Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 24.332
Morning Cleanliness, Prayer, and Service
“You should describe how in the morning one should regularly brush his teeth, take his bath, offer prayers to the Lord and offer obeisances to the spiritual master. You should also describe how one should render service to the spiritual master and paint one’s body in twelve places with ūrdhva-puṇḍra [tilaka], as well as how one should stamp one’s body with the holy names of the Lord or the symbols of the Lord, such as the disc and club.
What the purport teaches
- One should regularly brush one’s teeth, bathe and offer prayers to the Lord in the morning.
- Offering obeisances to the spiritual master and rendering service to him should also be described.
- The instructions include applying ūrdhva-puṇḍra, or tilaka, in twelve places. They also include marking the body with the Lord’s holy names or symbols, such as the disc and club.
Try this today
Offer a short prayer to the Lord after brushing your teeth or bathing today.
Ask yourself
How could your morning routine include both cleanliness and prayer?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.