image credit: Tumblr Kala Kshetram

In the third verse of his Cidvilāsastava (‘Hymn to the Play of Consciousness’), Amṛtānanda teaches a deep contemplation on the true meaning of taking a ritual bath:

तीर्थमद्वयसुधारसोदधेर्वारितं निजविमर्शवेलया ।
आणवादिमलमोचनोचितं स्नानमत्र विधिना निमज्जनम् ॥ ३ ॥

tīrtham advayasudhārasodadher vāritaṃ nijavimarśavelayā |
āṇavādimalamocanocitaṃ snānam atra vidhinā nimajjanam || 3 ||

“Encompassing the ocean of the nectarean essence of nonduality with the shoreline of one’s innate awareness is the sacred bathing place. According to this method, immersing oneself in such a [tīrtha], which liberates one from [the three] impurities such as the contraction of consciousness, is the true ritual bath.” (translation by Ben Williams)

Read more of the Cidvilāsastava