When putting the twelve tilaka marks on the twelve places of the body, one has to chant the mantra consisting of these twelve Visnu names

Expressions researched:
"When putting the twelve tilaka marks on the twelve places of the body, one has to chant the mantra consisting of these twelve Visnu names"

CC Madhya-lila

When putting the twelve tilaka marks on the twelve places of the body, one has to chant the mantra consisting of these twelve Viṣṇu names. Also, when one anoints the different parts of the body with water, these names should be chanted as one touches each part of the body.

CC Madhya 20.202, Translation and Purport:

“When putting the twelve tilaka marks on the twelve places of the body, one has to chant the mantra consisting of these twelve Viṣṇu names. Also, when one anoints the different parts of the body with water, these names should be chanted as one touches each part of the body.

While marking the body with tilaka, one should chant the following mantra, which consists oftwelve names of Lord Viṣṇu:

lalāṭe keśavaṁ dhyāyen nārāyaṇam athodare

vakṣaḥ-sthale mādhavaṁ tu govindaṁ kaṇṭha-kūpake

viṣṇuṁ ca dakṣiṇe kukṣau bāhau ca madhusūdanam

trivikramaṁ kandhare tu vāmanaṁ vāma-pārśvake

śrīdharaṁ vāma-bāhau tu hṛṣīkeśaṁ tu kandhare

pṛṣṭhe ca padmanābhaṁ ca kaṭyāṁ dāmodaraṁ nyaset

"When one marks the forehead with tilaka, he must remember Keśava. When one marks the lower abdomen, he must remember Nārāyaṇa. For the chest, one should remember Mādhava, and when marking the hollow of the neck one should remember Govinda. Lord Viṣṇu should be remembered while marking the right side of the belly, and Madhusūdana should be remembered when marking the right arm. Trivikrama should be remembered when marking the right shoulder, and Vāmana should be remembered when marking the left side of the belly. Śrīdhara should be remembered while marking the left arm, and Hṛṣīkeśa should be remembered when marking the left shoulder. Padmanābha and Dāmodara should be remembered when marking the back."