Kailāsa-saṃhitā

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Obeisance to Śiva accompanied by Ambā, his sons and the Gaṇas, obeisance to the lord of Pradhāna and Puruṣa, obeisance to him who is the cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution. 2. The beautiful Umāsaṃhitā full of various anecdotes we have heard. Now narrate the Kailāsasaṃhitā that propagates Śiva’s tenets. 3. O dear, now listen with pleasure. Out of affection for you I shall narrate the divine Saṃhitā Kailāsa expounding Śiva’s tenets. 4. Formerly the sages of great power and splendour performing penances on the summit of Himavat desired to go to Vārāṇasī and decided accordingly. 5. They started from the mountain and reached Kāśī. They decided to bathe there and saw Maṇikarṇikā. 6-8. The lordly sages bathed there and performed the Tarpaṇa rites to the gods and others and to Gaṅgā. They visited Viśveśa the lord of the gods, bowed and worshipped him with devotion The sages, the masters of the Vedas eulogised him with Śatarudra and other mantras and thought “O, we are blessed. We are content.” Due to Śiva’s pleasure they realised everything. They remained ever engaged in devotion to Śiva. 9. In the meantime Sūta who had left his hermitage to visit Pañcakrośa reached there. On seeing him the joyous sages paid obeisance to him. 10. After bowing to Viśveśvara, the lord of gods, the consort of Umā, Sūta entered the Muktimaṇḍapa along with them. 11. When Sūta the great soul, the excellent of the Paurāṇikas took his seat, the sages paid respects to him with Arghya and other ingredients of worship. 12. The delighted Sūta saw the sages of auspicious rites and enquired after their health and welfare. They replied suitably. 13. On seeing him pleased at heart the sages spoke in relevance to the context, in order to know the meaning of Praṇava. 14. O blessed disciple of Vyāsa, O Sūta the best among the Paurāṇikas, you are a great devotee of Śiva, the ocean of perfect knowledge. 15. Lord Vyāsa, the preceptor of the universe has crowned you as the chief of the Paurāṇikas and made you the propounder of the Purāṇas. 16. The Purāṇic lore is firmly set in your heart. Indeed the Purāṇas explain the meaning of the Vedas. 17. Vedas arise from the Praṇava. The Praṇava is lord Śiva. Hence you are the permanent abode of lord Śiva’s stay. 18. We shall be free from illness after we have drunk the nectar of Praṇava which is as sweet and pleasing as the honey oozing out of your lotus-mouth. 19. O intelligent one, you alone are our preceptor, none else. Out of compassion please narrate the nature of lord Śiva. 20-21. On hearing their words, the intelligent Sūta, the beloved disciple of Vyāsa, made obeisance to Gaṇeśa, six-faced Kārttika, Maheśvarī, lord Nandīśa –son of Śilāda and husband of Suyaśā, Sanatkumāra and Vyāsa and said. 22. Well done, well done, O blessed sages, your sins have been quelled. Your minds are steadied. It is rare in persons of evil deeds. 23-24. O leading sages, I shall narrate to you what was mentioned by my preceptor Vyāsa to the sages in the Naimiṣa forest. On hearing this alone men are blessed with devotion to Śiva. You shall listen with attention and joy. 25-27. Formerly in the Svārociṣa Manvantara, sages of steady rites performed penance in the Naimiṣa forest where all the Siddhas live. They conducted a sacrifice of long duration, propitiated Rudra the leader of sacrifices. They desired to know the supreme nature of the lord. They waited for Vyāsa. They were engaged in devotion to Śiva and wore Rudrākṣa after smearing their bodies with the ashes. 28. Observing their eagerness, lord Bādarāyaṇa, the soul of all, the fruit of the penance of Parāśara appeared before them. 29. On seeing him the sages were delighted with beaming eyes and faces. They stood up and welcomed him with reverence. 30. With due hospitality they offered him a golden scat. Seated cosily on the golden seat the sage Vyāsa spoke majestically. 31. Hope you are quite well. Please say. Has the leader of the sacrifices been worshipped well by you in this sacrifice? 32. Why lord Śiva accompanied by Ambā, the lord who releases from worldly bondage has been worshipped with due devotion by you all in this sacrifice. 33. Your activity seems to me to be the outcome of your desire to hear more of the great nature of lord Śiva, the cause of salvation. 34-35. Thus urged by the sage Vyāsa of great brilliance the great sages of the Naimiṣa forest bowed to him, the noble soul whose mind was delighted by his devotion to Śiva. 36-37. O holy lord, O leading sage, born of Nārāyaṇa ’s part, O storehouse of mercy, O intelligent one, O holy lord of all lores, you are the storehouse of the favours of Mahādeva, lord of the universe, accompanied by Ambā and the Gaṇas. 38. Our minds have been yearning for the sight of your lotus feet even as the bees yearn for the touch of lotus flowers. We are now satisfied by the vision of your lotus feet. 39. Inaccessible indeed is the sight of your lotus feet to the sinners. Since now we have obtained it we are really fortunate. 40-42. O blessed one, we are performing this long sacrifice in this Naimiṣāraṇya. We wanted to know the meaning of the Praṇava. We are discussing the greatness of lord Śiva and wish to hear all about him. But we cannot understand the same. Now it behoves you to clear off our doubts. O holy lord, we are only small-minded. 43-44. There is none else in the three worlds to clear our doubts. We are immersed in the ocean of delusion, vast and shoreless. O storehouse of mercy, take us across this ocean in the raft of Śiva’s knowledge. We are truly eager to know the principle of Śiva’s devotion. 45-46. Requested by the sages, the master of the Vedas, the great sage, father of Śuka, chief of the Vedic scholars, meditated within the pericarp of his heart, on lord Śiva who releases from worldly existence and who is Praṇava, the essential substance of Vedanta. Being delighted in his mind, the great sage spoke.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-3. O blessed brahmins, the question has been well put by you. The knowledge of Śiva ’s principle that illuminates the meaning of Praṇava ’s incomprehensible. It can be obtained surely by those with whom the trident-bearing lord is pleased and not by others who are undoubtedly devoid of Śiva’s devotion. This is true. 4. Lord Śiva, consort of Ambā, has been adored by you by long sacrifices. This I see actually. 5. O devotees, I shall narrate to you an ancient story containing a wonderful dialogue between Umā and Śiva. 6-8. Formerly Satī, daughter of Dakṣa, the mother of the universe abandoned her body in the sacrifice of her father in view of the insult offered to Śiva. As a result of the penance the goddess became the daughter of the Himavat. On the advice of Nārada she performed a penance for Śiva on that mountain. When lord Śiva married her with Svayaṃvara rites Pārvatī attained happiness. 9. Once she was cosily seated with lord Śiva on that great mountain. She spoke to the lord. 10-11. O omniscient lord who hath ordained to himself the five-fold duties, O lord easily accessible through devotion, O lord of nectarine body, I was the daughter of Dakṣa in my former birth. I abandoned my body because of the insult offered to you. I have now become the daughter of the mountain Himavat. 12. O lord, please make me merged in the principle of pure Ātman by duly initiating me in the Mantras. 13. Thus requested by the goddess the moon-crested lord replied to the goddess with a delighted mind. 14. If your mind is thus diverted, O goddess, you are blessed indeed. I shall initiate you so after going to the summit of Kailāsa. 15. Then after leaving Himavat and reaching Kailāsa, the lord of mountains, Śiva, recited mantras Praṇava and others in the proper order after duly initiating her. 16. Then making the goddess merged in the pure Ātman, lord Śiva went to his garden accompanied by the goddess. 17-18. Śiva bedecked the goddess with the fullblown kalpa tree flowers brought by the dearest friends of the goddess the chief of whom was Sumālinī. He made her sit on his lap. Looking at her face he sat there with his face beaming with delight. 19. Then ensued the delightful discourse conformable to the Vedas between Pārvatī and lord Śiva. It was meant for the welfare of the world. 20. O ascetics, then the mother of the universe seated on the lap of her husband looked at the lord’s face and said. 21. O lord, you have discoursed on the Mantras including the Praṇava. There at the outset I wish to know the meaning of the Praṇava. 22. How did Praṇava originate? How is Praṇava mentioned? How many Mātrās have been mentioned? How is it that it is called the initial mantra of the Vedas? 23. How many deities are mentioned? What is the concept of the Vedas thereto? What types of rites are mentioned? What is their cause and what is their result? 24. How do the five Brahmans stay in this mantra in their proper order? How many Kalās are enumerated? How is it the Ātman of the universe? 25. O Śiva, what is the link between the syllables and their meaning? What are the places of their articulation? Who is authorised in this? What is the theme? 26. What is the link between the knower and the known and what is the purpose? What shall be the nature of the practising devotee? What shall be the place for the practice of meditation? 27. Of what form is the object of devotion? What is the benefit derived from this? What is the procedure? What is the place of worship? 28. What is the mystic diagram of the worship? O Śiva, what are the sages and the rules regarding Nyāsa, Japa etc. What is the order of procedure in this worship? 29. O lord Śiva, please mention these all particularly, if you have mercy on me. I wish to hear everything factually. 30. Thus implored, the moon-crested lord praised the goddess and began to explain.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. O goddess, listen. I shall explain what you have asked for. Merely by hearing this the individual soul becomes Śiva himself. 2. To understand the meaning of Praṇava is to understand me. Praṇava is the seed of all the lores. 3. It shall be understood as very subtle but possessed of great meaning even as the seed of the Banyan tree though very small contains a huge tree. It is the initial mantra and the essence of the Vedas. Particularly it has me for its form. 4. I am the lord far beyond the attributes, the omniscient and the omnipotent. I am Śiva pervading all but stationed in the single-syllabled mantra Om. 5. They say that whatever object there is whether???esised into one or analysed in pieces is the meaning of Praṇava, thanks to the combination and importance of the attributes. 6. It is the imperishable Brahman, the means of attaining all objects. Śiva creates universe at the outset saying “Om”. 7. Since there is not much difference between the sense and the sound Om, this is explained thus. Śiva is Praṇava or Praṇava is Śiva. 8. The brahminical sages, the scholars who realize the identity between the sense and the sound know me as the single-syllabled Om. 9. Hence he who aspires for salvation and is free from aberration shall understand Praṇava as the cause of all and me as the Nirguṇa Parameśvara. 10. O goddess, I shall give this crest-jewel of mantras at Kāśī for the liberation of all Individual souls. 11. O Ambā, there at the outset I shall explain Praṇavoddhāra, the knowledge of which imparls the greatest achievement. 12. Firstly the devotee shall extricate Nivṛtti, then the the fuel, time, s iff, and the lord. 13. Thus the Praṇava of five syllables is explained by extricating the three Mātrās, Bindu and Nāda. It yields liberation to those who perform the Japa in this manner. 14. Praṇava is the vital breath of all living beings from Brahmā to immobile beings. Being the Prāṇa thus, it is called Praṇava. 15. It consists of A, U and M in the middle, Bindu and Nāda at the end. That is Om. 16. O excellent sage, the first letter (A) is like water in the south, the second letter (U) is in the north; the letter M is like fire in the middle, before Nāda and Bindu. 17. The three Mātrās are thus mentioned in order: A. U. M. Half a mātrā is beyond it. 18. O goddess, this half mātrā is in the form of Bindu and Nāda. This cannot be described directly. It is known only by the wise. 19. O beloved, the Vedic texts beginning with “ Īśānaḥ Sarvavidyānām” issue from me. The Vedas indeed speak the truth. 20. I am the source of the Vedas. Praṇava expresses me. Since it expresses me the Praṇava too is mentioned as Vedādi. 21. ‘A’ is the great Bīja, Rajas, the four-faced creator. ‘U’ is the Prakṛti, source, Sattva, the protector Viṣṇu. 22. ‘M’ is the Puruṣa, the Bījin, Tamas, the annihilator Śiva. Bindu is Maheśvara the lord, the disappearance. 23. Nāda is Sadāśiva the bestower of blessings on all. On the top of Nāda there is Śiva who is greater than the greatest. 24. He is omniscient, the creator, the lord, free from dirt, the imperishable, the inexpressible, the great Brahman, beyond the existent and the nonexistent. 25. In the letters ‘A’ etc. the later one is pervasive of the earlier. The earlier one is the pervaded. 26. The five Brahmans beginning with Sadya and ending with Īśāna are stationed in the five letters ‘A’ etc. They are my very forms in order. 27. O Śivā, in the syllable ‘A’ eight Kalās of the form of Sadya exist. “In ‘U’ thirteen Kalās of the form of Vāma exist. 28. The eight Kalās of the form of Aghora are stationed in ‘M’. In Bindu four Kalās of the form of Puruṣa exist. 29. In Nāda five Kalās born of Īśāna arc present. Thus their state of being the soul of the universe is due to the recognition of their sixfold identity. 30. The sixfold objects constitute Mantra, Yantra, deity, universe, the preceptor and the disciple. O beloved, listen to the moaning of these objects. 31. The mantra previously mentioned is a composite of five letters. The same attains the form of a Yantra. I shall mention the details of its mystic diagram. 32. Yantra is in the form of the deity; the deity is in the form of the universe; the preceptor too is in the form of the universe and the disciple is of the body of the preceptor. 33. Om is everything, everything is Brahman. (Om Itīdam Sarvam Iti Sarvam Brahma ) This Vedic Text establishes the link between the word and its meaning. 34-35. The places of articulation, O goddess are: Ādhāra (support) Maṇipūra (jewel-refill), Hṛdaya (heart), Viśuddhi (purity), Ājñā (order), Śakti (power), Śānti. Beyond Śānti is the lord who is greater than the greatest. The authorised person is he whose non-attachment is firm and stable. 36-37. O goddess, I shall be the theme, thanks to the concept of the identity of the individual and the universal soul. The subject has been clearly mentioned. O goddess, now listen. The link of the Jīva and the Ātman with me and the Praṇava is as between the word and its sense. 38-42. A brahmin with the following characteristics shall approach the preceptor with the requisite qualifications. He shall be regularly engaged in holy rites, be calm, perform penance, shall have self-control, be a brahmin well-versed in the Vedas and endowed with cleanliness and good conduct, unattached to the pleasures of this world and of the next and of the worlds of the gods. He shall perform the holy rites of Śiva. The preceptor shall be one who has understood the tenets and the meanings of sacred texts; who has mastered Vedānta; who is an ascetic and the most excellent of intelligent men. After approaching him the intelligent brahmin shall prostrate before him and propitiate him by reverential deeds. That disciple is the most excellent who possesses good behaviour and the qualities of peaceful calmness. The disciple shall realise that preceptor is Śiva and Śiva is the preceptor. Then he shall reveal his thought. 43-52. After being permitted by the preceptor the brahmin devotee shall perform holy rites without taking anything except milk, for twelve days on the sea-shore, or on the banks of a river, or on a mountain or in a temple of Śiva. On the fifth or the eleventh day of the bright half he shall take his bath early in the morning. The intelligent devotee pure in mind shall perform his daily duty. He shall invite the preceptor duly and perform Nāndīśrāddha. He shall get himself shaved of the hair on the head and the moustache and the beards. The hair in the armpit and the private parts must not be shaved. The nails shall be cut. He shall perform his ceremonial ablution with restrained mind. He shall cat only powdered fried grain. In the evening he shall take his bath and perform Sandhyā. In the presence of the preceptor he shall perform the Aupāsana rites in the evening. To Śiva in the form of the preceptor he shall give Dakṣiṇā according to the scriptures. He shall collect articles for Homa. place the holy fires, laukika and others, with the rules[?] of his Gṛhya Sūtra. A brahmin who consecrates the sacred fire shall perform this Aupāsana in the sacrificial fire consecrated by the Prājāpatya sacrifice, reciting mantras from the Vedas and offering due Dakṣiṇās. Then the brahmin shall superimpose the fire[?] in the Ātman and formally renounce the world. The food-offering shall be cooked with the fire-wood and cooked rice and ghee. He shall perform the sacrifice repeating the Puruṣa Sūkta. The ghee shall be offered at the end of every stanza. The Sauviṣṭakṛti shall be performed in accordance with the rules of his own Sūtra. After the sacrifice he shall perform Tāntric activities. The learned devotee shall sit on a doth, deer-skin or Kuśa grass to the north of the fire. He shall repeat the Gāyatrī mantra silently till the Brāhma Muhūrta, and stabilise his mind firmly. 53. Then he shall take bath and cook the Caru. He shall perform the sacrifice beginning with Puruṣa and ending with the Virāja sūktas. 54. The procedure may follow the opinion of Vāmadeva or of Sanaka and others. But the important one is that of Vāmadeva because he was a liberated soul even while he was in the womb. 55. After performing the remaining rites of the sacrifice he shall perform the Aupāsana rites of the morning. Then he shall superimpose Agni in the Ātman and perform the morning prayers. 56. When the sun has arisen he shall recite Sāvitrī. He shall eschew the three Eṣaṇās and repeat the Preṣa mantras. 57. He shall abandon the tuft, the sacred thread and the girdle too. He shall start to the east or to the north. 58. He shall lake with him a staff and a loin-cloth and such other things as are necessary for life. If he is totally detached he need not take these things too. 59. He shall approach the preceptor and prostrate before him thrice. Standing up he shall sit at the feet of the preceptor. 60-61. The teacher shall take the white ashes from the Virāja fire and smear it over the body of the disciple. Repeating the mantra “Agniriti” etc. he shall make the three marks Tripuṇḍra on his forehead. He shall think of me stationed in the lotus of the heart along with you. 62-61. Then the teacher shall place his hand on the head of the disciple. With a delighted mind, the preceptor shall utter the Praṇava mantra thrice in the right ear of the disciple mentioning the sage etc. Then he shall tell him the sixfold meaning. 64. The disciple shall bow prostrate before the precr-tor on the ground twelve times. He shall remain subservient to him and practise the study of the Vedānta strenuously. 65. He shall ponder and meditate in the pure Ātman without aberrations, upon me the great Ātman, the Sākṣin of Brahman, the unchanging. 66. Here the person authorised is the ascetic engaged in the pious activities of self-restraint, the master of Vedāntic knowledge and free from rivalry. 67. The lotus of the heart is free from dust, devoid of sorrow, clear and great. It has eight petals with filaments and it shines above the pericarp. 68. After thinking about the region from the Ādhāra-Śakti to the three Tattvas the Dahara Vyoman (the ether-heart) shall be imagined and conceived in the middle. 69. Repeating the single-syllabled Brahman Om, he shall with alert mind think of me along with you in the middle. 70. O beloved, he who performs the rite of this type attains my world. After securing the knowledge of my principles he will attain Sāyujya salvation as the fruit.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. O goddess, after this I shall mention the daily routine during the Sannyāsa according to the convention. It is out of my affection for you that I am narrating the same. 2. The ascetic shall get up in the Brāhma Muhūrta and think about the preceptor Śiva seated in the thousand-petalled lotus on the head. 3. The preceptor resembling pure crystal, with two eyes and holding the mystic gestures of boon and protection in the hand is conceived as Śiva of beautiful form in the soul. 4. He shall bow to the preceptor with palms joined in reverence and worship him with scents, fragrant flowers etc. created by his imagination. 5. He shall pray thus—“O lord, let whatever I do from morning till sunset and from sunset till daybreak be your worship.” 6. After intimating to the preceptor thus and securing the permission he shall retain the breath and sit down, with his mind and the sense-organs under full control. 7-8. He shall then meditate on the six-fold wheel from the root to the Brahma Randhra. In the middle he shall think of me, the Nirguṇa Sadāśiva, free from ailment, the great Brahman, with the lustre of crores of lightning, identical with splendour, with the body of existence, knowledge and bliss. 9. He shall realize identity with me in the form “I am he”. The intelligent ascetic then shall go out far according to convenience. 10. The intelligent devotee shall cover the head along with the nose with a piece of cloth. He shall spread some grass on the ground and evacuate his bowels there duly. 11. He shall stand up holding the penis and go to the water-pond. He shall take out water and use it for cleansing carefully. 12-13. He shall wash hands, feet and perform Ācamana twice remembering Om. He shall face the north and clean his teeth always with leaves or grass except on the eleventh and the New-moon day. He shall rinse the mouth by gargling twelve times. 14. After performing Ācamana twice he shall clean the hips with water and clay. At the time of dawn he shall take his bath using clay. 15. The bath and the Sandhyā prayers shall be performed with thoughts on the preceptor and me. The procedure of bath is not detailed here for fear of prolixity. That shall be seen elsewhere. 16. Joining the palms so as to from the Śaṅkhamudrā water shall be poured over the head repeating the Praṇava, twelve times, six times or three times. 17. He shall go to the bank and wash the loin-cloth. He shall perform the Ācamana twice. Repeating the Praṇava he shall sprinkle water over the towel and wipe off the body. 18. He shall wipe off his face first and then the head and other parts of the body standing by the side of the preceptor. 19. A pure loin-cloth shall be tied with its string with the knot on the left side. Then he shall smear his body with the ashes. O daughter of the mountain, now I tell you the procedure thereof. 20. After performing the Ācamana twice he shall take the ashes repeating the Sadyādi mantra. Then repeating the mantras “Agniriti” he shall touch the body. 21-22. Repeating the mantra “Āpo vai ”— he shall mix the ashes with water. He shall make two balls of the pasted ashes with the mantras “Om Āpo Jyotī” and “Mā Nastok[?]” —He shall divide one of the balls into five, O goddess, and apply each respectively to the head, face, chest, private parts and the feet. 23-25. He shall repeat the mantra beginning with “ Īśāna ”— and ending with “ Sadya.” After applying the ashes he shall repeat Om touching all the parts of the body. He shall wash his hands, feet and take the other ball. Adoring as before he shall apply three parallel lines on the forehead repeating the mantra ‘Tryāyuṣa’ and the ‘ Tryambaka ’. He shall apply the same on the chest with the Praṇava and on the shoulders with “Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya.” 26. Uttering Pañcīkaraṇa mantra, the scholarly ascetic shall think of his preceptor. In the manner as explained hereafter he shall perform six Prāṇāyāmas. 27-28. Touching the navel, the joints of the arms and the back in order he shall wash both the hands duly and perform Ācamana twice. He shall take some water in the right hand and cover it with the left hand. Praṇava is then repeated twelve times. 29-31. Sprinkling this water thrice on the head he shall drink water thrice meditating on Oṅkāra —Śiva with pure mind—Śiva who is stationed in the middle of the solar disc, the god consisting of all splendour, possessing eight arms, four faces, the wonderful form half-female, endowed with wonderful qualities and bedecked in ornaments. After meditating thus duly he shall offer three Arghyas. 32. After performing the Japa of Gāyatrī hundred and eight times, he shall offer Tarpaṇa twelve times. After performing the Ācamana he shall perform Prāṇāyāma thrice. 33. Then he shall go to the hall of worship thinking on Śiva. After reaching the door he shall wash his feet silently and perform Ācamana twice. 34. He shall enter it duly placing the right foot at first. Inside the Maṇḍapa there, he, the intelligent ascetic, shall draw the mystic diagram in due order.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. The ground shall be tested duly on the basis of smell, colour and taste. In a spot pleasing to the mind the space above shall be covered with a canopy, the ground below shall be scrubbed and cleaned so much as to appear like the surface of a mirror. A square of sides two Aratnis each shall be drawn. 3. Make small squares within the width of a palm-leaf each. Thus there shall be thirteen equal squares in each column. 4-6. The ascetic shall put the piece of palm leaf inside the square and sit facing the west. Towards the east a strong coloured thread shall be fixed. Threads shall be put in all the four directions. Thus there will be one hundred and sixty-nine squares. The middle square is the pericarp. The squares adjoining it around in the outside, eight in number, are called eight petals. 7-8. All the petals shall be made white completely. The pericarp shall be made yellow in colour and a red circle shall be drawn within. O goddess, beginning with the petal of Indra to the right hand side the bordering lines shall be coloured alternatively black and red. 9-10. The Yantra illuminating the meaning of the Praṇava shall be written inside the pericarp. The pedestal shall be drawn beneath. Śrīkaṇṭha shall be drawn above it. Amareśa shall be drawn above it and Mahākāla in the middle. On the top of it the staff and beyond that Īśvara shall be drawn. 11. The Pīṭha shall be coloured blue. Śrīkaṇṭha in yellow, Amareśa in red, and Mahākāla in black. 12. The scholarly ascetic shall make the staff smoky coloured and Īśvara white in colour. After drawing the Yantra the red one (Amareśa) shall be encompassed by Sadya. 13. O goddess, only through the Nāda Īśāna shall be known. The rows of its residence shall be taken in order from the south-east one. 14-15. The four squares at the four corners, O beautiful lady, shall be painted white. The first four letters “a”, “ā”, “i” and “ī” shall be written with red minerals and these four are conceived as doors. The two squares adjacent to each of these four shall be painted yellow. 16. In the yellow square in between the south-east squares a lotus of eight petals shall be drawn red in colour with yellow pericarp. 17-19. With purity of mind he shall draw the letter “ha” in the middle along with the Bindu. In the south-west square of this lotus he shall draw another red lotus with yellow filaments and pericarp. The third letter of the class of “śa” along with the sixth vowel and the fourteenth vowel decorated with Bindu and Nāda is, O gentle lady, the excellent Bīja which shall be written in the middle of the lotus. 20-22. In the north-cast square of the lotus another lotus shall be drawn with the third letter of the class of “ka” along with the fifth vowel. In its middle Bindu and Kaṇṭha shall be decoratively written. In the three columns outside it, beginning with the eastern one five squares shall be taken, O Śivā, daughter of the lord of mountains. The pericarp shall be taken in the middle painted yellow with a red circle. [? note for one of verses 7-22 ?]: The mystical syllables as mentioned in the verses indicate the following incantations bhū (bhūryāya namaḥ ), guṃ (gurave namaḥ). 23. The most excellent of the knowers of the rules shall make the leaves red in colour. Outside the leaves the cavities shall be filled with black colour. 24. The south-east square and others, four in number, shall be filled with white paint. With six Bindus a six-sided figure shall be drawn in black in the east. 25. To the south it shall be painted red. In the north a triangle is painted in white. In the west a crescent moon is painted in yellow. 26-27. The four Bījas shall be written in the squares in order. The Bindu shall be drawn in the cast in white. In the south is painted in black the letter “u”; in the north, letter “ma” is painted in red; in the west letter “a” is painted yellow; thus the four letters are written. 28-29. In the second row from the top O beautiful lady, one shall begin. The first four squares are respectively painted yellow, white, red and black. Below that the four are painted white, blue, yellow and red respectively. O good-faced lady, below that in the triangle it shall be painted red white and yellow. 30. O goddess, from the south to the north the same procedure shall be adopted. In its external row it shall be painted from the east to the middle. 31-36. The colours are yellow, red, black, blue, white and yellow. O beloved, from the south-east onwards colours are red, blue, white, red, black and red. Thus the colours of the six squares are mentioned: from the south to the cast; from the south-west to the south-east; from the west to the south; from the north-west to the south-west; from the north to the west; from the north-east, to the north-west. O goddess, thus the procedure of the diagram has been mentioned to you. Having drawn the diagram thus the ascetic with restrained mind shall worship the sun with devotion. Article published on 05 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-4. The ascetic shall spread a beautiful tiger’s hide to the south of the diagram and sprinkle pure water over it repeating the Astra mantra. After uttering the Praṇava at the outset he shall utter the Ādhāra and the Śaktikamala. He shall sit on the tiger’s hide repeating the mantra with the dative case ending with Namaḥ. He shall face the north. After performing the Prāṇāyāma duly preceded by the utterance of the Praṇava he shall smear the body with the ashes with the mantras “Agniriti” After bowing to lord Śiva he shall arrange the diagram again. 5-7. Outside he shall adore in order the diagrams of triangle circle and square repeating Om. He shall fill the conch with fragrant pure water repeating the Praṇava. He shall place the conch on the diagrams and worship it with scents, flowers etc. repeating the Praṇava seven times. After repeating the mantra he shall show the Dhenumudrā and Śaṅkhamudrā. He shall sprinkle it with the Astra mantra. 8. He shall sprinkle himself and the scents, flowers and other materials of worship. After performing Prāṇāyāma thrice he shall utter the names of the sages etc. 9-10. Of this mantra of the glorious sun the sage is Devabhāga, the metre is Gāyatrī, the deity is the sun. The six-organed Nyāsa shall be made with “hrām” etc. Then he sprinkles the Padma not within the purview of Agni. 11-14. The learned ascetic shall worship in it Prabhūtā, Vimalā, Sārā from the former to the latter in order. Then he shall worship Kālāgnirudra, Ādhāra, Śakti, Ananta, Pṛthivī, Ratnadvīpa, imaginary trees and garden a house of jewels and the gemset scat at the feet; beginning with the east the gods of virtue, knowledge, detachment and supremacy shall be worshipped. He shall also worship the gods of evil etc. in the corner quarters such as south-east and others. 15-20. He shall worship the lower lid of Māyā and and the upper lid of Vidyā. Thereafter Sattva, Rajas and Tamas shall be worshipped in order. In the quarters beginning with the east and in the middle he shall worship the following:— Dīptā, Sūkṣmā, Jayā, Bhadrā, Vibhūti, Vimalā, Amoghā, Vaidyutā, Sarvatomukhasaṃjñā, Kandanāla, Suṣira, then Tantukaṇṭakas, then the root lid, filament, (light) and Sakalātman, the five-knotted pericarp and the petals, then the filaments, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra and Ātman. After worshipping the inner Ātman in the great Ātman of knowledge he shall worship the Yogapīṭha called the Saura. The knower of the root shall conceive the idol as stationed on the pedestal. 21-24. The ascetic sits checking the vital breath with the root from the root. With the power of its splendour he raises the Śakti through the path of the Piṅgalā nerve of the sun stationed in the circle. He causes it to come out with the handful of flowers. Of Śiva whose body is as red as the vermillion, who has his wife as his left half, who is wearing Rudrākṣa garland and holding a noose, a club called Khaṭvāṅga, a skull, a goad, a lotus a conch and a discus; who has four faces, twelve eyes and a spear within the lotus of his heart, he utters the Praṇava first and then Hrām, Hrīm and Saḥ. 25-27. Thereafter he invokes the sun along with the light and power saying “I invoke obeisance”. He shows the mystic signs of Sthāpanā etc. After performing the Nyāsa of the limbs with the mantra Hrām, Hrīm, Hrum and conceiving the five services O great goddess, he shall worship thrice the six organs in the filaments of the lotus. 28-30. In the second covering the four deities shall be worshipped in the south-east, north-east south-west and the north-west. O Pārvatī, from east to north at the roots of the petals Āditya, Bhāskara, Bhānu and Ravi shall be worshipped in order. O beloved, in the third covering, Arka, Brahmā, Rudra and Viṣṇu shall be worshipped in the north-east and other quarters. 31. In the middle of the leaves from the east onwards he shall worship the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Rāhu. 32. Or he shall worship the twelve Ādityas in the second covering and worship the twelve signs of zodiac in the third covering. 33-34. He shall worship the seven oceans and seven Gaṅgās on its outer side and then the Sages, Gods, Gandharvas, Serpents, Celestial damsels, the village chiefs, the Yakṣas, Yātudhānas, the seven horses in the form of the Vedas and the Bālakhilyas. 35-37. After worshipping the sun of three coverings and then arranging the square diagram with pious attention he shall place a copper vessel that can hold a prastha of water on its stand. He shall fill it with pure water rendered fragrant with flowers. He shall worship it with scents, flowers and kneel on the ground. The arghya vessel shall be lifted upto the middle of the eyebrows. 38. He shall recite the hymn to the sun-god yielding all accomplishments. O goddess, it yields worldly pleasures and salvation always. 39-40. Obeisance to you of the colour of vermillion, of good disc wearing diamond for the ornament, having eyes resembling lotus, of good lotus and cause of Brahmā, Indra and Viṣṇu. O lord, be pleased to accept this holy arghya offered by me along with the red powder, coloured[?] water, garland, vermilion, kuśa grass, flowers and a golden pot. 41. He shall recite this and offer the arghya to the sun-god and perform obeisance. He shall recite the following piously. 42. “Obeisance to Śiva accompanied by Pārvatī and the Gaṇas. Obeisance to you the primordial cause, of the form of Trinity, Rudra, Viṣṇu and Brahmā”. 43-44. After saying this and bowing he shall seat himself. He shall mention the names of the sages etc. again and wash his hands with water. He shall apply the ashes again as mentioned before. He shall then perforin Nyāsas expressive of his devotion to Śiva. 43. After worshipping lord Śiva with bent head and fivefold services he shall bow to the Praṇava in the dative case ending with Namaḥ. 46-47. He shall meditate upon the Praṇava consisting of five letters including the Bindu and fifth vowel “u” without the fifth vowel and with the Bindu. After uttering this with Bindu he shall utter the composite unit. 48. With these Bījas duly uttered the scholarly ascetic shall bow to the preceptor and the lord of Gaṇas stationed on the arms and thighs. 49. He shall bow to Durgā and Kṣetrapāla also, with palms joined in reverence. He shall repeat “Om Astrāya Phat” six times and wipe oíí his hands. 50-51. He shall recite the mantra “Apasa?pantu” and repeat “Astrāya Phaṭ”. Clapping the palms thrice and kicking thrice he shall remove the obstacles; he shall gaze at the heaven-dwellers, the skyfarers. 52. He shall restrain the vital breath and remember the Haṃsa mantra. Through the Brahma Nāḍī he shall then bring about the living consciousness in the heart. 53. He shall meditate on the supreme god of the form of cit in the middle of lunar sphere of cit within the great lotus of thousand petals, full-blown and stationed in the twelve (?) 54. For sixteen, sixty-four and thirty-two seconds he shall perform Pūraka, Kumbhaka and Recaka through Śoṣa Dāha and Plava. 55-58. After retaining the breath as mentioned in his particular Veda through wind, íìre, water etc. he shall bring the nerve which is at the Mūla to the cerebral aperture. When the body is bathed in the exquisite nectarine current issuing from the lunar sphere of Cit, within the lotus of thousand petals within the twelve, it is purified and thrilled with good emotions. He makes the Ātman descend to the lotus of the heart realising “I am he”. He thrusts the Ātman into the Ātman through the nectarine current. Thus he shall piously stabilise the vital breath duly. 59-60. The Yogin with mental concentration shall ponder over the Mātṛkā. He shall fix the developed Mātṛkā through the Praṇava externally. He shall carry out nourishment etc. with restricted vital breath. Thinking upon Śiva in the mind he shall dedicate himself quietly. 61. O goddess, the sage of Praṇava is Brahmā, the metre is Gāyatrī and the deity is the great Ātman, Sadāśiva that is I myself. 62. The letter “A” is the seed; the letter “U” is Śaktī; the letter “M” is Kīlaka. It is used for the sake of liberation. 63. Beginning with the two thumbs and ending with the palms, the hands are wiped off. O goddess, śaying “Om” he shall begin the Nyāsa of the hands. 64. He shall perform the Nyāsa starting with the thumb of the right hand and ending with the little finger of the left hand. 65. Everywhere “A”, “U”, “M” with the Bindu, and the mantra ending with Namaḥ shall be uttered and the Nyāsa of the hand in the heart etc. be performed. 66. After uttering “A” at the outset the identity of Brahman and Ātman shall be practised. The mantras ending with “De” and “Namaḥ” shall be utilised in the heart. 67. The Nyāsa of “U” along with Viṣṇu is made on the head; that of “M” along with Rudra in the tuft. 68. O Goddess, the sage practising the mantra shall make the Nyāsa of the Kavaca in the eyes and the forehead with an attentive mind. 69-74. The different organs, faces and digits shall be fixed in the five Brahmans. Īśāna ’s five digits shall be fixed in the head, face, heart, private parts and the feet. The four digits of the Puruṣa shall be fixed in the four faces. Aghora ’s eight digits shall be worshipped in the heart, neck, shoulders, navel, belly, back and the chest. Vāmadeva ’s thirteen digits shall be fixed in the anus, penis, thighs, knees, calves, buttocks, waist and the sides. Sadya ’s eight digits shall be fixed in eight eyes. The most excellent of the knowers of kalpa shall fix these digits in the feet, hand, vital breath, head and arms. 75. Thus making the Nyāsa of the thirty-eight Kalās the intelligent knower of Praṇava shall proceed with the Nyāsa of Praṇava. 76-77. After making the Nyāsa in the arms, elbows, wrists, sides, belly, calves, feet and the back, the devotee, an expert in the Nyāsa, shall perform Haṃsanyāsa, O lady enlightener of the great Ātman.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-6. The ascetic devotee shall make the square diagram to his left and worship it with Om. He shall place the conch and the missile, with its stand and worship it with the Praṇava after filling it with the water scented with the sandal paste. He shall worship it with the scents and flowers and repeat Praṇava seven times. He shall show the mystic sign of the cow and the conch making a square diagram in front and a semicircle in the middle, a triangle, hexagon and a circle within each in order. After worshipping the diagram with scents, and flowers, he shall place within it the vessel of Arghya on its stand and worship it with scents, repeating the Praṇava. He shall pour holy water and fill it. 7-11. In the vessel, O good-faced lady, tips of Kuśa grass, raw rice grains, barley, other grains, gingelly seeds, ghee -fried object, flowers and ashes too shall be put. It shall be worshipped with scents, flowers and the “ Sadyojāta mantras ” with their six ancillaries, Praṇava and the Varma mantras. After veiling it with the Astramantra he shall show the mystic sign of the cow for the sake of protection. The water within it shall be used for sprinkling himself and the materials of worship—scents, flowers etc., repeating the Astramantra. After saying “Obeisance to the seat of the preceptor” he shall assign the lotus to the north-east of the diagram as seat repeating the Praṇava. As enjoined the idol of the preceptor too shall be conceived there itself. 12-13. After saying “Oṃ guṃ gurubhyaḥ namaḥ ” he shall invoke the preceptor and meditate on him as seated facing the south, with a delightful face, looking gentle and crystal pure, showing the mystic gestures of boons and protection with his hands in the form and features of Śiva but with two eyes. 14-15. After meditating thus he shall worship Gaṇapati with scents, flowers etc. in the proper order assigning him a scat on the lotus to the south-west of the mystical diagram with the mantra “Gaṇānāntvā” etc. After invoking the lord he shall meditate on him with concentration. 16-18. He shall be conceived as red in complexion with a huge body bedecked in ornaments holding a noose, a goad, boons and teeth, with elephantine face destroying the hindrances and obstacles of his devotees. After meditating thus he shall worship him with scents, flowers and other services. After offering him the Naivedya of plantain fruits, coconuts, mango fruits and sweet balls he shall make obeisance to the god. 19. In the lotus to the north-west of the diagram the devotee shall conceive the form of Skanda and invoke him too. 20-21. Repeating Skandagāyatrī he shall meditate on Kumāra shining as the rising sun, seated on the peacock, with four arms and splendid limbs, bedecked in coronet holding mystic signs of boons and protection, a spear and a cock as well. 22-26. After meditating thus and worshipping with scents and other services, he shall worship Nandin, the chief of the harem in the right wing of the eastern doors, with the lustre of the golden hill bedecked in ornaments with the crescent moon constituting his coronet, of gentle aspect, with three eyes and four arms, holding a trident, a hind, an axe and a golden staff, with his face lustrous as the moon’s disc or as the face of a monkey. To his north he shall worship his wife Suyaśā, the daughter of the Maruts of good rites, engaged in bedecking mother Siva ’s feet duly with scents, flowers and other services. 27. He shall sprinkle the diagram with the water from the conch veiled by the Astramantra. Then the scat, stand etc. shall be conceived in the proper order. 28-30. On the ground beneath he shall conceive the holy Ādhāra Śakti of dark blue complexion. In front of her he shall conceive the serpent-chief with lifted five hoods and coiling shape, licking the sky as it were with hoods. He shall conceive above it the dignified seat with four lion’s feet symbolical of virtue, knowledge, detachment and prosperity. They shall be worshipped beginning with the southeast corner in colours white, yellow, red and dark-blue. 31. Adharma etc. shall be conceived from the east to the north in due order. He shall conceive its body with the lustre of the jewel Lājāvarta. 32. The lower and upper lids, the bulbous root, the stem, the neck, the petals and the pericarp shall be conceived in order and worshipped. 33-35. He shall conceive the eight Siddhis in the petals, the Śaktis in the filaments, the eight Rudras, Vāma and others from the east, all round in order; the Vairāgya in the pericarp and the nine Śaktis in the Bījas, Vāma and others alone beginning with the cast and ending with Manonmanī, the Dharma of Śiva in the bulbous root, the Śaivite knowledge in the stem and the zones of fire, sun and the moon above the pericarp. 36-37. The science of the Ātman, and the trio of principles named Śiva shall be conceived thereafter. Above these seats he shall conceive the scat of the deity shining with the flowers of various colours and brilliance due to the Lore Paravyomāvakāśa. 38-40. From the Ādhāra Śakti to the scat of the sacred lore the devotee shall repeat the mantra, “oṃ śivāya namaḥ”. This is the procedure everywhere. As before, the five Brahmans shall be conceived in the idol in view of the difference due to limbs, faces and digits. The devotee, expert in the mystic signs shall invoke the lord standing with a handful of flowers. 41-45. Uttering the mantra beginning with “I resort to Sadyojāta” and ending with Om repeating the Nāda arising from the Ādhāra and concluding at the Brahmarandhra, along with the twelve knots he shall meditate on the lord in Oṅkāra, pure as crystal, the unsullied, the imperishable, the cause of creation, identical with the worlds, stationed within and without, pervading all, smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest, visible to the devotees without strain, the unchanging incomprehensible to the gods, Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Rudra and others, the essence of the Vedas, declared as invisible, by the learned devoid of beginning, middle and end and the panacea for all worldly ills. 46-47. After meditating on him thus with concentration, the devotee shall perform obeisance after showing different mystic signs and performing the rites of invocation, installation, concentration and observance. He shall meditate on lord Śiva himself, of Sakala and Niṣkala forms. 48-63. He shall conceive the lord as pure as crystal, with cool lustre resembling the circular lightning, of delightful aspect bedecked in matted hair and coronet, clad in the tiger’s hide with his lotus-like smiling face, with his palms, soles and lips having the lustre of the petals of the red lotus, endowed with all characteristics, bedecked in holding ornaments, divine 'weapons, perfumed with divine unguents and scents, with five faces, ten arms, the crescent moon for his crest jewel. His gentle face facing the cast is lustrous as the rising sun. It has three lotus eyes. The infant moon adorns the crest. His right face has the charming lustre resembling the lustre of the blue cloud. It has crooked eyebrows, three circular and red eyes, is terrible by its curved fangs, inaccessible to the eyes and has sprout-like lips throbbing. The northern face has the lustre of the coral, is decorated with blue forelocks, has three eyes of graceful movements and crest decorated with the semicircular moon. The western face has the lustre of the full moon brilliant with the three eyes. It is gentle with the crescent moon and is charming with gentle smile. The fifth face is brilliant like crystal and shines with contours of the moon. It is very gentle and dazzling with the three beaming eyes. His right hands hold trident, axe, thunderbolt, sword and dazzling fire. In the left hands he has the bow, arrow, bell, noose and the goad. He has the Nivṛtti Kalā upto the knees, the Pratiṣṭhā Kalā upto the navel; the Vidyā Kalā upto the neck; the Śāntā Kalā upto the forehead and the Śāntyatīta Kalā beyond that. Thus he has a body of five Kalās. He pervades the five paths. He has Īśana for the crown. He is the primeval lord Puruṣa. He has Aghora for the heart, Vāmadeva for his private parts and Sadyojāta for his form. He has thirty-eight Kalās. He is Īśāna identical with the Mātṛkās and the five Brahmans; he is identical with Oṅkāra, Haṃsanyāsa, the five-syllabled and the six-syllabled mantras, the six mountains and the Jātis. 64-65. After meditating thus, O goddess, he shall meditate on you as Manonmani to my left. Repeating the mantra “Gaurīrmimāya” preceded by the Praṇava he shall invoke you as before and perform the rites ending with prostration. The sage of pious concentrated mind shall meditate on you, O goddess. 66-70. You have the lustre of the blooming lotus, eyes expansive and wide, face lustrous as the full moon, curly dark hair, complexion of the brilliant blue lotus, crest decorated with the semicircular moon, breasts rounded, plump protruding, smooth and stout, slender middle large buttocks and fine yellow garment. You are endowed with ornaments. In your forehead you have a shining Tilaka. Flowers of various colours decorate your braid of hair. Your feature befits your nature. Your face is bent due to bashfulness. You hold splendid golden lotus in your right hand. You are seated on a cosy scat with your left hand placed like a staff. 71. After meditating on me and you like this, O goddess, the ascetic of restrained mind shall perform ablution with the water in the manner of Pranava —prokṣana. 72. He shall offer Pādya repeating mantra “Bhave bhave nātibhave”. He shall offer water for Ācamana by uttering “Vāmāya namaḥ”. 73. He shall offer a fresh piece of cloth saying Jyeṣṭhāya Namaḥ” (obeisance to the eldest). He shall offer the sacred thread saying Śreṣṭhāya Namaḥ (obeisance to the most excellent). 74. He shall offer water for Ācamana once again saying “Rudrāya Namaḥ” (obeisance to Rudra). He shall offer well consecrated scent saying “ Kālāya Namaḥ”. 75. He shall offer raw grains saying “Kalavikaraṇāya Namaḥ”. He shall offer flowers, saying “Balavikaraṇāya Namaḥ” 76. He shall offer incense assiduously saying “Balāya Namaḥ”. He shall oiler good lamp saying “Balapramathanāya Namaḥ.” 77-78. Along with the Vedas including their six ancillaries, Mātṛkā, Praṇava and Śiva joined with Śivā, he shall show mystic signs to me and to you, O good-complexioned lady. First he shall render service to me, then to you. 79-80. When he offers things and performs rites to you he shall use the feminine gender. O Pārvatī, none but this is the difference. After performing meditation and worship duly in accordance with the rules the expert devotee shall begin the Āvaraṇa Pūjā.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. O goddess, there are five Āvaraṇas here. The five Āvaraṇa -worships shall be performed thus. 2. Where they had been previously worshipped, the lords Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya shall be worshipped in order, 3-5. The five Brahmans shall be worshipped in order in the north-east, east, south, north and west. The devotee shall worship the six ancillaries then. He shall worship the eye and Astra in the southeast, northeast, southwest, northwest and in the middle. Thus the first Āvaraṇa is mentioned. Now listen to the second Āvaraṇa. 6-7. He shall worship Ananta in the petal in the east; the Sūkṣma in the South; Śivottama in the west; Ekanetra in the north; Ekarudra in the northeast; the Trinity in the southeast; Śrīkaṇṭha in the south-west and Śikhaṇḍīśa in the north-west. 8. In the second Āvaraṇa he shall worship the Emperors. (Now the third Āvaraṇa). The devotee shall worship Vṛṣeśāna in the middle of the eastern door. 9-12. Nandin shall be worshipped to the south and Mahākāla to the north of it, Bhṛṅgīśa to the west of the southern door. Vināyaka shall be worshipped in the square to the cast of that with scents; Vṛṣabha in the northwest and Guha in the southern square. To the east of the northern door the following eight shall be worshipped in accordance with the rules of circumambulation. They are Bhava, Śarva, Īśāna, Rudra, Paśupati, Ugra, Bhīma and Mahādeva. Such is the worship in the third Āvaraṇa. 13. After invoking Lord Śiva with the mantra “Yo Vedādau Svaraḥ ” he shall worship him in the lotus above the pericarp in the east. 14. He shall worship Lord Śiva in the eastern, Viśveśa in the southern, Parameśāna in the northern and Sarveśa in the western petal. 15. He shall worship Rudra in the south after invoking him with Ṛk “Ā vo rājānam” in the petals and the pericarp with scents, flowers etc. 16. Śiva shall be worshipped in the east; Hara in the south; Mṛda in the north and Bhava in the petal in the western quarter. They shall be worshipped in this order. 17. After invoking Viṣṇu by uttering the mantra “Pra tad Viṣṇu” etc. he shall worship him in the north on the pericarp and the petals with scents, flowers etc. 18. He shall worship Vāsudeva in the east; Aniruddha in the south; Saṃkarṣaṇa in the north and Pradyumna in the west. 19. The knower of Mantras shall invoke Brahma with the mantra “ Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ Samavartata” etc. and worship him in the lotus to the west. 20. He shall worship Hiraṇyagarbha in the cast; Virāja in the south; Puṣkara in the north and Kāla in the west. 21-24. (Now the fifth Āvaraṇa). In the topmost row the Lokapālas shall be worshipped in different spots beginning with the last and proceeding in the manner of circumambulation. The following ten are the Bījas for the Lokapālas:—Rānta (ending with ‘Ra’), Pānta (ending with ‘Pa’), Jñānta (ending with ‘Jña’), Lānta (ending with ‘La’) twice, Apūrvaka (beginning with ‘A’), Ṣānta (ending with ‘Ṣa’), Sānta (ending with ‘Sa’) Vedādya ( Praṇava ) and Śrībīja. He shall worship the Lokapālas with these Bījas. He shall worship Brahmā and Viṣṇu in accordance with the rules and proper means of service in the north, south-west, south and north-east. He shall worship Deveśa in the outer lines of the fifth Āvaraṇa. 25-26. He shall worship trident in the north-cast, thunderbolt in the east; axe in the south-east; arrow in the south; sword in the south-west; noose in the west; goad in the northwest and bow in the north. 27. For the satisfaction of Śiva, the knower of the rules shall worship Kṣetrapāla of Rudra facing the west, in accordance with the rules. 28. All these shall be thought of as standing with palms joined in reverence, their faces beaming with smile and glancing at the lord and the goddess with devotion always. 29. After performing the Āvaraṇa worship thus, the devotee shall worship the lord of the gods again for allaying his mental disturbance. He shall know Praṇava as Śiva. 30. After worshipping duly thus with scents and other services he shall offer Naivedya prepared in the proper manner. 31. He shall give water for Ācamana and the Arghya as before, and then offer Tāmbūla and water in accordance with the rules. 32. After performing Nīrājana the balance of the worship shall be completed. After meditating on the lord and the goddess he shall repeat the mantra hundred and eight times. 33-34. Then he shall stand up with a handful of flowers, O Goddess, meditate on lord Śiva with the mantra beginning with “Yo devānām” and ending with “Yo vedādau svaraḥ proktaḥ”. The handful of flowers shall be dedicated and he shall perform circumambulation thrice. 35. He shall prostrate with eight parts of the body touching the ground. Endowed with great devotion he shall perform circumambulation again, make obeisance once more. 36-38. While sitting there, he shall adore the lord with the eight names. Then he shall pray thus: “O lord Śiva, good or bad whatever I have done is your great service.” After saying this, flowers shall be offered along with the water from the conch. After worshipping him who is worthy of worship he shall repeat the eight names with significant meaning. O goddess, I shall tell you the same because of your devotion to me.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. The following eight names indicate Śiva —Śiva, Maheśvara, Rudra, Viṣṇu, Pitāmaha, Saṃsāravaidya, Saravajña, Paramātman. 3. The five names of Sadāśiva are dependent on their condition. If the condition alters the name too alters. 4. The word is permanent. The object indicated by the word is non-permanent. The words are transferable since those indicated by the words are released. 5. Even when words are transferred there are conditions again. The first five names denote things other than Ātman. 6. The other three names derive their origin from difference in the material cause. Śiva exists by creating three types of conditions. 7. Due to the antecedent non-existence of the contact with the primordial Avidyā he is naturally pure-souled and is called Śiva. 8. Lord Śiva who is richly endowed with good attributes is called Śiva by the experts in the Śaiva cult. 9-11. Prakṛti is yonder than the twenty-three principles Puruṣa, the twenty-fifth principle is yonder than Prakṛti. The Puruṣa is called Svara as expressed in the Vedas. He becomes intelligible and recognizable only through the Vedas and the Upaniṣads. As the enjoyer he becomes merged in Prakṛti. He who is beyond this Puruṣa is named Maheśvara. 12-13. He is rightly termed Maheśvara because Prakṛti and Puruṣa are subservient to him. Or Māyā is the principle with the three attributes which is imperishable. Know that Māyā is the Prakṛti and Māyin (the wielder of Māyā) is Maheśvara who is eternal and the releaser from Māyā. Hence the name Maheśvara is applicable to him. 14. The word Rud means misery or cause of misery. The lord who dispels it is called Rudra, lord Śiva, the great or ultimate cause. 15. Śiva is called Viṣṇu because he pervades the principles of Śiva ending with the earth and the bodies, pots etc. 16. Śiva is called Pitāmaha because of his fatherhood of the Trinity which in turn is the cause of the universe. 17-18. A pathologist diagnoses correctly and cures illness through medicines. Similarly Śiva the cause of dissolution, sustenance and origin of the world as well as the router of the gross is called the physician of the world by those who know the nature of the principles. 19-21. Atoms enveloped by the dirt of the ocean of Māyā do not know the gross and subtle things that occur in the three periods of time even when they have the sense-organs for imbibing the five-fold knowledge. But Sadāśiva knows every existent object naturally, even though he has no sense-organs yielding the knowledge of all existent objects. Hence he is called omniscient. 22. Śiva is the great Atman because he is the Ātman of all, he is for ever endowed with the great qualities and there is no greater Ātman than him. 23-26. After eulogising Mahādeva, identical with Praṇava, the imperishable and offering gifts on the head of Īśāna, he worships the lord with the purity of mind, by means of the praṇava. He shall then take a handful of flowers, join palms in reverence, inhale through the left nostril, identifying the inhaled air with Śiva and exhale through the right nostril bidding the ritualistic adieu to the goddess. He shall realise the identity of Śiva with himself. “I am Śiva alone.” He shall make the ritualistic dismissal of the deities conceived in the heart. 27. After worshipping the lore and the preceptor he shall fix in the heart the mantras of the conch and the vessel of Arghya. 28-30. After consigning the remnants of the floral offerings to Caṇḍeśa in the north-cast quarter he shall restrain the vital breath and utter the names of the sages. This Maṇḍala is technically known as Kailāsaprastara. This shall be worshipped every day, or every fortnight, or every month or once in six months or once in a year or during the Cāturmāsya festival. A theist shall necessarily worship my Liṅga every day. 31-32. O goddess, in this context a special order shall be observed. On the day of initiation he shall worship the Liṅga along with the preceptor and bow thrice in front of the preceptor: “Till my death I shall worship Śiva”. 33. O beloved, he shall worship it, as mentiond above. He shall pour water from Argha above on the top of Liṅga. 34. After worshipping it with Praṇava he shall offer incense and the lamp. After propitiating Caṇḍa in the north-east he shall offer Nirmālya. 35-36. The Liṅga and the altar shall be washed with the filtered water. Repeating the Praṇava he shall put a flower on the top of the Liṅga. He shall mentally conceive everythig from the Ādhāra Śakti to the seat of the holy lore and install the supreme god. 37-39. He shall perform the ablution of the lord with Pañcagavya etc. or with holy water rendered fragrant with scented articles repeating the mantras from the Ṛg or Sāmaveda such as “ Pāvamāna ” “Rudra” “ Nīla ” or “Tvarita” along with the five Brahmans. The Praṇava or the name of Śiva can be used as mantra. The ablution shall be made with the Arghya water repeating the Praṇava. 40. After wiping the Liṅga with a piece of cloth he shall put a flower on the top. After installing the Liṅga on the pedestal he shall perform the worship of the sun. 41-42. He shall worship the Ādhāraśakti and Ananta beneath the pedestal. After worshipping the throne duly with the lower and upper lid he shall worship Skanda on the foot of the Pīṭha. After conceiving me in the Liṅga he shall worship me along with you. 43-44. The ascetic shall think on me with devotion in accordance with the rules. O beloved, thus I have narrated to you a great secret that shall be guarded assiduously. It shall not be imparted to any one and everyone. It shall be given to my devotee, to an ascetic free from passion and lust. 45-46. It shall be given to a person devoted to his preceptor, who is calm and who engages in Yoga for attaining me. The foolish fellow who transgresses my directives and gives this away is my enemy. Surely he will go to hell. O goddess, imparting it to my devotee he will become my favourite. Alter enjoying all pleasures here he shall attain my presence. 47-48. On hearing this speech of Śiva, the goddess eulogised the lord with various hymns containing the purport of the Vedic mantras. She bowed at the feet of her lord. O excellent sages, she rejoiced with a delighted heart. 49. O brahmins, this is a great secret. It illuminates the meaning of the Praṇava. Leading to the knowledge of Śiva it destroys all your miseries. 50-52- After saying this, the excellent sage of great penance, the son of Parāśara, worshipped and honoured with intent devotion by the sages and propounder of the Vedas, thought of the mount Kailāsa and left that hermitage. Delighted in their hearts, at the end of the sacrifice they too worshipped the moon-crested god and the goddess Umā with great devotion. They engaged themselves in Yogic practices of restraint etc. and continued to meditate on Śiva. 53. This was mentioned to Guha by the goddess who mentioned it to Nandin. Lord Nandin mentioned it to the sage Sanatkumāra. 54. O leading sages, from him this was obtained by my preceptor Vyāsa of immeasurable splendour. This holy lore was obtained from him by me also. 55. On knowing your love for the lord and realising that you are his favourite devotee, this secret of secrets has been narrated to you by me. 56. This secret lore dear to Śiva shall be given by you only to ascetics of quiet minds, devotees of Śiva’s feet. 57. After saying this the blessed Sūta, most excellent of Paurāṇikas, wandered over the earth, visiting the holy centres. 58. After securing this great secret from Sūta, the sages remained in Kāśī and attained Śiva’s abode by attaining salvation.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. When Sūta had left, the wondering sages thought and spoke to one another—“What the great sage said about Vāmadeva ’s opinion has been forgotten. This is indeed distressing to us. 2. When shall we see the excellent sage again? His sight dispels the vast miseries of worldly existence. May the great sage appear again as a result of the merit accruing from the worship of lord Śiva. 3. The sages who were worried with these thoughts worshipped Sūta in the lotus of their heart and stayed there being eager to see him. 4. At the end of a year, the sage, engaged in devotional activities of Śiva, the wise propounder of the meaning to the Purāṇas, came to Kāśī again. 5. On seeing Sūta coming, the sages delighted in their minds, worshipped him duly rising up and offering seat and Arghya. 6. He too congratulated the sages with a smiling face. With pleasure he took the bath in the holy waters of the Gaṅgā. 7. He propitiated the sages, the gods and the Pitṛs with gingelly seeds and rice grains. He came to the bank and put on his dress after sprinkling it with water. 8-9. He performed the Ācamana twice and took the Bhasma repeating the Sadyādi mantras. Wearing the garland of Rudrākṣa beads he applied the Bhasma to his body and made the Tripuṇḍra marks on the limbs. He then performed his routine rites. 10. With great devotion he eulogised, bowed to and worshipped lord Śiva and Umā along with his sons and chief Gaṇas. 11-12. He worshipped Kālabhairava in accordance with the rules after circumambulating him thrice. He prostrated five times and circumambutaled again. Thinking upon his lotus-feet he eulogised him again with the great hymn. 13-14. He performed the Japa of the sacred Pañcākṣarī lore one thousand and eight times. Standing in front of lord Śiva’s image he begged for forgiveness. After worshipping him he took his seat in the the middle of Muktimaṇḍapa offered by the sages who had mastered the Vedas. 15. When all had taken their seats after due obeisance with the recital of the mantras he spoke in accents that increased the piety of the sages. 16. O intelligent sages, you all who have fulfilled your vows are blessed. I have come for your sake. Please listen in details. 17. After telling you the meaning of the Praṇava I went on a pilgrimage. Now hear the details. 18. O leading brahmans, after starting from here I went to the southern ocean. I took bath therein and worshipped the goddess Śivā, Kanyākumārī. On my return I came to the river Suvarṇamukharī. 19-25. I reached the wonderful city on the Kālahasti Śaila. I took my bath in the waters of Suvarṇamukharī and performed Tarpaṇa to the gods and the sages. Remembering Śiva with the mystic signs I worshipped Kālahastīśa with the lustre of the lunar stone, the lord with the face directed to the west, the wonderful lord of five faces, the lord who dispels all sins at his very sight, the lord Triguṇeśvara who bestows Siddhis, worldly pleasures and salvation. Then with great devotion I worshipped Śivā stationed to his right, the goddess who is the bud of the flower of knowledge and the mother of the universe. I performed the Japa of the holy Pañcākṣarī Vidyā one thousand eight times. I circumambulated, eulogised and bowed again. Thus I went round the hill every day with great devotion. I observed all restraints and performed rites every day with rejoicing mind. 26. O great sages, I spent four months there by the favour of the goddess—the bud of the flower of knowledge. 27-28. Once I spread the cloth, deerskin and the Kuśa grass on the scat. Seated on it silently with restrained mind I entered into the mystic trance. “I am Śiva the solidified knowledge and bliss, the perfect one for ever.” This realisation dawned in my heart and I was free from agitation. 29-32. Then my preceptor, the ocean of mercy, resembling the dark cloud, with matted tawny hair resembling the lightning, the tall sage bearing the water-pot and staff and wearing the antelope’s skin, with the body turned white with the ashes having all auspicious marks with the Tripuṇḍṛa shining on the forehead, decorated with Rudrākṣa garlands and the two lotus-like wide eyes gleaming, appeared in the lotus of my heart. Thereafter I swooned soon, O theists, this was the wonderful incident indeed. 33. Then I opened my eyes and cried. The tears I shed quashed out like a mountain stream. 34. Then a celestial unembodied voice was heard from the sky. It was wonderful. O brahmins, listen to that devotedly. 35-36. “O blessed son of Sūta, go to Vārāṇasī; the sages whom you had instructed before, are desirous of the pleasure of your arrival. They are on fast there too.” After saying this the voice stopped. 37-39. I got up immediately and circumambulated the lord and the goddess with devotion. I bowed and prostrated for twelve times. Considering it the order of my preceptor and of Śiva and Śivā I set out from the temple. O excellent sages, I have come here in forty days. Please bless me. Please tell me what I shall say now. 40. On hearing the words of Sūta, the sages were delighted in their minds. They bowed to the sage Vyāsa again and again and said.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. O Sūta, O blessed Sūta, you are our excellent preceptor. We ask you if there be your blessing for us, your faithful disciples, as it has been shown by you who are always affectionate to us. 3. The opinion of Vāmadeva was hinted at by you at the time of Virajā homa formerly. O sage, it was not heard by us in detail. 4. Now we are eager to hear it reverentially and devotedly, O ocean of mercy. It behoves you to narrate it with pleasure. 5-6. On hearing this, Sūta was thrilled with delight. After making obeisance to lord Śiva, the preceptor of preceptors, to the goddess-mother of the trio and to his preceptor Vyāsa with devotion he spoke in a majestic tone delighting the sages. 7. O sages, hail to you. May you remain happy always; devotees of Śiva steady-minded and propagators of devotion to Siva. 8. That wonderful thing has been heard from the lotus-like mouth of the preceptor. This was not mentioned by me before, being afraid of revealing a secret. 9. Indeed you are highly fortunate devotees of Śiva and stable in your rites. Convinced of this, I shall mention it to you. May this be heard joyously. 10-15. Formerly in the Rathantara kalpa the sage Vāmadeva, roaming over the earth, entered Kumāraśikhara, the southern summit of Meru where the peacock-vehicled lord Kārttikeya, son of Śiva, stays joyously. The sage was a liberated soul even while he was in the womb. He was the most-honoured among the knowers of Śiva’s cult. He knew the reality, and the principles of the Vedas, Āgamas, Purāṇas and other sacred scriptures. He knew the births and activities of all living beings, gods, Asuras, mortals and others. The ashes made his body white. He was bedecked in the knots of matted hair. He had no permanent abode, no desire, no egotism and none of the mutually opposing feelings and emotions. He was unclad. He was very wise like Śiva himself. He was surrounded by the leading sages who were like him and who had become his disciples. He sanctified the earth by the pious touch of his feet. His heart dwelt in the great splendour. 16. Lord Kārttikeya, the hero possessed of the power of knowledge, the suppressor of the Asuras, stays there along with Gajavalli and bowed to by all the gods. 17-21. Near the lord there is a lake Skandasaras as vast as an ocean with plenty of deep, sweet, cool, clear water of wonderful attributes. The sage Vāmadeva took his bath there along with his disciples. He saw Skanda seated on the summit attended by the sages, shining like the rising sun, with the peacock as his vehicle. He had four arms and splendid body. He was bedecked in coronet and other ornaments. He was reverentially attended by two excellent Śaktis. He held Śakti and a cock. He showed the mystic gestures of boons and protection with his hands. On seeing Skanda the sage worshipped him with devotion and began to eulogise him. 22. Om, obeisance to the meaning of the Praṇava, to the enterpreter of the Praṇava, to the Bīja of the letters of the Praṇava. 23. Obeisance to the lord in the form of the purport of the Upaniṣad, to their enterpreter and the knower of their purport. 24. Obeisance to Guha, to the deity concealed in the cavities of the hearts of all living beings. Obeisance to the secret one of secret form. Obeisance to the knower of the secret sacred lore. 25. Obeisance to you the minutest of the minute, the greatest of the great, the knower of the greater and the lesser, the lord in the form of the great Ātman. 26. Obeisance to Skanda; to the lord of splendour as red as that of the sun in the form of Skanda; to the lord who wears the coronets adorned with the garlands of the flowers of the divine Mandāra tree. 27. Obeisance to the disciple of Śiva; to the son of Śiva, to the bestower of bliss and happiness, to the beloved of Śiva; to the storehouse of pleasure of Śiva and Śivā. 28. Obeisance to the son of the Gaṅgā, to the intelligent Kārttikeya, to the noble son of Umā, lying in the grove of Sara plants. 29. Obeisance to the six-faced god of six imperishable bodies to the one who interprets in six ways, to the lord whose form is beyond the sixfold path. 30. O soul of the twelve (?) obeisance be to you with twelve wide eyes, with twelve uplifted arms and twelve types of weapons. 31. Obeisance to the four-armed lord, to the calm lord who bears Śakti and a cock, to the bestower of boons; the learned or to one with a bird in his hand. Obeisance to the splitter of the Asuras. 32. Obeisance to the lord whose chest is marked by the saffron that had been smeared over the breasts of Gajavallī. Obeisance to the one whose heart is delighted by the pleasures of the elephant-faced lord Gaṇapati. 33. O lord, whose song of praise is sung by Brahmā other gods, sages and the Kinnaras, obeisance be to you who are the abode of fame reflected upon by the pious. O lord, whose lotus-like beautiful feet deserve the worship of the garlands that decorate the splendid crowns of the gods, obeisance be to you. 34. He who reads or listens to this divine prayer to Skanda, uttered by Vāmadeva, attains the supreme goal. 35. This prayer sharpens intelligence, enhances devotion to Śiva, increases longevity, imparts health and affluence and yields all desires always. 36-37. O brahmins, after eulogising lord commander-in-chief of the gods thus, circumambulating him thrice and prostrating on the ground Vāmadeva bowed to him once again and went round him. Then he stood bowing down with humility. 38-39. On hearing the eulogy of Vāmadeva, unfolding the facts, the lord, son of Maheśvara, was delighted and said “I am delighted by your worship, devotion and eulogy. Welfare be to you. What shall I do for you? 40. O sage, you are the chief of Yogins, perfect and free from avarice. There is nothing for people like you which has to be solicited. 41. Still saintly men like you move about in the world for upholding virtue and blessing the worlds. 42. O Brahmin, if it is fit to be heard you shall speak it out. I shall expound it to the people for their welfare. 43. On hearing the words of Skanda, the sage Vāmadeva, bowed with humility and spoke in a tone as majestic as the sound of clouds. 44. O lord, you are the great Īśa (parameśa), the bestower of prosperity to all and sundry. You are omniscient; creator of all and the lord bearing all Śaktis. 45. We are insignificant creatures to speak before you who are a great lord. Still it is your blessing that you speak to me. 46. O intelligent one, I have but a particle of wisdom. Urged thus I ask you. My transgression must be excused. 47. Praṇava is the word that expresses lord Śiva. Lord Paśupati is the goal, the releaser of the bondage of the Paśus, the individual souls. 48. Invoked with the mantra he releases the Jīva instantaneously. Hence siddhi is achieved with the mantra Om for Śiva. 49. The eternal Śruti says, “Verily all this is Om; Om is Brahman. Everything is Brahman.” 50. O commander of the gods, obeisance to you, the lord of the gods and of ascetics. Obeisance to you the perfect one. 51. In this situation, there is nothing distinct from Śiva in this world. Śiva is the lord who assumes all forms. Maheśvara is all-pervasive. 52. The universal and the personal application of Praṇava was heard by me. O lord, but I have never had a preceptor like you to tell me that. 53. Hence take pity on me and reveal its meaning in accordance with the rules of instruction and the conduct of the good. 54. My lord alone is the preceptor who cuts off the bondage. O preceptor, now favour me with the exposition of its meaning. 55. Thus requested by the sage, Skanda bowed to Sadāśiva, the very praṇava itself who is characterised by thirty-eight excellent digits, who is accompanied by Umā at his side and who is followed by the excellent sages. He then began to expound the path of welfare well guarded in the Vedas.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Well done, well done, O fortunate Vāmadeva, O great sage, you are a great devotee of Śiva and the most excellent of those who possess Śiva’s knowledge. 2. Nowhere in the world is there anything not known to you. Still I shall tell you since you wish to bless the worlds. 3. All the individuals in the world are deceived by the Māyā of Īśa. They are deceived by various sacred scriptures. 4. They do not know the great lord, the meaning of the Praṇava, the Nirguṇa and Saguṇa Brahman, the great progenitor of trinity. 5. I shall lift up my right hand and swear unto you truth again and again. 6-12. Śiva is declared as the purport of the Praṇava in the Śruti and Smṛti texts, Purāṇas and the Āgamas; from whom words recede unable to reach him along with the mind; the knower of whose bliss does not have fear from anywhere; from whom this entire universe, beginning with Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Indra is born at the outset with the groups of sense-organs and elements; that which has no cause anywhere at any time; which neither the lightning nor the sun nor the moon does illuminate; by whose splendour this entire universe is resplendent all round; he who is endowed with prosperity himself in the name of Sarveśvara; who is worthy of being meditated upon by those who are desirous of salvation; he who is the cause of welfare; who is in the middle of the firmament; who is omnipresent, whose soul is light, who is in the form of splendour, knowledge and.consciousness; whose splendid Śakti is comprehensible only through emotion and who is both Nirguṇa and Saguṇa, unsullied and auspicious. 13. Three types of his form—gross, subtle and causal shall be meditated upon by those seeking salvation, O sage, and by the Yogins in the proper order. 14. The unsullied being, the primordial and the eternal lord of all who is stated to be the supreme soul has knowledge and the ritual as his innate nature. 15-16. The image of the lord of the gods is Sadāśiva himself, the lord with five mantras for his body and the five digits for his physical form. The lord is as bright as crystal, has cool lustre and is delightful. He has five faces, ten arms and fifteen eyes. 17-18. He the ancient lord has Iśāna for his coronet; Puruṣa for his face; Aghora for his heart; Vāmadeva for his private parts and Sadya for his foot. He is both Sakala and Niṣkala. The six Śaktis, omniscience, etc. constitute his six limbs. 19. He is infused with the power of the word throbbing in the lotus of his heart; he is bedecked on his left by Manonmanī, his own Śakti. 20. With reference to the six entities, Mantra, etc., I shall explain the Praṇava-souled lord in his composite and personal nature. 21. The order of instruction shall be mentioned at first. Please hear, O sage, indeed the four castes are well known in the world. 22. The Vedas enjoin rituals for the first three castes. The Śūdras are excluded since their only activity is service. 23-25. Nothing; but the holy rites of the Śrutis and Smṛtis shall be performed by the first three castes in their respective stairs of life. Following the conduct of life enjoined for different stages and castes, excellent sages have attained Sāyujya form of liberation. 26. The Śruti says that the sages are satisfied by Brahmacarya; the gods by sacrifice; and the Pitṛs by progeny. 27-28. Freed from this threefold debt and entering the Vānaprastha stage the devotee shall bear both pleasure and pain, chillness and heat; shall subjugate the senses, control the diet. The ascetic shall practise restraint and other means of Yoga so that the intellect becomes stable and unswerving. 29-30. Thus he becomes pious and free from activities. After eschewing all activites he shall be devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. That alone bestows the fruit of living liberation and identity with Śiva. It is most excellent and renders free from aberrations those who have restrained their minds. 31. I shall explain different modes of the same with a desire for blessing the worlds. O intelligent one, it is out of affection for you that I do so. Please listen with attention. 32. The ascetic shall approach a preceptor, the most excellent among intelligent ones; the preceptor who knows the principles of sacred scriptures and has mastered the Vedāntic knowledge. 33. After approaching him in accordance with the idles, the ascetic devotee shall please him assiduously by obeisances, prostration etc. 34. The preceptor is Śiva and Śiva is the preceptor. After deciding this in mind he shall express his intention. 35-36. Permitted by the preceptor he shall subsist on milk diet and perform rites for twelve days. On the fourth or the tenth day in the bright lunar fortnight he shall take his early morning bath. With pious mind, he shall perform his routine. He shall invite the preceptor and begin the Nāndī śrāddha. 37-39. The Viśvedevas are Satyavasus. In the Śrāddha of the gods, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, in that of the sages, those born of celestial damsels from human beings, in that of the Pitṛs, Vasu, Rudra and Āditya, in that of human beings, the four sages, Sanaka and others, in that of the Bhūtas the five great elements are included. 40. The group of sense-organs consists of the eye, etc; that of the Bhūtas is of four types. In the Pitṛ Śrāddha the father, grandfather and greatgrandfather are included. 41-42. In the Mātṛśrāddha, the mother, grandmother and the greatgrandmother are mentioned. In the Śrāddha of the Ātman the four, viz. himself father, grandfather and greatgrandfather and their wives are mentioned. In the Śrāddha of mother ’s father the three ancestors of the maternal grandfather are mentioned. 43. In every Śrāddha a pair of brahmins shall be invited and their feet washed. He shall then perform the Ācamana assiduously. 44-46. He shall pray thus:—“May the dust -particles from the feet of the brahmins sanctify me. They are the cause of prosperity. They destroy all adversities and constitute the bridge on the vast ocean of worldly existence. Like suns they remove the pitch darkness of distress. Like divine cows they meet the desired objects. They are the embodied holy waters in every pilgrim centre.” After praying thus he shall bow and prostrate with eight limbs touching the ground. He shall then face the cast and remember the lotus-feet of Śiva. 47-49. Wearing the Pavitra in the finger and the sacred thread on the shoulders, being pure and steady he shall perform the Prāṇāyāma thrice. Mentioning the Tithi etc. he shall continue—“As an ancillary rite to my formal renunciation I have to perform eight Śrāddhas beginning with the Śrāddha of Viśvedevas and ending with the Śrāddha of Mātāmaha. I shall perform these with the rules governing the festive rites, with your permission.” After proclaiming the intention he shall cast off the Darbha grass to the north. 50. He shall touch water and stand up to begin the formal invitation to the brahmins. With the Pavitra in the hand he shall touch the hands of the brahmins and proclaim: 51-53. “For the sake of Viśvedevas I invite you both and conclude. You shall favour me.” This is the procedure throughout. After this he shall draw ten Maṇḍalas beginning from the north. He shall worship these with Akṣatas and ask the Brahmins to stand there. 54-55. He shall utter the names of Viśvedevas in the vocative case. “Here is water for washing the feet”. Saying this, he shall offer water from the Darbha grass, flowers and Akṣata as Pādya. He shall wash his own feet too faring the north. He shall perform Ācamana and ask them to sit in pairs on their seats. 56-57. “Here is the seat to the brahmin in the form of Visvedevas.” Saying this he shall offer a few Darbha grass blades. He himself shall stand holding the Darbha grass and say, “In this Nāndīmukhaśrāddha for the sake of Visvedevas I invite both of you to be present.” 58. Then he shall say “Both of you shall accept my invitation.” The two brahmins shall say “We accept.” 59. He shall request the brahmins—“May you bless me. Let the rite be complete. Let me attain my desires.” 60-63. He shall then place cooked rice and other foodstuffs in well washed plantain leaf cups. They shall be covered with Darbha grass. He shall sprinkle wain over them. The leafcups shall be lifted up by the hands. He shall offer the food -stuffs into fire saying “ Svāhā.” The names of the deities shall be used in the dative case. The Mantras “ the earth is your vessel,” etc. shall be repeated. After worship the devotee shall say “Na Mama” (not for me). Everywhere this is the procedure. 64. “I salute lord Śiva accompanied by Ambā, the recollection of whose feet and the repctition of whose names makes deficient rites perfect and complete. 65-67. After repeating the prayer ho shall say. I have completed Nandīmukhaśrāddha. Confirm that I have done it. He shall propitiate the leading brahmins, let some water drop from his hand, bow to them, stand up and say to them. let the food be even as nectar. Then with palms joined in reverence he shall pray with pleasure. 68. He shall recite Śrīrudra, Camaka, and Puruṣa sūktas duly. After meditating on Sadāśiva he shall repeat the Japas of the five Brahmans. 69. At the end of the meal he shall recite Rudra Sūkta. He shall ask forgiveness of the brahmins. After food he shall offer water. 70. Washing his feet and performing the Ācamana he shall approach the Piṇḍas. Facing the cast he shall sit silently and perform Prāṇāyāma thrice. 71-72. “I shall perform the rite of offering the Piṇḍas as an ancillary to the Nāndīmukhaśrāddha.” After deciding thus he shall draw nine lines from south to north. He shall place twelve Darbhas with their tips to the east over the lines. These are the five places for the gods Dakṣa and others. 73-75. In these places the akṣata grains and water shall be offered silently. In the other places he shall sprinkle water with the mantra “Atra Pitaraḥ”, and offer the Akṣata grains and water for worship. The names of different gods shall be mentioned with the dative case ending. Three Piṇḍas shall be offered to each in the five places. 76. The Piṇḍas shall be given separately along with Akṣatas for the full efficacy of the Pitṛs as explained in the Gṛhyasūtra. 77-79. He shall meditate on lord Sadāśiva in the lotus of the heart reciting the verse. By remembering his lotus-like feet he shall give fees to the Brahmins according to his ability. He shall ask forgiveness and bid them farewell. He shall give Piṇḍas to the cows or cast off into running water. After performing “ Puṇyāhavācana ” he shall take meals with his kinsmen. 80-81. After getting up early in the morning next day the devotee shall perform his routine. He shall observe fast, shave hair except in the armpits and the private parts. He shall cut the moustache, the nails and shave his head. 82. He shall take bath and wear a washed and dried cloth. He shall be pure in thought and body. Silently he shall perform Ācamana twice and apply ashes duly and perform the Puṇyāhavācana. 83. Except the materials for the homa and the articles of gift for the preceptor—because they are naturally pure, every other article shall be sprinkled with holy water. 84. He shall make gift to brahmins especially to devotees and to Śiva in the form of preceptor. 85-87. He shall give cloths and the fee also. He shall prostrate before him. He shall take the loin-cloth, its string, staff and the articles for homa—sacrificial twigs etc. He shall go to sea-shore or a mountain or a river-bank or a Śiva temple or a forest or a cowpen. He shall sit on a good place and perform Ācamana. He shall make his mind pure like a flower bunch. 88-90. He shall repeat Vedic mantras along with Oṃ and recite “Namo Brahmaṇe” etc. thrice. Then he shall repeat the mantra “Agnimīle purohitam”, perform the great rite and repeat. “Agnirvai” “Iṣe tvorje tvā”, then repeat the Mantras” Agna āyāhi vītaye”, “Śanno devīrabhiṣṭaye” along with Ma, Ya, Ra, Sa, Ta, Ja, Bha, Na, La, and Ga. 91-92. This shall continue for five years. This is the tradition. Then he shall repeat the text of grammar, Mīmāṃsā and Vedanta. He shall repeat the names of the gods as well. 93-96. He shall perform the Japa of Brahmā, Indra, Sun, moon, Prajāpati Jñānātman and Paramatman with Praṇava in the beginning, namaḥ in the end using the dative case. He shall take some flour of fried grain, cat it with Praṇava, perform Ācamana twice, wash his hands, repeat the mantras mentioned hereafter. He shall repeat the names of Ātman, Antarātman, Jñānātman beginning with Praṇava and ending with Namaḥ. After repeating the mantra of Ātman he shall repeat the mantra of Prajāpati. 97-98. He shall then perform the Japa ending with Svāha. Repeating Praṇava he shall take in milk, curd and ghee separately thrice and perform Ācamana twice. With the mind steady he shall sit firmly facing the east and perform prāṇāyāma thrice in accordance with the rules.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Then at midday he shall take bath. With the mind fully controlled he shall gather materials for worship such as fragrant flowers, Akṣatas etc. 2. With the mantra, “Gaṇānām tvā” he shall as enjoined invoke lord Gaṇapati worshipped by the gods. He shall worship hīm in the south-west. 3-5. After invoking the elephant-faced lord Gaṇapati son of Śivā, of red colour, huge body, bedecked in ornaments and holding noose, goad, Rudrākṣa and boon in his lotus-hand he shall worship him at dusk. He shall offer milk pudding (sweet pie), coconut jaggery and other things as Naivedya and also the leaf. After propitiating and bowing to him he shall pray for warding off evil. 6. Thereafter the rites of sacrifice concluding with the sharing of clarified butter shall be performed in the Aupāsana fire according to the rules of one’s Gṛhyasūtra. 7. After offering the Pūrṇāhūti with the three Ṛks “Bhūḥ Svāhā and concluding the rites he shall repeat Gāyatrī assiduously till late in the afternoon. 8. He shall perform the evening prayers after bath and the sacrificial rites and inform his preceptor accordingly. 9-10. After offering the Caru therein e shall perform Homa with different faggots of sticks, cooked rice and ghee repeating Rudrasūkta. He shall conceive Lord Śiva in the fire along with Ambā and the five Brahmans — Sadyojāta etc. He shall remember Gaurī and perform homa with the mantra “Gaurīrmimāya etc. 11-12. He shall perform sacrifice, repeat the mantra “Agnaye sviṣṭakṛṭe svāhā” and then show mystic gestures. Being of steady mind he shall sit on the,seat of cloth, deerskin or Darbha grass to the north of the fire and perform the Gāyatrī japa silently till the brāhma muhūrta. 13-19. He shall then take bath. If he is feeble he shall smear Bhasma only. He shall cook Caru in the fire and pour ghee over it. Thus sanctifying it he shall consign it to the fire. He shall perform the Japa of the Vyāhṛtis, Rudra Sūkta and the five Brahmans. He shall fix his mind in the lotus-feet of Śiva. He shall perform the Japa of Prajāpatī, Indra, Viśvedevas and Brahma also, with dative case-endings. Praṇava and other mantras shall be repeated ending with Svāhā. He shall perform Puṇyāhavācana, say Agnye svāhā, show mystic gesture in front of the fire. Then he shall repeat Prāṇāya svāhā and offer five Āhutis to Sviṣṭakṛt fire. He shall repeat Rudrasūkta, the five Brahmans, the Caturvyūha mantras, Homa and mystic gestures in accordance with his Vedic branch. 20-21. The same procedure he shall adopt for the other gods, along with their ancillary rites. After these rites beginning with the fire, the Virajā homa of the Ātman shall be performed for the purification of the self in the form of twenty-six principles. 22-23. He shall say “Let these Tattvas be purified.” For the purity of the principle—Ātman, the mantras ‘Āruṇaketukas’ shall be repeated. He shall silently perform the Homa with the Caru and ghee and remember the lotus-feet of Śiva. O sage, the principles begin with Pṛthivī and end with Puruṣa. 24-27. Pṛthivī, Sound, Speech, Ear—these are five each. The four head, sides, back, belly and the calves shall be added afterwards in the group—skin etc. The Dhātu group consists of seven. Prāṇas are five in number. Anna etc. are the five sheaths. Mind, Citta, intellect, ego, Khyāti come under Saṅkalpa. Guṇas come after; Prakṛti and Puruṣa follow these. Puruṣa is the only enjoyer and the five principles are the objects of his enjoyment. 28. O great sage, destiny, time, attachment, Vidyā, Kāla —this set of five is born of Māyā. 29. The Vedas declare: “Māyā is identical with Prakṛti.” The principles as mentioned in the Śruti are born of that. 30. The Vedas declare “Destiny is the nature of Kāla.” This set of five is also called “The wheel of five.” 31-33. Though sentient, the Puruṣa is confused in thought, not knowing the five principles. Though superior to nature he falls below Prakṛti as the eye of the crow. This set of five—the pure Vidyā Maheśvara, Sadāśiva, Śakti and Śiva is called Vidyātattva or Śivatattva. This is implied in the Vedic text “ Prajñānam Brahma.” 34. O Sage, the purity of the principles from Pṛthivī to Śiva is effected through the dissolution of its cause. 35. With the eleven mantras he shall mention the god. The word Śivajyolis shall be used in the dative case. 36-38. After Svāhā” he shall say “Na mama” (not to me). By this, renunciation of motive is indicated. In the mantras “Vividyā” “Kaṣṭapotā” after the word Vyāpakāva the word Paramātmane shall be used. The words “Śivajyotis” “Viśvabhūta” and “Ghasanotsuka” shall be mentioned in dative ease. After mentioning the god by name the word Devāya shall be uttered. 39. After “Viśvarūpāya” in the mantra “Uttiṣṭhasva"’ the word “Puruṣāya” shall be uttered and the words “Om Svāhā” shall be added. 40. At the end of the word “Lokatraya” the words “Vyāpine Paratnātmane Śivāyedam Na Mama” shall be added. 41-42. He shall conclude the rite according to his own branch of the Veda. He shall eat Caru mixed with ghee and then give fee of gold etc. to the priest. Alter the ritualistic dismissal of Brahmā he shall perform the morning worship. 43-45. He shall recite the mantra “Saṃ māṃ siñcantu Maruta.” He shall warm his hand over the fire repeating the mantra “Yā te Agne” and superimpose the fire in his own Ātman, abode of the universal soul. He shall perform the morning prayers and pay respects to the sun. He shall enter water upto the navel, perform the Japa of the mantras with pleasure, devotion and steadiness. 46. The devotee who had been maintaining sacrificial fires regularly shall perform the Prājāpatya rite in the sacrificial fire and give his entire possession as gift. 47-51. The brahmin shall superimpose fire in his Ātman and leave the house. In the Sāvitrī mantra he shall utter the first foot and say “I enter Sāvitrī Bhūḥ Om”. Then he shall utter the second foot and say “I enter Sāvitrī Bhuvaḥ Om”. He shall utter the third foot and say “I enter Sāvitrī Suvaḥ Om”. Then he shall repeat all the three feet and say “Sāvitrīm Praveśayāmi”, at the end of which he shall say “Bhūḥ Bhuvaḥ Suvaḥ Om” with great pleasure and steady mind. 52-56. He shall then think—“This is Goddess herself having half the body of Śiva. She has five faces, ten arms and fifteen eyes. She is bedecked with a down set with nine gems over which the crescent moon rises. She is auspicious, pure as crystal and bears ten weapons. Her body is adorned with necklaces, shoulderlets, bangles and anklets. Her ornaments are studded with gems. She wears brilliant garments. She is served by Viṣṇu, Brahmā the leader of the gods, sages, Gandharvas and human beings. She is Śivā pervading all Ātmans. She is charming wife of lord Sadāśiva. She is the mother of the universe and the trio. She is unborn. She is Saguṇa and Nirguṇa as well.” 57. After thinking thus the intelligent devotee shall perform the Japa of Gāyatrī the primordial goddess comprising three metrical feet. She is unborn and the bestower of brahminhood 58. The sinner who repeats Gāyatrī in any other manner is tortured in the terrible hell for the period of kalpa. 59. She is horn of and merged into Vyāhṛtis. Vyāhṛtis are born of the Praṇava and are merged in Praṇava. 60. Praṇava is the initial of all mantras of the Vedas. It expresses Śiva. It is the emperor of all mantras. It is the great Bīja, the greatest mantra. 61. Śiva is Praṇava, Praṇava is Śiva since there is no difference between Śiva and Praṇava that expresses Śiva. 62. It is this very mantra that Śiva speaks to individual souls who leave off their bodies at Kāśī to attain liberation hereafter. 63. Hence good ascetics worship Śiva the single-syllabled lord who being the cause of the universe is stationed in the lotus of the heart. 64. Men desirous of salvation and unattached to worldly pleasures worship Śiva after realising the futility of worldly pleasures. 65. After dissolving Gāyatrī in the Praṇava identical with Śiva he shall recite the hymn “ahaṃ vṛkṣasya reriva.” 66. He shall repeat the hymn beginning with “Yaḥ Chandasām Ṛṣabhaḥ ” and ending with “gopāya.” Then he shall say I have got up. 67. O sage, he shall recite the mantras in the low, medium and high tone beginning with the Praṇava in the order of creation, sustenance and dissolution. 68-69. In this order he shall say Om Bhūḥ I have renounced. Om Bhuvaḥ I have renounced. Om Suvaḥ I have renounced. Then he shall say the composite Vyāhṛtis Om Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Suvaḥ. 70. O sage, he shall say “I have renounced after meditating on Sadāśiva in the heart in the low, medium and high pitch gradually. 71. After muttering the Preṣa mantras with attentive mind he shall say “Let all living beings have fearlessness from me, Svāhā.” 72. He shall take water in the cupped palms and pour it to the east. He shall uproot the tuft and take out the sacred thread. 73-74. Taking the two in the cupped palms along with water he shall say Om Bhūḥ “Go thou to the ocean” after uttering Suāhā, the name of the wife of the fire. Along with the water in the palms he shall put the two in the water uttering Preṣa mantras. After performing Ācamana thrice he shall come to the bank and cast off all the clothes. 75-76. He shall then foot a short distance more than seven paces facing north or the east. Then the preceptor shall ask him to stop saying, “for your stay and activity in the world, O holy one, accept this loin-cloth and staff.” He shall hand them over to him with his own hands. 77-78. After giving the loin-cloth with its string, and the ochre-coloured robe he shall ask him to wear them. After performing Ācamana twice he shall tell the disciple thus “You are the thunderbolt of Indra.”. After praying and saying “A good companion”, he shall take up the staff. 79. He shall approach the preceptor remembering the lotus-like feet of Śiva and fall at his feet thrice with fully restrained mind. 80. Standing up again he shall approach the feet of the preceptor with palms joined in reverence, glancing at his preceptor with love. 81-82. Before the rites are begun he should collect cowdung and make them into balls of the size of a myrobalan fruit and dry them in sunshine. The balls shall be placed in the sacrificial fire at the advent of homa. At the conclusion of the homa the ashes shall be collected and preserved. 83-85. The preceptor shall take the white ashes of the Viraja fire. Repeating the mantras “Agniriti Bhasma” he shall apply the sacred ashes over the body of the disciple from head to foot. Repeating the five mantras “ Īśāna ” Tryāyuṣa” “Tryambakam Yajāmahe he shall apply the Tripuṇḍra marks too beginning with head. 86. Then the disciple shall meditate devotedly on Śiva, the consort of Umā in the lotus of his heart. 87. Putting his hand on the head of the disciple the preceptor shall utter the Praṇava thrice into the right ear of the disciple along with the names of the sage etc. 88. The excellent preceptor shall be sympathetic and explain Praṇava with the knowledge of the six-fold topics. 89. The disciple shall make obeisance to the preceptor by prostrating twelve times. He shall remain subservient to him always. He shall not do anything else. 90. At his bidding the disciple shall pursue Śaivitc knowledge in conformity with the Upaniṣadic doctrine and based on the difference of Saguṇa and Nirguṇa. 91. The preceptor shall make the disciple perform all the rites in the morning up to the Japa including the practice of hearing etc. 92. The disciple shall perform the worship in the maṇḍala Kailāsaprastara as enjoined by Śiva. 93. If he cannot worship the deity worshipped by his preceptor he shall take up Śivaliṅga of crystal along with the pedestal. 94. “I shall rather cast life and cut off my head than take meals without worshipping Śiva.” 95. Thus shall the disciple devoted to Śiva take vow in the presence of the preceptor which he shall repeat thrice with a steady mind. 96. Thus the disciple shall worship Lord Śiva every day with devoted and diligent mind, following the path of five Āvaraṇas.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. O Kārttikeya, the nectarine ocean of perfect knowledge, son of Śiva the lord of gods and the dispeller of distress of the devotees what is perfect knowledge of the sixfold topics that bestows all desires? What are the six topics? What is the perfect knowledge? 3. What is explained therein? What is the fruit of that knowledge? Please mention all that I have asked. 4. Without knowing this I have been deluded by Śiva’s Māyā. I am ignorant of the Pāśupata Śāstra. 5-6. I have sought refuge in your lotus-feet. Glancing at me for a long time with your eyes drenched with the nectar of sympathy you shall bless me so that I shall I become free from delusion, drink in the nectarine potion of the knowledge of the feet of Śiva. 7. On hearing these words of the sage the lord bearing the trident of knowledge said words causing fears to other systems of theology. 8-9. O revered sage, you have enquired about the perfect knowledge of Śiva in his composite and individual state. O performer of good rites, I shall explain that in detail Perfect knowledge comprises the meaning of Praṇava by realising the unity of six topics. 10-11. The first topic is the mantra; the second Yantra; the third deity; the fourth the cosmos; the fifth the preceptor; the sixth the Ātman of the disciple. 12. O excellent sage, I shall explain to you the form of the mantra which makes a man possessed of perfect knowledge. 13. The first and the fifth vowels, the fifth letter of the fifth class of consonants, Bindu and Nāda these five letters are mentioned by the Vedas. 14-15. The initial mantra of the Vedas i.e. Oṃ is of the composite form. Nāda too is the composite of all. The set of four with Bindu as the fifth is established as Vyaṣṭi in the Praṇava that expresses Śiva. O intelligent one, now listen to the form of Yantra that is Śivaliṅga. 16-17. Beneath all, the pedestal shall be drawn; then the first vowel—A; then the letter U, the final letter of the class of Pa i.e. Ma followed by Bindu and Nāda. When the Yantra becomes perfect, all desires are achieved. 18. The Yantra is encompassed by the Praṇava itself. The Nāda shall be known through the Nāda arising therefrom. 19. O sage, I shall now explain the secret topic of the deity. I shall mention it, out of my affection to you, in the manner explained by Śiva. 20. Beginning with “I resort to the lord born all of a sudden” and concluding with “ Sadā Śivam” the Vedic text clearly expresses the five Brahmans. 21. The five deities shall be known comprising the subtle form of Brahman. These are enlarged in the form of the idol of Śiva too. 22. The Mantra that expresses Śiva expresses his idol too, since there is not much of difference between the idol and the original. 23. I have already referred to the form of Śiva with Īśāna at the head. Now listen about his five faces. 24. Beginning with the fifth one the Sadyojāta and proceeding till Īśāna upwards are the five faces. 25-26. The four Brahmans constitute a Caturvyūha for lord Īśāna, the famous Brahman. These five together constitute the composite. O sage, from Puruṣa to Sadyojāta the four constitute the individual. 27. This set of five is the ‘wheel of blessing’. It is the same as Brahman. It is subtle; free from aberration and ailment. 28. The Anugraha or blessing is twofold: appearance and disappearance. The lord who bestows the greater and the lesser salvation to the souls is another. 29. This is the twofold function of Śiva for ever. The five functions of creation etc. come under Anugraha. 30. O sage, there too the deities Sadya etc. are of the form of the great Brahman. The five always bestow happiness. 31. The Anugraha cakra is the greatest bliss presided over by Sadāśiva. It consists of the digit beyond calmness. 32. This region is attainable by the pious ascetics who worship Sadāśiva, with the minds fixed on the Praṇava. 33-34. After attaining this region and enjoying vast pleasures along with the lord in the form of Brahman the sages attain equality with Śiva at the advent of the great dissolution. They never fall again in the ocean of the universe. 35. The eternal Veda says “Te brahmaloke” etc. The glory of Śiva is the composite form itself. 36. The Vedic text Atharvaśīrṣa says “Equipped with glory and prosperity”. The ability to bestow glory shall be mentioned of him alone. 37. There is no higher region than that of Śiva. This universe is only an extension of the five Brahmans. 38. Nivṛtti and the Kalās are the offshoots of five Brahmans. They are in the form of subtle elements well known as causes. 39. O sage of good rites, the set of five Brahmans is the cause of gross cosmos. 40. Puruṣa, ear, speech, sound and ether, this set of five is pervaded, O excellent sage, by the Brahman in the form of Īśāna. 41. Prakṛti, skin, hand, sense of touch and wind, this set of five, O great sage, is pervaded by Brahman as Puruṣa. 42. The ego, eye, foot, colour and fire, this set of five is pervaded by Aghora Brahman. 43. The intellect, tongue, arms, taste and water, this iet of five is pervaded by the Brahman Vāmadeva. 44. The mind, nose, organ of generation, smell and earth, this set of five is pervaded by the Brahman Sadya. The whole universe is identical with the five Brahmans. 45-46. Praṇava expressive of Śiva is taught through yantra. It is the composite of five letters. The four viz, Bīndu etc. constitute the form of yantra in the Śaiva cult. Praṇava is the highest Mantra—the very Śiva himself.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Henceforth I shall explain, O good-faced lady, the mode of creation for the set of four, Maheśa etc. from Sadāśiva. 2. Sadāśiva the lord of ether is the composite. The set of four, Maheśa etc. is the individualistic form. 3. Maheśa is a thousandth part of Sadāśiva. It has the form of Puruṣa for its face. It is the lord of wind too. 4. He is associated with Māyā Śakti on his left. He is Saguṇa having much activity. The set of four Īśvara etc. is his own Vyaṣṭi. 5. This set of four comprising Īśvara, Viśveśvara, Parameśvara and Sarveśvara is the excellent Tirobhāvacakra. 6. Tirobhāva is twofold. One concerns Rudra, the other the individual souls in view of their physical bodies. 7. The latter remains till equality in activity is achieved. When this is achieved, there remains only the lord of the form of blessing. 8. There all the Īśvaras who are glorified as the deities, are identical with the great Brahman itself, free from alternatives and ailments. 9. The Tirobhāva Cakra consists of the Śāntikalā. This excellent region is presided over by Maheśvara. 10. This region is attainable by those who serve Maheśa etc. It yields Sālokya liberation to the devotees of Maheśvara. 11. The image Rudra is born of a thousandth part of Maheśvara. He has Aghora for his face. He is the lord of the principle of fire. 12. He is associated with Gaurīśakti on his left. He is the cause of dissolution of the universe; of him alone is the Vyaṣṭi born—the set of four, Śiva etc. 13. This set of four consists of Śiva, Hara, Mṛda and Bhava. This wheel of dissolution, O sage, is wonderful and divine. 14-16. Dissolution has been classified into three. The first Nitya is the daily slumber of living beings. The second is the conditioned dissolution of Brahmā. The third is the final dissolution. The three have been indicated by the Vedic texts. O excellent sage, the dissolution has been classified into three by the illustrious Rudra for the maturing of the activities of individual souls and for their rest. The souls released from their recurring births are ultimately placed in the great Ātman itself. 17. Thus I have mentioned the three activities of Rudra in respect of dissolution. The five activities of the lord in respect of creation shall also be explained to you. 18. O sage, the deities Bhava etc. are identical with the great Brahman, being the cause of bliss. 19. This wheel of dissolution has Vidyārūpa Kalā. This healthy region is presided over by Rudra himself. 20 This region is attainable by those who desire the propitiation of Rudras. O sage, it yields the Sāyujya of Rudras gradually through Sālokya. 21. Viṣṇu was born from a thousandth part of Rudra. In the form of Vāmadeva wheel he is the presiding deity of the principle of water. 22. He is associated with Lakṣmī Śakti on the left. He is the protector of all. He has four arms. He has eyes as splendid as the lotus. He is dark-complexioned and bears the characteristics of Śaṅkha etc. 23. Of him alone is the set of lour Vāsudevas in the Vyaṣṭi form. It bestows liberation on the devotees of Viṣṇu engaged in worship through meditation. 24. This set of four consists of Vāsudeva, Aniruddha, Saṃkarṣaṇa and Pradyumna. This excellent wheel of sustenance is well known. 25. Sustenance means the protection of the existing universe along with its creator until the completion of the pleasures of the souls, the reapers of the fruit. 26. Protection is the activity of Viṣṇu. In the sustenance also the lord has five activities, viz; creation etc, 27. The deities of whom Pradyumna is the chief are absolute and without distress. They cause bliss to liberated souls. 28. O Brahmin, this wheel of sustenance which is permanent is presided over by Viṣṇu. It is the highest abode. 29. This region is attainable by those who serve the lotus-feet of Viṣṇu. This wheel yields Sālokya etc. to the devotees of Viṣṇu. 30. Brahmā was born of a thousandth part of Viṣṇu. He has the face of Sadyojāta and is the presiding deity of the principle of earth. 31. He is accompanied by the goddess of speech on his left. He is the creator and lord of the universe. He has four faces. He is red in complexion and his form is possessed of Rajas attribute. 32. Hiraṇyagarbha, Virāṭ, Puruṣa and Kāla, the four constitute his personal form. 33. O Brahmin, this wheel of creation is the cause of Brahma ’s sons and other sages. It bestows desires and happiness to the devotee. 34-35. Those who have the knowledge of creation know this to be the function of Brahman. Creation is the process of re-unification of the soul with the body previously annihilated—the body which along with the means, ancillaries and results comes out of Prakṛti for gradual enjoyment. It is pleasing as long as it holds good. 36. O sage, in the creation of the universe there are five functions of the lord. The present time etc. are the deities there. 37. This wheel of creation is in the form of turning round. This charming region is presided over by Brahman. 38. This region is attainable by those who have dedicated their minds to Brahmā. This indeed bestows Sālokya and other liberations on the devotees of Brahmā. 39. Even in regard to the set of four wheels the Praṇava indicates Maheśa etc. 40. O sage, this wheel of universe is glorified by the Śrutis. The Vedas eulogise it as the wheel with five spokes. 41. Although the wheel of the universe with its five constituents: creation etc. has five spokes, it develops and increases by Śiva’s energy. 42. It is called a “wheel” because it moves round and round with incessant dissolution and recreation like the whirling fire-brand. 43-44. Because of the immensity of creation it is called Pṛthu, the resultant of the Śakti of lord Śiva of immense splendour and of golden features. The wheel is dependent on golden splendour and is surrounded by water encompassed by fire. 45. Fire is surrounded by wind; wind by ether; ether by the primordial element and that by intellect. 46. Intellect is encompassed by the unmanifest. O sage, the universe is thus explained by the learned preceptors. 47. Such are the seven sheaths which protect the universe. The expanse of water is ten times more massive than the wheel. 48. The world above is ten times more than the one below. O leading sage, the universe shall be known thus by those who desire to know that. 49. It is by accepting this sense that the Śruti says “In the middle of water”. Of course the earth rotates as the wheel. 50. That Śiva alone accompanied by Śakti performs incessant sports through blessing, disappearance, dissolution, sustenance and creation. 51. O sage, of what avail is much talk? I shall tell you the essence. Śiva endowed with Śakti is all this. It is definite conclusion. Article published on 05 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. On hearing this truthful purport enunciated, by the preceptor the leading sage asked him about his doubt concerning the great Ātman. 2-3. O lord endowed with the power of knowledge and of the form of great bliss, I have heard the sweet meaning of Praṇava from your glorious lotus-like mouth and nourished intellect. My doubts have gone. O lord, Mahāsena, I ask you something else. Please listen. 4. Surely this universe from Sadāśiva to a worm is reflected in male and female forms everywhere. 5. Is the eternal cause of the universe in the form of a woman, or of a man or a eunuch? 6. Or is īt a mixture of both or something else? There has been no decision so far. Deluded by sacred scriptures scholars argue on this point in various ways. 7. The Vedas expatiating on the creation of the universe itself, Viṣṇu, Brahmā and other gods and the Siddhas do not know it. 8-10. Please explain so that the conflicting views may be resolved into one truthful interpretation. We say—“I know,” “I do”. This is accepted by all. There is no dispute about this. But I have some doubts. “Is there a form of the Ātman or is the Ātman identical with the body, sense-organs, mind, intellect and ego? The two are the points of dispute among many. 11-12. O lord, uproot this poisonous tree of doubt arising from ignorance. I shall be enlightened by you so that my mind may become the fertile ground for the growth of monistic knowledge of the Śaivite cult. O lord of gods, by your benign favour I shall become wise. 13. On hearing the enquiry of the sage full of Vedāntic topics, the lord smiled a little and unfolded the secret. 14. O sage, this very secret was narrated by Śiva while goddess Ambā and I listened. 15. Then I was fully satiated with the drink of her breast-milk. I listened to it and I came to a decisive thought. 16. O sage, I shall sympathetically explain the same to you. O son, it is the greatest secret. Please listen to it now. 17. The arguments in the philosophical text books are extensive beginning with those on Karmans and the principle of existence. But O sage, those arguments shall be listened to with discrimination by a wise person. Then it may yield wisdom. 18. You have taught many disciples. But among them who is like you? Those base persons are rotting in delusion even now, wrangling in the philosophical texts propounded by Kapila and others. 19. They indulged in insulting Śiva and hence were cursed by the seven sages. Their views should not be heard because they explain false notions. 20-22. There is no scope for inference that consists of the five syllogisms. On seeing smoke they say that there is fire too. But here, O sage, the world is the object of perception. Its cause and support, the great Ātman Śiva must be known directly. The universe in the form of male and female is directly perceived. 23-24. The physical body consists of six sheaths. The first three are born of the parts of the mother and the other three of the parts of the father. So says the Śruti. 25. The Śruti speaks of the Brahman as having the form of existence, knowledge and bliss. The word ‘existence’ is used in order to exclude the ‘non-existent’. 26-27. The exclusion of the insentient is effected by the word sentient. Of course the word Cit is used in all the three genders but it signifies here a male being. The word Cit in the feminine gender is a synonym of the word knowledge. If it is taken to mean ‘Light’, it is clear that it illuminates. 28. The pair Light and Cit is the cause of the universe. Similarly the Sat and the Cit are the causes of the universe. 29. In the self-same individual the feeling of Śiva and Śakti exists. If there is dirt in the oil or the wick there may be dirt in the light too. 30. Thus dirt and inauspiciousness is seen in the funeral fire also. Śivatva is due to illusion there. 31. There is weakness in the power of Cit in the individual soul. It is to exclude it that the conception of Śakti is ever present. 32. O sage, people say in the world: he is strong, he is powerful and in the Vedas too there is a similar expression. 33. Thus the Śivatva and Śaktitva is present in the great Ātman. The bliss from the union of Śiva and Śakti is ever rising. 34. Hence, O sage, sinless ascetics aiming at bliss fix their minds in Śiva and attain untainted auspiciousness. 35. The word Brahman in the Upaniṣads signifies Ātman collectively. It can be traced to the root Bṛh to increase or grow. 36. Growing in size and massiveness is ever present in Śiva constituting the five Brahmans. The word Brahman denotes the universe. 37. O Vāmadeva, due to my affection for you I shall explain the origin of the Praṇava when the word Haṃsaḥ is reverted. Listen attentively. 38. If the consonants Sa and Ha are removed it becomes Oṃ. It is the expression of the great Ātman. 39. It shall be known as the great Mantra by the expert sages. This great Mantra is subtle. I shall tell you its analysis. 40. The great Mantra is formed with “sa” and the sixteenth vowel (ḥ) = “saḥ” and “a” + “ha” with the fifteenth vowel (“ṃ”) = “aham” = (“so'ham”) 41. It is the inverted form of Haṃsa. The meaning of the letter ‘Sa’ is Śiva. The conclusion is, the Śakti form is expressed by the great Mantra. 42-43. At the instruction of the preceptor, the great mantra is Śiva in the form of Śakti. Hence the great mantra is the individual soul too. The individual soul is in the form of Śakti and is a part of Śiva. Due to the identity with Śiva it attains equality with Śiva. In the passage (of the Vedas) “ Prajñānam Brahma ” the meaning of “ Prajñānam ” is seen. 44. Undoubtedly the word “Prajñānam” is a synonym of consciousness. O sage, there is the aphorism. 45. Caitanya is the freedom in respect of the knowledge and activity of every thing in the universe. He whose nature is this is glorified as Ātman. 46-47. Thus a gloss on the aphorisms of Śiva has been mentioned by me. In another aphorism of Śiva viz; “ Jñānaṃ Bandhaḥ ” the lord speaks of the nature of individual souls. There the word Jñāna refers to vague knowledge and activity. 48-49. These two (knowledge and activity) are the first throbbing of the great Śakti. It is this Parā Śakti that the Śvetāśvataras eulogised joyously saying “Power of knowledge and activity is natural” They know the three eyes of Śiva constitute knowledge, will and activity. 50. When these reaching the centre of the mind become the object of perception on the part of sense-organs the individual soul enters these, then knows and acts. 51. Hence these are the features of the Ātman alone. I shall now explain then meaning of the creation indicating the identity with the Praṇava. 52. The eternal Śruti says “Om is this all.” Beginning with “verily from it”, the creation of the universe is glorified. 53. I shall mention the purport of the Vedic passage. Listen to that, O Vāmadeva, due to affection for you I say this. It is developed by the sense of discrimination. 54-55. It is certain that the union of Śiva and Śakti is the great Ātman. From Parāśakti is born the citśakti. Born of it is the power of bliss. The power of will is born of that. From this is born the power of knowledge and from this is born the power of activity, the fifth one. O sage, the Kalās — Nivṛtti etc. are born of these Śaktis. 56-57. Nāda and Bindu are born of cit and Ānanda Śaktis. O sage, the letter ‘ma’ is born of Icchāśakti. The fifth vowel ‘U’ is born of Jñāna Śakti and the letter ‘A’ is born of Kriyāśakti. The origin of the Praṇava has been mentioned thus. Now listen to the origin of the five Brahmans. 58. From Śiva is born Īśāna; from Īśāna the Puruṣa, from Puruṣa Aghora, from him Vāmadeva and from him Sadyojāta. 59-60. From these mātrās (of the praṇava) are born the thirty eight Kalās, Śāntyatītakalā is born of Īśana; Śāntikalā of Puruṣa; Vidyākalā of Aghora; Pratiṣṭhā and Nivṛtti of Vāmadeva and Sadyojāta. There are five pairs such as Īśāna and cit-śakti etc. 61. This set of five is the cause of activities such as Anugraha etc. as mentioned by the sages who know the principles. 62-63. O sage, the five dements beginning with the ether are born of this set of five letters of the Praṇava which constitute pairs based on the relationship of the word and its meaning. 64. Ākāśa has the only attribute of sound. The wind has the two: sound and touch. The fire has three: sound, touch and colour. 65. The water has four: sound, touch; colour and taste. The earth has five: sound, touch, colour, taste and smell. 66. This is the Vyāpakatva (pervasiveness) of the Bhūtas. The Vyāpakatva is in the inverse order beginning with smell. 67. The five Bhūtas constitute the universe. Virāṭ is the composite form of all. The universe is thus created. 68. It begins with the element of the earth and ends with the element of Śiva. After merging with each other they merge in the individual soul ultimately. 69. Accompanied by the energy it comes out again for the purpose of creation. It appears in the form of the gross cosmos and functions till the period of dissolution. 70. The primeval oozing of Śiva who attempts to create the universe at his will is called Śivatattva. 71. In view of its conformity with the activities this alone becomes the principle of his power of will. Between the two Śaktis of knowledge and activity if the knowledge predominates, the principle is Sadāśiva. 72. O sage, know that as Maheśvara Tattva when the activity is predominant. If there is equality between the two Śaktis know that as the form of pure knowledge. 73-74. After withdrawing his form of great glory with the intellect comprehending the difference between the illusion and reality among various emotions in the form of his own part when Śiva becomes the recipient of all objects through illusion, he is called Puruṣa, the creator. The Vedic text says “Tatsṛṣṭvā” (after creating it). 75. He is transformed as the individual soul deluded by Māyā and devoid of the knowledge of Śiva. His intellect is deluded by different activities. 76. It is the individual soul that is deluded and not the lord. Because the former considers himself different from Śiva. 77. As the magician so also the Yogin has no illusion. Śiva is of perfect knowledge and this is revealed by the preceptor. 78-79. The five Śaktis of Śiva are: activity, knowledge, completeness, eternality and pervasiveness. Even in their shrinking forms they shine always. 80-81. There is a set of five Tattvas of the individual soul, viz, Kalā, Vidyā, Rāga, Kāla and Niyati. Kalā is the cause of doing anything. Vidyā is the means of certain Tattvas. Rāga is the attachment to the sense-objects. 82. Kāla is the illuminator of positive and negative appearances. Being a separating factor it is called Bhūtādi. 83. Niyati means the factor that discriminates and ordains. “This shall be done and this shall not be done by me.” It is a Śakti of the lord. Sotting it at nought the individual soul falls. 84. This set of five is called “the five sheaths” in view of its nature of enveloping the form. It is the innermost and most essential means. Article published on 05 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. You have mentioned before that the Puruṣa is placed beneath the Niyati and is above Prakṛti. How is it that you say now that it shrinks in form through Māyā and is beneath it. O lord, it behoves you to clear this doubt of mine. 3. This is the Śaivite philosophy of non-dualism. Nowhere does it brook duality. Duality perishes and the non-dualism remains imperishable. 4. The omniscient, omnipotent, Śiva, the Nirguṇa lord of all, the progenitor of the three deities, the Brahman, is formed of existence-knowledge-bliss. 5. That lord Śiva himself, out of his own will, through his own Māyā appears shrinking in size and becomes Puruṣa. 6. He is conceived as the enjoyer through the set of five— Kalās etc. Thus the Puruṣa stationed in Prakṛti enjoys the Guṇas born of Prakṛti. 7. The presence in two places of the Puruṣa is not incompatible. He is the composite of Jñana etc. of both shrinking and intrinsic forms. 8-9. The principle of the mind Prakṛti consists of Buddhi, Manas and Ahaṃkāra achievable through the Guṇas Sattva etc. The Guṇas are born of the Prakṛti, the Sāttvaic from Sattva and so on. From the Guṇas the intellect takes its origin. It is the cause of decisiveness in the objects. 10. From Buddhi the principle of intellect is born and from it ego. From the ego the sense-organs of knowledge. The mind has two aspects—thought and doubt. 11-12. The sense-organs are ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose and the qualities particularly sensed through those organs are sound, touch, colour, taste and smell. The Tanmātras are born from the Vaikārika Ahaṃkāra. 13. They are called subtle principles by the sages. Now understand the organs of activity and their functions. 14. O sage, they are the organs of speech, hand, feet, anus, penis and the vaginal passage. Their functions are speaking, handling, moving, evacuation and the sexual pleasure. 15. The subtle elements originated in order from the ego, are the cause of the elements. Their subtle forms are sound etc. 16. From them are born in order the ether, wind, fire, water and the earth. O sage, they are known as the five elements. 17. Their functions are giving space, blowing, cooking, force and supporting. 18. O Skanda, you have mentioned before that the elements were created from Kalās etc. How is it that it is being mentioned in another manner? I have great doubt here. 19. “The letter ‘A’ is the Ātmatattva; the letter ‘U’ is ‘ Vidyā ’; the letter ‘Ma’ is Śivatattva. O Vāmadeva let this be thought over thus. 20. “The Bindu and Nāda have essence of all the principles. O sage, listen now to what the deities therein arc. 21. They are Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Maheśvara and Sadāśiva. They are the images of Śiva himself well known in the Vedas 22. This is what you have said before. Now you say in another manner that they are born of the subtle elements. I have a great doubt in this matter. 23. Therefore, O Skanda, it behoves you to favour me by clearing the doubt. On hearing the words of the sage, Kumāra replied thus. 24-26. O intelligent sage, listen with respect and attention. O sage, in accordance with the Vedic text “Tasmād Vai Etasmād” etc. it is certain that the five Bhūtas are born of the Kalās. They are in the form of the gross cosmos. This explains the body of the lord of Bhūtas (Śiva). In the order of the coming up of the Tattvas from Śiva Tattva to the principle of the earth, O sage, they shall be mentioned as originating from the subtle elements in order. 27. There shall be identity between the subtle elements and the Kalās as causes of the Bhūtas. O excellent among those who know the Brahman, know that there is no mutual antagonism here. 28. In the cosmos both subtle and gross are born the planets: moon, sun stars, etc. 29-32. The deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa and others, the various living beings, Indra and other guardians of the quarters, gods, Pitṛs Asuras, Rākṣasas, human and other mobile beings, beasts, birds, worms, serpents, trees, hedges, creepers and herbs, the eight mountains, the seven rivers Gaṅgā and others, the oceans of great prosperity whatever object is there in the world all are established here. 33. This universe of the form of female and male, of the form of Śiva and Śakti shall deserve attention of learned men like you, experts in the Śaiva knowledge. 34. O sage, the Śruti says “Think that everything is Brahman, everything is Rudra.” Thus Sadāśiva is the Ātman of the universe. 35. Due to the concept of thirty-eight Kalās the concept of duality is ever present but he who has purified the Ātman by the concept “I am Sadāśiva” becomes the preceptor Śiva. 36. Such a disciple becomes the preceptor Śiva himself. He attains the form of the Yantra, mantra and the cosmic deity itself. 37. O Brahmin, the disciple whose bondage is severed due to the favour of the preceptor and who is engaged in Śiva’s worship becomes a lofty soul indeed. 38. They say that whatever exists whether a composite unit or an analysed piece is the meaning of the Praṇava in view of the predominence of the Guṇas. 39. Out of affection I have explained the non-dualistic principle to you. It is pleasing to Śiva, it is devoid of aberrations; it is the essence of the Vedas. 40-41. If anyone whether a god or a human being, Siddha or Gandharva, out of arrogance considers this statement otherwise, I shall cut off his head evenly with my good trident which is like a black fire to the enemies. 42. O sage, you yourself are the most excellent of those who know the non-dualistic nature of Śiva. You are the guide for good behaviour on the occasion of the instruction of Śaivite knowledge. 43. An impious ghost got his sins removed by the contact with the ashes on your body. By your grace he attained the supreme goal. 44. You are a Śiva yogin, an asset to the three worlds. At your benign glance even the individual soul becomes the supreme soul. 45. It is for instructing the world that a noble soul as yourself look up to me with respect. Indeed the saints wander here and there for helping the wide world. 46-47. This great secret is founded in you. You too, abide by the Praṇavas alone with respect, faith and devotion and unite them with Parameśvara helping people grasp Śaivite conduct including Bhasma and Rudrākṣa. 48. You are Śiva indeed. You follow Śaivite conduct and have understood the concept of non-dualism Wandering about for the welfare of the world you will attain an everlasting happiness. 49. After hearing this wonderful cult of Vedānta, explained by Kārttikeya the sage became very humble. He bowed many times and prostrated before him. He behaved like a bee hovering round his lotus-like feet.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. On hearing that extremely wonderful secret, the essence of the Vedānta, what did Vāmadeva ask of the son of Maheśvara ? 2. Blessed indeed is the Yogin Vāmadeva, who is ever engaged in Śaivitc activities and about whom this divine and highly sacred story has come about. 3. On hearing these words, pregnant with love, of the sages, the delighted Sūta, the scholar whose mind is attached to Śiva, spoke to them. 4. You are all blessed. You are the devotees of lord Śiva You help all the worlds, O sages, you hear further their conversation. 5. On hearing the words of Kārttikeya, that quell dualism and produce non-dualistic knowledge the sage became delighted. 6. After bowing to Kārttikeya, son of Śiva and eulogising him in various ways the great sage asked him again regarding the principles, with great humility. 7. O lord Kārttikeya, O ocean of nectar, O knower of all principles, how can the ascetics of purified souls attain the position of a preceptor? 8. They cannot have the authority to instruct without a tradition following which the individual souls attain worldly pleasures and salvation. 9. Similarly how is the ceremonial ablution an ancillary to the rite of shaving? O lord, herein I intimate to you this doubt of mine. It behoves you to clear it. 10. On hearing the words of Vāmadeva Kārttikeya began to explain after thinking upon Śiva and Śivā. 11. I shall explain Yogapaṭṭa whereby one attains the state of a preceptor. It is a great secret that yields salvation and O Vāmadeva, it is due to my affection to you that I mention it to you. 12-15. During any of these months Vaiśākha, Śrāvaṇa, Āśvina, Kārttika, Mārgaśīrṣa or Māgha, on an auspicious day in the bright half, either on the fifth or on the full moon day the disciple shall finish his daily morning duties. Taking permission from the preceptor he shall take his bath. With restrained mind he shall sit on his hams. With a cloth he shall wipe off the limbs. He shall wear two cloths after tying the waist-band with twice-spun thread. He shall then wash his feet and perform Ācamana twice. After dusting his body with Bhasma he shall wear Tripuṇḍra marks with Sadyādi mantra. 16-17. O sage, the preceptor shall grasp the disciple with his hands and make him sit facing east on a well decorated platform on a pure excellent seat—a cloth, a deerskin or Darbha grass. The disciple shall be wrapped in the cloth. 18. Then he shall take a conch with its stand and purify it with Astra mantra. He shall then place it in front of him on a favourable position. 19. After worshipping the conch with its pedestal with flowers he shall pour pure water into it sanctified by Astra and Varma mantras. 20. After filling it, it shall be worshipped again in the manner mentioned in Ṣaḍaṅga Pūjā. Then he shall repeat the Praṇava seven times. 21. He shall worship it with scents and flowers and show lights and incense. He shall then cover up the conch with Astra and Varma mantras. 22-23. He shall then show the mystic gestures of the cow and conch. In a pure spot to the south of the conch and in front of him he shall make a beautiful and auspicious Maṇḍala according to the rules of worship and worship it with sweet scents and flowers. 24-25. He shall place a pot on its pedestal. It shall be pure and scrubbed well. Threads should be neatly tied round it. It shall be fumigated with incense and filled with pure fragrant water. Five barks, five sprouts and five types of clay shall be mixed with sweet smelling substances and smeared over it, O great sage. 26. That pot shall be decorated and embellished with cloths, mango leaves, Dūrvā grass, coconut flowers and other articles. 27. O great sage, he shall put five gems into the pot or if they are not available he shall put gold into it. 28. The five gems are: amethyst, ruby, gold ingot, coral and onyx. 29. After uttering the mystic syllables “Nṛmlaskam” and “Glūm” in the end he shall perform worship in a favourable manner in accordance with the rules. 30. He shall invoke the lord along the path of five coverings in the manner prescribed for sacrifices, beginning with Ādhāra Śakti and then worship. 31. He shall offer milk pudding and cooked rice as Naivedya and the betel leaves as before. After the adoration with the repetitions of eight names, the other mantras shall be chanted. 32-33. Praṇava shall be repeated hundred and eight times. The five Brahmans beginning with Sadyojāta and ending with Īśāna shall be meditated upon. It shall be covered with Astra and Varma mantras. Incense and lights shall be waved with devotion. He shall then show the mystic gestures of cow and the vaginal passage clearly. 34. The preceptor shall then cover the vessel on the top with the Darbha grass. He shall then make a square to the northeast of the Maṇḍala. 35. Then a beautiful seat shall be put over the square in accordance with the rules. He shall then make the boy disciple sit on it in a comfortable posture. 36. The preceptor shall raise the vessel. Repeating “Svasti” he shall pour water on the head of the disciple making a circle with the inverted pot. 37. After uttering the Praṇava once first and then seven times with the names of five Brahmans he shall encircle him at the end of the ablution with the water from the conch. 38. After the rite of waving the charming light he shall wipe him with a towel. The disciple shall be made to wear a new waistband, a loin-cloth and two wearing cloths. 39-40. The feet shall be washed and Ācamana performed twice. Holding the ashes in his hands the preceptor shall smear it over the body of the disciple who is led into the Maṇḍapa and comfortably seated. 41. The preceptor shall be seated with the disciple facing the cast and desirous of spiritual knowledge. The preceptor shall tell him—“Be pure in soul.” 42-43. He shall sit steady in a trance for a short while thinking “I am the preceptor—Śiva. He shall open his eyes with the mind favourably disposed towards him and without excitement glance at the pupil who is sitting with palms joined in reverence. 44. With his hand smeared with the ashes he shall touch the head of the pupil and instruct in his right ear clearly “ Haṃsaḥ Soham.” 45. “The first Ham means Śakti-Soul. Saḥ means Śiva. I am he alone.” Thus he shall reveal the meaning. 46-47. After instructing him in the meaning of “Yaḥ Aṇu’ he shall express clearly the meaning and purport of the statements in the middle. He shall tell him clearly, “O Brahmin, I shall tell you the statements. Listen and retain them in your mind.”

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] Now the great statements: perfect knowledge is Brahman; I am Brahman; thou art that. This Ātman is Brahman. All this is pervaded by the lord. I am the vital breath. Ātman is perfect knowledge; what is here is there; what is there is here. It is other than what is known; verily it is other than what is unknown too. This is your soul, the immanent and the deathless one. He who is in this Puruṣa and he who is in the sun both are the same. I am the great Brahman, the greatest, greater than the greatest. I am myself (the Brahman) characterised by bliss, since I am the master of the Vedas and the Śāstras. Brahman is stationed in all living beings. Undoubtedly I am that alone. I am the vital breath of the elements: of the earth, of the waters, of the fire, of the wind, of the ether and of the three Guṇas. I am all. I am the Ātman of all. I transmigrate. I am without a second because I have everything in my Ātman—past, present and future. Indeed all this is Brahman. I am all. I am the liberated. He who is this is I; I am he; I am Haṃsa; I am he. This shall be meditated upon always and everywhere. 1. The meaning of the statement—“Perfect knowledge is Brahman” has already been made known. Parameśvara the Śakti -soul is the meaning of the word Aham. 2. ‘A’ is the foremost among all letters. It is the greatest splendour ‘ Śiva ’. The letter ‘Ha’ is of the form of firmament. It is glorified as the Śakti-soul. 3. Bliss is ever-rising due to the union of Śiva and Śakti. The word Brahman indicates the state of being Ātman of all, of Śiva and Śakti. 4. That has been taught before. The devotee shall meditate “I am he” “That you are;” in this the meaning of “That” has already been explained. 5-6. Otherwise there is a likelihood of opposite conception in “I am he” whereas the word “I” is in the masculine, the word “That” is in the neuter. Hence due to the incompatibility they cannot be interpreted together. The cause of the universe, of male and female forms, cannot be otherwise. The concept of the meaning of the instruction is: “Thou art that.” 7. In the statement “This Ātman is Brahman” both the words are in the masculine. All this worthy of protection is pervaded by the lord. 8-9. “The Ātman is the perfect knowledge: what is here is there; he who is here is there.” The concept is very well interpreted by the scholars. 10-12. In the statement “It is other than what is known and what is unknown”, there is a likelihood of adverse interpretation and conception in regard to the fruit of salvation. I shall explain, O sage, how this misinterpretation shall be prevented. “What is known” means “what is known not properly.” What is unknown” means “What is not known before.” Otherwise the expression may not be conducive to any meaning. 13-14. “This is your soul, the immanent, and the immortal one.” It is Śiva himself, who is in the Puruṣa, or in the sun. Here the two conditions indicate that there is no separateness in the lord. 15-17. Verily the Vedas mention lord Śiva as golden. “Golden-armed” refers to his limbs being golden. Otherwise the lordship cannot be his. In the Chāndogya also in the passage “He who is in Śiva” is mentioned with golden moustache, golden tresses. Everywhere from the nail till the hair he is golden. 18. I shall tell you me purport of the statement “I am the great Brahman”. Please listen. 19. The meaning of ‘Aham’ is Śakti-soul. Śiva is indicated thereby. “I am he alone”. The statement can be construed thus. 20-21. He is mentioned as the great Brahman, most sublime and the soul of all: “ Para, Apara, Parātpara.” The words Rudra, Brahmā and Viṣṇu are mentioned in the Vedas. The lord is greater than these. This is indicated by the word ‘Para’. 22. By pondering over and practising the words of the Vedas, Śāstras and the preceptor, Śiva, the blissful lord appears in the heart of the pupil. 23. Śiva is stationed in all living beings. Undoubtedly I am he. I am the vital breath of all the Taitvas. I am Śiva. 24-26. After mentioning the Tattvas the Śāstras mention the Tattvas and Guṇas severally. The statement “I am the vital breath of all”, O sage, includes the principles in entirety. By saying “I am all” he means “I am the vital breath of the Vidyātattva and the Tattvas of Śiva and Ātman”. Hence “I am the Ātman of all”. Since the individual soul is immanent as well, I am his Jīva always. 27. What is past, what is yet to be, what is present-all these are identical with me. Hence I am all. All is Rudra. 28. O sage, the Śruti says that it has originated from Śiva’s mouth. “I am the soul of all”, because the great qualities are ever present in me. 29. “I am without a second” because there is no other Ātman distinct from the self. The statement “indeed all this is Brahman” has been explained before. 30. I am complete because of my positive aspect. I am ever liberated. All the souls resorting to my nature are liberated due to my grace. 31. “I am he who is Śiva, the soul of all and identical with all. I am Haṃsa. I am Śiva.” This is the meaning of all statements, O Vāmadeva, as mentioned by Śiva. 32. The preceptor shall communicate to the pupil the meaning as declared by Śiva and explained in the Vedīc passages. It establishes the identity of men with Śiva Himself. 33. He shall then take the conch with the pedestal and purify it with Bhasma and the Astra mantra. He shall put it before the disciple on the square and worship it. 34. He shall worship it with scents repeating Om. It shall be filled with scented water invoked by Astra mantra and filtered with a cloth. It shall be worshipped with the Praṇava Om. 35-36. It shall be worshipped repeating Om seven times. He who makes the slightest slip has to face the greatest terror. So says the Śruti. He shall then address the disciple himself, “Be steady-minded and fearless”. Meditating on the lord he shall continue the worship. 37. He shall worship the seat, of the disciple with the rite of “Ṣaḍutthāpana.” After conceiving Śiva’s seat he shall install an idol of Śiva. 38-39. He shall fix on the head and the body of the disciple, the five Brahmans, beginning with the head and ending with the feet. He shall also fix the Kalās of the Praṇava too in the forms of the thirty-eight mantras as distinguished by the trunk, face and Kalās. After invoking Śiva he shall show the mystic gestures of the Kalās. 40. He shall then perform the Nyāsa of the limbs. The sixteen forms of ancillary services beginning with the offering of the seat shall also be performed. 41. Milk pudding shall be offered as Naivedya repeating Om Svāhā. The rites of offering water for gargling and Ācamana, Arghya, incense, lights etc. shall also be performed. 42-45. After worshipping with the eight names he shall perform the Japa along with brahmins well-versed in the Vedas. Passages from the Śrutis: “The knower of Brahman attains.” “ Bhṛgu the son of Varuṇa ” “He who of gods” and ending with “He who is the greatest is Maheśvara ” shall be recited. Taking a garland of Kalhāra flowers he shall stand up and recite the “ Siddhi Skandha” section in the Pañcāśika Text of Śrīvirūpākṣa. Thereafter thinking thus “This is my fame. I am complete” and feeling favourably disposed towards him the preceptor shall put the garland round the neck of the disciple. 46. The caste mark on the forehead and the application of the unguent over the body shall be carried out in accordance with his cultural custom. 47-49. The preceptor shall assign a name to him prefixed with the title Śripāda. He shall offer him an umbrella and sandals. He shall delegate to him the power of oratory, authorise him to accept scat in front since the disciple has now become Śiva himself. He shall tell him to be conscious that he is Śiva. The preceptor shall make obeisance in accordance with the tradition in the cult. 50. The disciple shall then stand up and prostrate before his preceptor, the preceptor’s preceptor and the other disciples of his preceptor. 51. When the disciple has finished the customary obeisance he shall stand humbly and silently like a well behaved disciple. The preceptor shall tell him like this. 52. “From now onwards be engaged in blessing the worlds. Accept a disciple only after testing him for a year. Accept him duly. 53. Eschew the faults of lust etc. and be devoted to meditation on Śiva. Associate with those who have inherited good tradition and not with others. 54. Till the end of your life never take food without worshipping Śiva. Abiding by your devotion to the preceptor be happy, be happy.” 55. In this manner the excellent preceptor, sympathetic and scholarly, shall be favourably inclined towards the disciple. 56. O Vāmadeva, O great sage, out of affection for you the mode of the consecration of the disciple has been mentioned to you though it is a great secret. 57. After saying this Kārttikeya narrated the procedure of hair-cutting and ablution in detail intending to favour the ascetics (anxious to hear him).

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. O sage Vāmadeva I shall now explain the rules of hair-cutting and ablution. These if performed immediately are conducive to great purity of the ascetic. 2. O sage, after the consecration as a disciple he shall observe the other rites and get ready for the tonsorial ceremony. 3. He shall bow to the preceptor and secure permission from him. After washing the head and performing the Ācamana he shall have the tonsure while putting on cloth. 4. After that he shall wash the cloth, the razor etc. with water and clay. The barber also shall be given clay and asked to wash his hands. 5-6. Repeating “Śivam” “Śivam” he shall sprinkle every object with water. He shall then close his eyes with the ring-finger and the thumb. Repeating the Astra mantra he shall open his eyes and look at the razor and other implements of tonsorial rite. Repeating the mantra twelve times he shall sprinkle them with the Astra mantra. 7. He shall take the razor and cut off a patch of hair on the right side. Then a few hair on the front, then the entire hair shall be shaved off. 8. The hair shaven off shall be put on a leaf and not allowed to fall on the ground. The beards, the moustache also shall be shaven. Nails of the hands and feet shall be pared. 9-10. He shall take clay from the root of Bilva, Aśvattha or Tulasi. He shall plunge into water twelve times and come to the bank. He shall place the clay on a pure spot of ground and divide it into three parts. Each part shall be divided into three. It shall be sprinkled with water with the Astra mantra. 11. Taking a lump of clay he shall wipe off his hands with it twelve times. Each of the hands shall be separately washed with water. 12. Another lump of clay shall be used similarly for the feet, another lump for the face, another for the arms and so on. After smearing and washing he shall enter water again. 13. Another lump of clay shall be divided into twelve and applied over the beard. He shall then plunge into the water again. 14. He shall come to the bank, gargle sixteen times, perform Ācamana twice and Prāṇāyāma sixteen times repeating the Praṇava. 15. He shall divide another lump of clay into three. With one part he shall purify the hips and feet and perform Ācamana twice. 16. Repeating the Praṇava he shall perform Prāṇāyāma silently sixteen times. He shall take another part of the clay lump and apply it on his thighs thrice repeating “Om”. 17. He shall sprinkle water over it repeating Om seven times. He shall apply the clay on the palms once in the beginning and thrice afterwards. Then he shall glance at the holy disc of the sun. 18-19. With another lump of clay he shall purify the armpits by means of the hands on the opposite sides. With steady and pure mind the disciple shall take another lump of pure clay and smear his body from head to foot with devotion to the preceptor and eyes fixed in the sun. 20. Fixing the staff on the ground he shall stand up and remember his preceptor who has taught him the mantra with devotion strengthened by wisdom. 21. He shall devoutly remember Sāmba, Maheśāna, Śaṅkara, the moon-crested Śiva, the lord of prosperity and glory. 22. He shall prostrate before the preceptor Śiva thrice with eight limbs and once with five limbs touching the ground and stand up making obeisance. 23. He shall enter the river again and plunge once. Coming up he shall apply the clay on the shoulders in the manner mentioned before. 24. The remaining clay he shall take up and dissolve it in the water and then apply it all over his body. 25. He shall repeat ‘Om’ thrice and remember the lotus-like feet of Śiva which enable him to cross the ocean of worldly existence. 26. Repeating Om he shall pour water over his body besmeared with the Bhasma of the Virajā Homa. He shall wipe the body, take his bath and apply Dharma. 27. O sage, then he shall carefully apply Tripuṇḍra in accordance with the rules. 28. After paying obeisance to Maheśvara, the preceptors, holy centres and others he shall perform the midday rites. 29. O sage, with great devotion he shall worship Śiva accompanied by Śivā and the bestower of perfect knowledge, the protector of the three worlds. 30. With steady mind, abiding by his virtuous duties and pure in body, he shall go to good brahmin householders for alms. 31. He shall divide the alms into five parts and do with them as proper. He shall avoid defiled food. 32. A mendicant shall perform four activities: Purificatory rites, ablution, begging for alms and resorting to isolated places for meditation. He has no fifth rite. 33. He shall use only four types of begging bowls, that made of dried gourd, or of bamboo, or of wood or of clay. He shall not take any other type of bowl. 34. Six things are forbidden to the ascetics: chewing the betel, using the metallic vessel, emission of semen, white cloth, sleeping during the day and taking meal at night. 35. If they observe the rules they are wise. If they do not they are Rākṣasas. The ascetic shall never indulge in activities contrary to the rules. 36. He shall perform the post-shaving ablution assiduously for purity, remembering mentally the supreme Brahman Sadāśiva. 37. O sage, thus out of affection for you, the rites of post-shaving ablution I have explained to you. What else do you wish to hear?

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. There are no crematory rites for the liberated ascetics. I have heard that they are buried. O Kārttikeya, my preceptor, please mention that rite lovingly. There is none in the three worlds who can explain the same. 3-4. O lord, son of Śiva, considering me as your disciple please tell me lovingly the mode of departure for those who are liberated from the corporal cage after realising perfect identity with the Brahman and who have attained their goal after liberation through the path of Upāsanā. 5. On hearing the request of the sage, the son of Śakti, destroyer of demons spoke about the great secret which had been heard from Śiva by Bhṛgu. 6. It is this secret, O sage, that was explained to Bhṛgu, the devotee of Śiva by the omniscient Pināka -bearing lord himself. 7. O Brahmin, I shall explain it to you. It shall not be given to any or every one indiscriminately. It shall be given to a calm disciple equipped with devotion to Śiva. 8. If there is any ascetic who has quit his body while in trance with his devotion for Śiva he becomes Śiva himself. 9. If there is such a person devoid of concentration who docs not attain Samādhi, I shall mention the means of remedy for him. Listen attentively. 10. On hearing from his preceptor the lore of Vedānta and Āgamas along with the explanation he shall practise Yoga by means of Yama, Niyama etc. 11. O sage, practising it regularly the ascetic shall be attached to Praṇava and be well-engaged in the meditation on Śiva. 12. If he is devoid of courage due to physical weakness, he shall remember Śiva with specific desires and cast off his worn-out body. 13. O sage, there are five deities in the forms of messengers who by the favour of Sadāśiva are put in the charge of Nandin. 14-16. One of them has the shape of a self-killer (fire). Another has a mass of splendour as body. A third is the presiding deity of the day. The fourth is the presiding deity of the bright half of the month and the fifth one is in the form of the sun’s transit from capricorn to cancer. These five are engaged in blessing. Another set of five deities is also well known: Dhūmrā, Tamasvinī, Rātri, Kṛṣṇapakṣābhimāninī, Dakṣiṇāyana. O great sage Vāmadeva, now listen to their activities. 17. The five deities, O sage, take the souls interested in performing holy rites to the heaven by their merit. 18. After enjoying the pleasures in heaven as mentioned, at the diminution of the merit they return to the human realm and take births as before. 19-20. The deities employed in activities divide the sphere beginning with the earth into five in the order of fire etc. They then take the ascetic to Sadāśiva’s region. Having led him to the honoured feet of the lord, the deities of blessing stand behind the lord. 21-22. On seeing him come, if he is unattached, Sadā -Śiva lord of the gods teaches him the purport of the great mantra; crowns him as the chief of the Gaṇas and gives him a body similar to his. Śiva lord of all, leader of all, blesses him thus. 23-31. The ascetic is decorated with the deer-skin, axe, trident and the gesture of offering boons. It has three eyes. His matted locks shine by the splendour of Gaṅgā and the crescent moon. He is seated on a splendid aerial chariot. He is delegated the power of bestowing all desires. If he is attached the lord blesses him with an aerial chariot having the speed of the mind, capable of going everywhere, shining like a crore of suns, cool like a crore of moons, full of vessels with celestial nectar and divine water, decorated with divine garments, garlands, unguents and ornaments charming with the sounds of dance, music, Mṛdaṅga and other instruments and surrounded by Rudra virgins. When he has enjoyed all pleasures, when his eagerness for enjoyment subsides lord Śiva blesses him imparting to him the purport of the great mantra. He blesses him with immovable trance in the form “I am Śiva, I am perfect”. He blesses him with unrestricted Siddhis capable of creating the sun etc. The Siddhis are in the form of throbbings arising from realisation that he is the slave of Śiva. The preceptor of the world bestows on him the greatest salvation devoid of return even when the life of the lotus-born deity comes to an end. 32. The attainment of this region is the accumulation of all prosperity and glory. It is the highway to salvation, the conclusion of Vedāntas. 33. When the ascetic of good, tradition is slowly dying the other ascetics shall stand around him with their attitude in conformity with their wishes. 34-35. They shall recite the statements beginning with Praṇava and explain their purport with the pious mind. They shall remind him of Śiva the great Nirguṇa splendour and make obeisance to him till he expires. 36. The procedure of obsequies shall be followed. If their bodies are not cremated they are likely to miss the good goal. 37. Since they have renounced all their activities and have resorted to Śiva, if the king defiles their bodies his kingdom will be ruined. 38. The people of that village too will suffer distress. The following procedure shall be taken up to avoid that default. 39. Humbly the king shall begin with “obeisance to Iriṇya” and recite the mantra ending with “obeisance to Āmīvatkas”. 40. Repeating Om in the end he shall complete the worship of the lord. O great sage, this procedure will quell the defect. 41. His sons and relatives shall perform the obsequies according to the rules. 42-43. He shall be bathed with water and worshipped with flowers etc. repeating the mantras of Śrīrudra, Camaka and Rudrasūkta in order. The conch shall be placed before him and he shall be sprinkled with the water therein. A flower shall be placed on the head and his body shall be wiped repeating the Praṇava. 44. The loin-cloth shall be taken off and fresh one shall be tied. His body shall be dusted with the ashes in accordance with the rules. 45. Tripuṇḍra marks shall be applied in accordance with the rules, and a sandal-paste mark shall also be made. The body shall be decorated with flowers and garlands. 46. Repeating the requisite mantras Rudrākṣa garlands shall be worn over the chest, neck, head, arms, wrists and cars in order. 47. After fumigating with incense the body shall be lifted and placed on a rope-swing. It shall be placed on a charming chariot of the form of five Bahmans. 48. The chariot shall be decorated with fragrant flowers and garlands with the five Brahma mantras beginning with Sadyojāta preceded by Om. 49. The body shall be taken round in procession around the village to the accompaniment of dances, music and chanting of Vedic mantras. 50-56. The ascetics shall dig a ditch as deep as the staff in a holy spot near a holy tree on the eastern or northern side. They shall sprinkle it with water repeating the Praṇava and the Vyāhṛtis. They shall spread the leaves of the Śamī tree and flowers with their tips pointing to the north. Above them Darbha grass shall be spread. His seat whether cloth, deerskin or mat of Darbha grass shall be placed over them. The body shall be sprinkled with Pañcagavya with Praṇava and Brahma mantras. It shall be bathed with the water from the conch repeating Rudrasūkta and the Praṇava. A flower shall be placed on the head. Repeating the Svastivācana mantras and Om the body shall be lifted and placed inside the ditch in the Yogic pose facing the east. It shall be decorated with fragrant flowers and fumigated with incense and fragrant gum resin repeating the mantra “O Viṣṇu, protect the Havya ”. 57-58. The staff shall be placed in his right hand and the vessel full of water in the left, repeating the mantra “Prajāpate natvadetā”. With the mantra “ Brahmaja jñānam Prathamam” etc. his head and with the Rudra Sūkta the middle of the eyebrow shall be touched. 59. The skull shall be split with a coconut repeating the four mantras beginning with “Mā no Mahāntam” etc. Then the ditch shall be filled. 60-61. Touching the place, with the mind dwelling on nothing else, the performer of the obsequies shall repeat the five Brahma mantras and the mantra beginning with “Yo devānām” and ending with “Yaḥ paraḥ sa Maheśvaraḥ ” he shall worship Mahādeva, Sāmba, the panacea for the ills of the world, the omniscient, the non-dependent and the blesser of all. 62. Then a mud platform, two Aratnis square and one Aratni high, shall be erected and smeared with cow-dung. 63. A mystic diagram shall be inscribed in the middle and worshipped wilh fragrant flowers, Bilva leaves and Tulasī along with scented raw grains. 64. The waving of the lights fumigating with incense, milk and the food offering shall be offered with Praṇava. The grave shall be circumambulated. They shall them prostrate five times. 65. After repeating the Praṇava twelve times they shall again make obeisance. To every quarter and interstice food offering shall be offered with Praṇava. 66. Thus I have narrated the rites up to the tenth day. O great sage, now listen to the rites of the eleventh clay for ascetics.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. O sage, out of affection for you I shall explain the rite for ascetics on the eleventh day after death. 2-3. The performer of obsequies shall sweep the platform and smear it with cow-dung. He shall sprinkle water with Puṇyāhavācana mantras five times from the west to the east. He shall sit down facing the north and draw the mystic diagrams himself, the middle square of 18 cms in length. 4. The Bindu, triangle, hexagon and circle shall be drawn in order. The conch shall be placed in front in accordance with the rales of worship. 5. He shall perform the Prāṇāyāma and after due Saṃkalpa rite, be shall worship the five deities mentioned as messengers before. 6-8. He shall cast off Darbha grass to the north and not touch it again. Beginning with the west the Maṇḍalas shall be worshipped according to the rules for the rite of “Sadutthāpana.” Flowers shall be stacked within them like a pedestal with “Om Hrīm. I invoke the messenger goddess in the form of fire, obeisance”. This latter portion is common to the five. The gestures of installation shall be shown severally to each. 9. The Aṅganyāsas for the deities shall be performed with Hrām, Hrīm etc. The messenger goddesses shall have the noose, goad, gestures of fearlessness and wish in their hands. They are as lustrous as the lunar stone. 10. They have changed (or enhanced) the hue of the quarters by the lustre of their gemset rings. They wear red garments and shine with lotus-like hands and feet. 11. They look charming with their faces resembling the full moon and brilliant with three eyes. They are decorated with the crescent moon shining above their ruby-set coronets. 12 Their swinging ear-rings tickle their cheeks. They have plump and elevated breasts. They are charming with their necklace, shoulderlets, bangles and girdles. 13. Their waists are slender and buttocks large. They wear divine red garments. The ruby-set anklets jingle and tinkle in their lotus-like feet. The rings in their toes are very charming. 14. What blessing can be secured from a departed soul? Only from a powerful soul can everything be achieved as from Maheśa. 15. The five deities capable of all activities and eager to bless others are accepted by the lord as the bestowers of bliss. 16. After meditating on the auspicious deities eager to bless he shall offer Pādya at their feet with drops of water from the conch. 17. The water for Ācamana shall be offered in their hands and Arghya on their heads. He shall conceive of their ritualistic ablution with the drops of water from the conch. 18. Beautiful garments red in colour shall be offered along with upper cloths. Coronets and ornaments shall also be offered. 19. Fragrant sandal wood, auspicious Akṣatas and charming fragrant flowers shall also be offered. 20-21. Fragrant incense and lamp with wicks soaked in ghee shall be offered saying “I dedicalc everything.” Om should be uttered in the beginning and Namaḥ at the end. Then milk pudding with honey shall be offered along with ghee, sugar, sweet pie and plantain fruits stuffed with jaggery. 22. Different articles shall be heaped on separate plantain leaves and rendered fragrant. They shall be sprinkled with water uttering “Bhuḥ Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ”. 23. Naivedya shall be offered with; “Om Hrīm Svāhā ”. With “Namaḥ” water shall be offered with great devotion. 24. O excellent sage, thereafter the rite of Udvāsana shall be performed with devotion. The place shall be mopped clean beginning with the cast. Then water for gargling and Ācamana shall be offered with Arghya. 25. After offering Tāmbūla, incense and lights, the circumambulation and obeisance shall be performed. The deities shall be prayed with the joined palms placed on the head reverentially. 26. “May the glorious mothers be delighted. At the lotus-like feet of Parameśa let them recommend the protection of the deceased ascetic who is desirous of attaining the region of Śiva. 27. After ritualistically dismissing them along the way they had come, the remanents of the Naivedya shall be distributed among the virgins. 28. It shall be given to the cows or cast off into water: There is no other way of disposal. Pārvaṇa and not Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha shall be performed for an ascetic. 29. I shall now tell you the rules for the Pārvaṇa for your welfare. O sage, listen. 30-32. The performer of the Pārvaṇa shall take his bath, perform Prāṇāyāma with pious mind wearing the sacred thread as usual. Wearing the Darbha ring he shall say “On this auspicious Tithi I shall perform the Pārvaṇa Śrāddha.” In the place of Āsana Darbha grass shall be placed. After Saṃkalpa Darbhas shall be cast off to the north. Water shall be touched. He shall invite four Śaiva brahmins who are steady in their rites. The brahmins shall take oil bath after which they shall be made to sit. 33-34. “Ye all shall represent the Viśvedevas.” After saying this he shall say “obeisance to Ātman, Antarātman and Paramātman.” Then he shall touch their feet with devotion. 35. The feet of the brahmins shall be washed and they shall be made to sit facing the east. After decorating them with scents, sandal paste etc., they shall be led in front of Śiva 36-39. The ground shall be smeared with cow-dung. Darbha grass shall be spread with their tips to the cast. He shall perform Prāṇāyāma and the rite of saṃkalpa “I shall offer the Piṇḍa.” He shall then worship the Maṇḍala Ātman, Antarātman and the Paramātman turning the face back. “I am giving these Piṇḍas,” saying this he shall offer the Piṇḍas with devotion. Water from the Darbha grass shall be offered. Getting up he shall perform circumambulation and the Namaskāra. 40. After giving gifts to the Brahmins according to the rules he shall offer Nārāyaṇa Bali at the same spot on the same day. 41. Everywhere Viṣṇu shall be worshipped for protection. He shall perform the worship of Viṣṇu and offer milk pudding as Naīvedya. 42-43. He shall invite twelve brahmins who are masters of the Vedas. He shall worship them in the names of Keśava etc. with scents, flowers and Akṣatas. He shall propitiate them and offer them shoes, umbrella, cloth, according to the rules. He shall speak to them sweet, auspicious words. 44. He shall spread Darbha grass on the ground with their tips to the east. After saying “Bhūḥ Svāhā, Bhuvaḥ Svāhā, Suvaḥ Svāhā, Om.” He shall offer milk pudding as oblation. 45. O great sage, the rite of the eleventh day has been mentioned by me. O brahmin, I shall now explain the twelfth day rites. Article published on 06 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. He shall get up early in the morning on the twelfth day, take his bath and perform his daily rites. He shall invite some Śaiva ascetics or brahmin devotees of Śiva. After they had taken their baths they shall be fed at midday in accordance with the rules, offering them sweet and auspicious foodstuffs of various sorts. 3-4. In the presence of Parameśa they shall be worshipped in accordance with the Pañcāvaraṇa rites after performing Prāṇāyāma. As in the case of Mahāsaṃkalpa he shall perform the Saṃkalpa rite thus, “I shall perform the worship of the perceptor.” He shall then touch the Darbhas. 5. After washing his feet and performing Ācamana he shall make them sit facing east. Ashes shall be smeared all over the body. 6. O sage, the eight— Sadāśiva etc. shall be meditated upon and the brahmins shall be treated with respect. 7. He shall then meditate on Parameṣṭhi Guru as Sāmba with his own name. Paramaguru and Parāt Paraguru shall also be meditated upon. 8-11. He shall say “Here is the seat” and offer seat. With Om as prefix his name shall be mentioned in the accusative case with the addition “I invoke, obeisance”. He shall then offer Pādya, Ācamana, Arghya, cloth, scents and Akṣatas. They shall be decorated with flowers. Their names shall be mentioned in the Dative case with Om prefixed and worshipped with fragrant flowers. After fumigating with the incense and offering lights he shall say, “The entire rites of propitiation are over. May they be perfect and complete” and perform obeisance and get up. 12-14. Plantain leaves shall be spread and cleaned with water. Pure cooked nice, milk pudding, sweet pies, cooked dal, vegetable dishes, and other food stuffs shall be placed over them along with plantain fruits, coconuts and jaggery. Darbha grass is put under each leaf. These shall be sprinkled and the Pariṣecana, the sprinkling of foodstuffs shall be performed. He shall then say “Protect the Havya of Viṣṇu ” and make them touch the articles. 15. He shall stand up and offer giving water for drinking he shall request them thus, “May Sadāśiva and others be delighted with me and bestow boons on me”. 16. He shall then recite the mantra “Ye devā ” etc. and scatter Akṣatas. He shall prostrate, stand up and say “Everywhere may there be nectar”. 17-23. Saying this he shall propitiate them. Then repeating the mantra “Gaṇānāṃtvā” he shall recite Rudra, Camaka, Rudrasūkta and Pañcasūkta. After the brahmins had taken their meals they shall he given as many Akṣatas as there are mantras. Water shall be offered for drinking and washing hands, mouth and feet. When they had performed Ācamana they shall be comfortably seated. Pare water shall be given again. Camphor betel leaves shall be offered and Dakṣiṇās given. Gifts of sandals, scats, leaves, fans, planks and bamboo staff shall be made. They shall be circumambulated and prostrated and their blessings received. Making obeisance again they shall be requested for unflinching devotion to the preceptor. Saying “May Sadāśiva and others go delightedly and comfortably” he shall bid farewell to them. Till the door he shall follow them. When they forbid him follow further, he shall return and take food along with the other brahmins, kinsmen and the poor. He shall then feel contented and happy. 24. This is never affected. It is the truth. He who performs the rite of propitiation of the preceptor every year enjoys great pleasure here and attains Śivaloka hereafter. 25. After saying this to Vāmadeva his disciple blessed by himself, the wise lord Subrahmaṇya delighted in mind said:— 26. Since formerly this was mentioned to the sages of the Naimiṣa forest by the sage Vyāsa he is our first preceptor. You are the second one famous in the world. 27. Hearing this from the lotus-like mouth of yours the great sage Sanatkumāra, full of devotion to Śiva, shall mention this to Vyāsa. That excellent devour of Śiva will mention this to Śuka. 28. For every leading sage there will be four disciples. They will be masters of Vedic study and establish virtuous sacred rites. 29. The four disciples of Vyāsa are Vaiśampāyana, Paila, Jaimini and Sumantu. 30. O sage Vāmadeva, your disciples are Agastya, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu. 31-32. Sanaka, Sananda, Sanātanamuni, and Sanatsujāta, these great yogins, favourites of Śiva, the knowers of the Vedas are the disciples of Sanatkumāra. Thus these preceptors, great preceptors etc. are worthy of being worshipped by the yogin Śuka. 33. This perfect knowledge of Praṇava is well established in the four classes of disciples. Being the cause of great glory it is the cause of salvation at Kāśī. 34. This Maṇḍala as the seat of the great Śiva is wonderful. It is worshipped by the great sages conversant with the essence of Vedānta. It is enveloped by the ether as mentioned in the Vedas. May it be conducive to your satisfaction and the welfare of the world. May it yield glory and prosperity. 35. This is the secret par excellence as mentioned by Śiva. It is the conclusion of the Vedānta tenet. O sage, since it has been heard by you from me people call it as your tenet. 36. Hence an ascetic who treads along this path attains Śiva like the rivers that fall into the sea. By the repeated practice of the meditation “I am Śiva”, the ascetic becomes Śiva. He can grant salvation even to the class of beings Brahma etc. 37-38. After teaching this to, the sage the lord of gods remembered the lotus-like feet of his parents worshipped by the gods. Kumāra reached Kailāsa of many peaks, Kumāra the preceptor who bestows perfect knowledge. 39. Accompanied by his disciples and making obeisance to the peacock-vehicled lord, Vāmadeva too immediately left for the wonderful mountain Kailāsa. 40. After reaching the summit of Kailāsa the sage approached Śiva. He saw the feet of the lord and the goddess—the feet that bestow salvation and destroy illusion. 41. With great devotion he dedicated himself to him. He prostrated again and again and then got up. 42. Then the sage, with various Vedic and Śāstric hymns eulogised Śiva together with Ambā and their sons. 43. He put the lotus-like feet of the lord and the goddess on his head. With their blessings he stayed there comfortably. 44-45. All of you too shall learn the meaning of the Praṇava Maheśvara, the secret of the Vedas, of the Tāraka Brahman, the bestower of salvation. Remaining here itself comfortably you will attain the excellent salvation, the unequalled Sāyujya with the feet of Śrīviśveśvara. 46. I shall go to Badarikāśrama for serving the lotus like feet of my preceptor. Let us aspire for the opportunity of having excellent talk again.