kara-nyāsam - the ritual known as kara-nyāsa, which assigns the syllables of the mantra to the fingers; tataḥ - thereafter; kuryāt - should execute; dvādaśa-akṣara - composed of twelve syllables; vidyayā - with the mantra; praṇava-ādi - beginning with the oṁkāra; ya-kāra-antam - ending with the syllable ya; aṅguli - on the fingers, beginning with the index finger; aṅguṣṭha-parvasu - to the joints of the thumbs.

Then one should chant the mantra composed of twelve syllables [oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya]. Preceding each syllable by the oṁkāra, one should place the syllables of the mantra on the tips of his fingers, beginning with the index finger of the right hand and concluding with the index finger of the left. The four remaining syllables should be placed on the joints of the thumbs.