bhasma. They can be made of clay. A small earthen casket should be made so as to be strong and shining. The casket may be 14 angulas in length, 14 angulas in height and 4 angulas in breadth. A small pedestal (support) is to be attached at its center. Or, the bhasma-samputa may be made even with alābuk, its height being equal to 8 angulas. Its top most surface must be in a well-formed circular shape comparable to the tip of a coconut fruit. This top surface should be 4 angulas in height. Its thickness may be equal to 10 angulas or 10 yavakas. Its neck-part should be around the casket, its height being 4 angulas. In order to avoid breakages, a strip should be fitted to avoid breakages, a strip should be fitted around the top, its thickness being equal to that of a little finger. Its upper surface, with an extent of 12 angulas should be formed elegantly and compaginated to the casket. Thus the construction of bhasma-sampuṭa was vividly described.

Besmearing of bhasma should not be in the vicinity of Bhagavān Shiva (i.e. Shivalinga) nor in a pathway nor in a vicinity of Śivāgni, the sacrificial fire in which Shiva is invoked, and in the presence of the Guru, Guru Sannidhi. It should not be done even in a deserted place. Having applied oneself with bhasma according to the prescribed rules, he should go to the Guru's sacred home with his mind deeply engrossed in śravana, authentic listening and adhyāyana. Having listened to recited the sacred scriptures, on the permission of the Guru, he should proceed to wander for alms, bhīkśātaṇa to be utilized as food for the ascetics.