76 - Mode of worshipping Chanda (attendant ofshiva)

Lord said:

1. (The worshipper)should approach (the image of Lord)shiva and address as follows: "O Lord I accept the merits of the worship and the oblations offered by me."

2. Weshould convey these to the lord with a firm mind along with the respectful offering of water and uttering the principal mantra preceded by the hrudbija (om) and the exhibition of the udbhava mudrā (a posture of fingers representing generation).

3. Then having worshipped as before and praising with hymns and saluting, (the worshipper)should offer the respectful offering of water with his face turned away (from the image) andshould say "Pardon me".

4. The lingashould be discharged by uttering the mantra of the weapon ending with phat coupled with the divine narachamudra (formation with fingers representing an iron arrow), itshould be merged with the mantra of the image.

5. After having worshipped god on the platform and having merged in himself the collection of mantras as laid down, the worship of Chapdashould be made.

6. Om salutations to Chandeśäna. Salutations to the image of Chanda at the centre. Om, hüm phat oblations to DhūlicandeSvara. Thus heshould be invoked.

7. Hüm phat to Chanda at the heart. Then om to Chanda on the head. Om hùm phat to Chanda on the tuft, to Chaņda, the protector and armour.

8. So also to Chaņda as the weapon hùm phat. Oneshould meditate on Chanda, born of the fire of Rudra and as carrying the mace, axe, rosaries and the anchorite's pitcher and as having a dark complexion.

9. The four-faced deityshould be worshipped in the halfcrescentshaped axe weapon (of Chanda). Oneshould repeat (the mantra) befitting one's capacity, being one-tenth of the principal worship.

10. Except the offerings such as the cow, earth, gold, clothes, gems and ornaments, the remains of offeringsshould be offered to Chandeśa.

11. Being ordered by Śiva, I have offered to you these articles of food and drink, betels, garlands and scented pastes, the ramnants of offering.

12. O Chanda! may all these acts of service (undertaken) by me by your order (be agrceable to you). Anyshortcoming or redundancy out of my ignorance may be made complete always.

13. Having submitted to the lord thus and offered the respectful water and contemplated his form, the mantrasshould be merged with the self with the mantra of the destructive deity andshowing slowly the samhära mudra (formation with the fingers (representing destruction) along with the principal mantra and taking a breath. The offering such as flowers etc.should then be removed and that place cleansed with cowdung dissolved in waters. After offering water respectfully oneshould conclude by rinsing one's mouth and do any other worship.

Summary of chapter 76 of the Agni Purāṇa is as follows:

The seventy-sixth chapter describes the worship of Caṇḍeśvara (also known as Caṇḍa or Caṇḍeśa) — the great devotee of Śiva who was elevated to the status of Śiva's chief among the gaṇa-s (attendants). Caṇḍeśvara is worshipped at the end of the daily Śiva pūjā as the final act before the worshipper leaves the temple. His four-armed form holding the axe (ṭaṅka) and the crescent moon, standing on the half-moon shaped maṇḍala in the northwest corner of the temple, is described. The singular honor of offering Śiva's own nirmāḷya (the flowers, bilva leaves, and other materials used in the day's worship) to Caṇḍeśvara — who as Śiva's chief devotee has the right to receive what Śiva himself has accepted — is prescribed. The year-end completion prayer offered through Caṇḍeśvara to Śiva is given.