अथ प्रणामविधिः
तत्रैव—
शिरो मत्पादयोः कृत्वा बाहुभ्यां च परस्परम् ।
प्रपन्नं पाहि मामीश भीतं मृत्युग्रहार्णवात् ॥
किं चागमे—
दोर्भ्यां पद्भ्यां च जानुभ्यामुरसा शिरसा दृशा ।
मनसा वचसा चेति प्रणामो’ष्टाङ्ग ईरितः ॥
जानुभ्यां चैव बाहुभ्यां शिरसा वचसा धिया ।
पञ्चाङ्गकः प्रणामः स्यात् पूजासु प्रवराविमौ ॥
atha praṇāma-vidhiḥ
tatraiva—
śiro mat-pādayoḥ kṛtvā bāhubhyāṁ ca parasparam |
prapannaṁ pāhi mām īśa bhītaṁ mṛtyu-grahārṇavāt ||
kiṁ cāgame—
dorbhyāṁ padbhyāṁ ca jānubhyām urasā śirasā dṛśā |
manasā vacasā ceti praṇāmo’ṣṭāṅga īritaḥ ||
jānubhyāṁ caiva bāhubhyāṁ śirasā vacasā dhiyā |
pañcāṅgakaḥ praṇāmaḥ syāt pūjāsu pravarāv imau ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 8.359–361)
“Now, the procedure for prostration [is explained]: Therein specifically [i.e., in SB 11.27.46, it is explained by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa], ‘Putting the head before my feet and the arms opposite one another, [one should address the deity], ‘O Lord, please protect me, I who have taken shelter [in you] and am afraid of the ocean inhabited by the shark of death’ [and then offer obeisance].’ Furthermore, in the Āgamas [it is said], ‘An obeisance with the arms, feet, knees, chest, head, sight, mind, and speech is known as aṣṭāṅga [i.e., an obeisance made with eight (aṣṭa) limbs (aṅga)]. An obeisance with the knees, arms, head, speech, and mind is [known as] pañcāṅga [i.e., an obeisance made with five (pañca) limbs (aṅga)]. These two [types of obeisance] are best in offerings of worship.’”
Commentary
bāhubhyāṁ dakṣiṇottarābhyāṁ parasparaṁ mama dakṣiṇottara-pādau gṛhītvā; yad vā, parasparaṁ nibaddhābhyāṁ kṛtāparādha iva, prapannaṁ pāhīty ādi vijñāpya praṇamed ity arthaḥ | praṇāme’ṣṭāṅgāni darśayati—padbhyām iti | pādādibhiḥ praṇāmaḥ krameṇa tat-tad-aṅgair bhūmy-avaṣṭambhanena tat-saṁsparśanāt | dṛśā praṇāmaḥ cakṣur īṣan nimīlanāt, manasā śiro mat-pādayoḥ kṛtvā ityādi-dhyānena; vacasā ca ‘bhagavan prasīda’ ityādi-rūpeṇohyaḥ |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“‘The arms opposite one another’ (bāhubhyāṁ parasparam) means touching my right and left foot with the right and left [i.e., one should touch the right foot of Bhagavān with the right hand and the left foot of Bhagavān with the left hand]. Alternately, parasparam means with the arms [i.e., hands] joined as though one has committed an offense. One should entreat [the deity], ‘O Lord, please protect me, I who have take shelter …,’ and prostrate. This is the meaning. He shows the eight limbs in a prostration: padbhyām … [i.e., he cites this verse from the Āgamas]. Prostration with the feet and so forth is gradual with those limbs [coming to] resting on the ground because of the contact thereof [i.e., one should gradually place the feet, knees, arms, chest, and head on the ground]. Prostration with sight is to be inferred from slight closing of the eye [also being enjoined as one prostrates], [prostration] with the mind [is to be inferred] from the meditation of placing the head before my [i.e., Bhagavān’s] feet [also being enjoined as one prostrates], and [prostration] with the speech [is to be inferred as also being enjoined] in the form of [the entreaty], ‘O Bhagavān, be pleased.’”
kathaṁ praṇamed ity apekṣāyām āha—śira iti | bāhubhyāṁ dakṣiṇottarābhyāṁ parasparaṁ mama dakṣiṇottarau pādau gṛhītvā | yad vā, pṛṣṭhataḥ parasparaṁ nibaddhābhyāṁ kṛtāparādha iva, prapannam ity-ādi-vijñaptyā ca praṇamet |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.27.46)
“In expectation of [the question], ‘How should one prostrate?’ He says śiras … [i.e., he speaks SB 11.27.46]. ‘The arms opposite one another’ (bāhubhyāṁ parasparam) means touching my right and left foot with the right and left [i.e., one should touch the right foot of Bhagavān with the right hand and the left foot of Bhagavān with the left hand]. Alternately, [it means] with the arms [i.e., hands] joined back to back as though one has committed an offense. One should entreat [the deity], ‘‘O Lord, please protect me, I who have taken shelter …,’ and prostrate.”
dūrato namaskāram uktvā kiñcid dūrata āha—śira iti | atinikaṭe garbha-mandire ca tan-niṣedhāt | ṭīkāyāṁ dvitīyaṁ pakṣam āha—yad veti yad uktam—‘agre pṛṣṭhe vāma-bhāge samīpe garbha-mandire | japa-homa-namaskārān na kuryāt keśavālaye ||’ iti gautamīye tu viśeṣaḥ—‘padbhyāṁ karābhyāṁ jānubhyām urasā śirasā dṛśā | manasā vacasā ceti praṇāmo’ṣṭāṅga īritaḥ ||’ āgame—‘jānubhyāṁ caiva bāhubhyāṁ śirasā vacasā dhiyā |pañcāṅgakaḥ praṇāmaḥ syāt pūjāsu pravarāv imau ||’ iti |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā)
“Having described an obeisance from afar, he says [an obeisance should be performed] ‘from somewhat afar,‘ śiras … [i.e., he speaks SB 11.27.46] because of the prohibition upon that [i.e., upon an offering an obeisance] very near or in the sanctum sanctorum [of the deity]. In the commentary [i.e., the Bhāvārtha-dīpikā], he [i.e., Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda] describes a second viewpoint [by saying], ‘Alternately …’ (yad vā …) since it is stated [in a verse cited in HBV 8.391], ‘In a temple of Keśava, one should not perform japa, homa, or namaskāra [i.e., obeisance] in front, behind, on the left side, very near, or in the sanctum sanctorum [of the deity].’ In the Gautamīya Tantra, however, there is a specific [description of an obeisance], ‘An obeisance with the arms, feet, knees, chest, head, sight, mind, and speech is known as aṣṭāṅga [i.e., an obeisance made with eight (aṣṭa) limbs (aṅga)]. In the Āgamas [it is said], ‘An obeisance with the knees, arms, head, speech, and mind is [known as] pañcāṅga [i.e., an obeisance made with five (pañca) limbs (aṅga)]. These two [types of obeisance] are best in offerings of worship.’”
tatra daṇḍavad vandane prakāram āha—śira iti | atra ‘agre pṛṣṭhe vāma-bhāge samīpe garbha-mandire | japa-homa-namaskārān na kuryāt keśavālaye ||’ ity agra-pṛṣṭhādau praṇati-niṣedhān mat-pādayor dakṣiṇa-pārśve kiñcid dūre śiraḥ kṛtvā vandeta | kīdṛśaṁ? bāhubhyāṁ parasparaṁ sammukhībhūta-tarka-mudrābhyāṁ sahitam iti śeṣaḥ | kiṁ bruvāṇi ity apekṣāyām āha—prapannam ity ardham |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.27.46)
“Therein, he describes the method in regard to [offering] obeisance like a stick: śiras … [i.e., he speaks SB 11.27.46]. In this regard [it is said in a verse cited in HBV 8.391], ‘In a temple of Keśava, one should not perform japa, homa, or namaskāra [i.e., obeisance] in front, behind, on the left side, very near, or in the sanctum sanctorum [of the deity].’ Because of this prohibition on prostration [being performed] in front, behind, and so on, [Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s instruction should be understood as follows:] one should offer obeisance with the head on the right side of my feet at some distance [away]. How so? ‘With the arms opposite one another’ (bāhubhyāṁ parasparaṁ), the remainder [of the instruction] being with [the arms] opposite [one another] and [displaying] the tarka-mudrā. In expectation of [the question], ‘Saying what [should one offer obeisance]?’ He speaks the [second] half [of the verse]: prapannam … [i.e., one should say, ‘O Lord, please protect me, I who have take shelter [in you] and am afraid of the ocean inhabited by the shark of death’].”