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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 27: Verses 16-24
(Worship in the form of) bathing and (decoration with) ornaments is highly desirable only in an image, 0 Uddhava; in a raised ground (of course) the (conceptual) installation of the various deities (viz., the principal Deity and His entourage) in their respective place (with the uttering of formulas sacred to each); in a sacred fire, (the offering of) oblations soaked in ghee; in the sun, respect shown (to the sun-god in the form of offering Arghya and waiting upon Him with prayers) and in water, worship through (gratification by offering) water etc., is considered most desirable. Even water offered with reverence by a devotee is most pleasing to Me; how much more, then, are sandal-paste, incense, flowers, light and food etc., dear to Me ? On the other hand, anything offered by one who is not a devotee does not contribute to My pleasure even if it is abundant. Having got together (all) requisites (articles of worship etc.), and prepared a seat with blades of Darbha grass pointing to the east, and sitting (on it) with his face turned towards the east or the north or in front of the image (to be worshipped) in the event of the latter being immovable, and himself pure, the votary should commence worshipping (Me). Having consecrated himself (by assigning the various syllables of the Mantra to be used in the worship to the different parts of his hand as well as to the limbs of his body), he should gently rub the image (with a view to wiping of the coat of sandle-paste etc., on it) when it has been similarly consecrated and (then) duly adorn (with sandal-paste and flowers etc.), the pitcher (full of water to be used for worship from the.beginning to the end) and the vessel containing water for sprinkling (and thereby consecrating) the utensils and articles of worship etc., with Consecrating with that water the temple, the articles of worship as well as himself, the votary should get ready three vessels (filling them with water taken from the pitcher, and providing them) with (necessary) accessories* (for offering Padya, Arghya and Acamaniya, i. e., water for washing the feet and hands and rinsing the mouth of the Deity respectively). The worshipper should (then) consecrate the said three vessels (containing water) for washing the feet and hands and rinsing the mouth of the deity by breathing into them the sacred formulas connected with the heart, the head and the tuft of hair on the crown (viz., ' m',
[1] respectively and lastly the Gayatri-Mantra (into all). (Then) within his (own) body conceived as dried up by the gastric wind and (then) consumed by the fire at the navel and (ultimately revived by nectar flowing from the moon located in the forehead and thus) thoroughly sublimated, he should meditate on My supreme and subtle form (the form of Lord Narayana), of which the Jiva is but a particle, installed on the lotus of the heart and contemplated by accomplished souls at the end of Nada (the fifth part of the sound of Pranava consisting of or the nasal sound and or the echo). On his body being permeated (as a house by the light emanating from a lamp) by that subtle form contemplated as his own being, he should (first) worship Me in that form(with conceptual articles) and, full of that presence, should (then) invoke My presence in the image etc., and, having installed Me there and assigned the syllables of the Mantra to the (various) limbs of the image, proceed with My worship.
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