88 - Mode of initiation which secures nirvana (liberation from existence)

 The Lord said: 

1. (The preceptor)should blend the beatific principle surpassing peace with the pure beatific principle of peace and write the principles of letters with that as before. Om, hrim, kshaum, haum, ham (are the syllables used for) the union. 

2-5. (Goddess) Śhakti and (God) Śhiva which are the two principles (of the universe), the eight perfections of the universe (known as) dipaka (illuminating), rochika (brightening), mochaka (delivering from bonds), ürdhvagami (ascending up), oyomarüpa (of the form of ether), anātha (not having any master), anashrita (not being dependent) and the eighth the syllable of om, the mantra of (lord) Ishäna, the sixteen letters beginning with the letter 'a' and ending with visarga (aspirated sound), the principal mantra, the two (occult nerves) kuhu andshankhini which are the cause for the body and the two winds devadatta and dhananjaya (should be contemplated as pervading the above). The senses of touch and hearing are considered as the materials of sense perception. The principle of sound is the predominating attribute. Its state is the fifth state exceeding that of the fourth state (the state in which the soul becomes one with the supreme soul). 

6. Lord Sadāśivashould be known as the sole cause. Having meditated upon the collective beatific principles known as beyond (the beatific principle) of peace, (the rites of) stroking gently etc.should be performed. 

7. Having gently beaten the beatific principle of the thread and dividing it (mentally) with (the recitation of the principal mantra) ending with phat, (the preceptorshould penetrate inside the noose (with the recitation of the above mantra) ending with (the pronunciation of) salutations and loosen (the beatific principle with the recitation of the above mantra) ending with phat. 

8. Then (the beatific principle of the threadshould be consecrated with the recitation of) the mantras of the tuft (and) heart ending with "oblations" andshould be drawn out of the head of the thread with the inhalation of breath andshowing the srunimudra (posture with fingers denoting a goad). 

9. Having gathered it with the retention of breath, itshould be projected into the fire-receptacle with the exhalation of breath (andshowing the mudra known as) udbhava (posture with fingers denoting generation), after having consecrated with (the mantra of) the heart ending with "obeisance". 

10. All the worship etc. of thisshould be accomplished as (it would be donc) for the beatitude of non-action after having invoked lord Sadāśhiva and worshipping him and making offerings. 

11. (The lordshould be addressed by the preceptor as follows): 

"I initiate this person (disciple) desirous of emancipation in this well-known mode of life. Youshould be beneficial (to him)". I am submitting to you with devotion. 

12. After having invoked the (divine) parents and having made offerings and achieving their presence, the discipleshould gently be struck on the chest with the syllable consecrated by (the mantra of) the heart. 

13. Om, ham, hum, ham, phat. Having entered (the heart) with (the repetition of) this (mantra), the psychic energyshould be divided byshowing the ankusha mudra (formation with the fingers denoting a goad) and with the weapon along with the noose. 

14. Om, ham, hah, hrüm, phat. Having drawn it (with this mantra) duly consecrated and ending with "oblations", itshould be united with his own soul by concluding with "obeisance", after having seized it. 

15. Om, ham, ham, him, obeisance to the soul. After having meditated on the union of the divine) parents as before by (showing) the udbhava mudra (posture with the fingers denoting generation), (the preceptor)should place (the psychic principle) in the womb of the goddess with the same (mantra) and by the left. 

16. The (rites of) garbhadhana etc.should be done as laid down earlier. Oneshould repeat (the mantra of) release and the bondage is cut off with that of the principal (mantra). 

17. As before five times five oblationsshould be done with (the mantra of) weapons for the sake of cutting the bonds and to destroy the evil forces in the disciple. 

18. With the repetition of the mantra of weapons seven times the principal mantra of beatitude the bondsshould be cut, with the scissor. 

19. Om, hâm, to the noose of beatitude beyond that of peace haḥ, hūm, phat. (Then the preceptor)should bid farewell to the noose as described earlier, make it into a circle, place it in the ladle filled with clarified butter and cast it into fire with the (mantra of) weapons and of beatitude. 

20. Five oblationsshould be made with (the mantra of) the weapon for the removal of the goad of bonds. Eight oblationsshould be made for compensating atonements. 

21. Having invoked lord SadaShiva with (the mantra of) the weapon and done appeasement, oneshould submit suzerainty as laid down before. 

22. “Om, ham, SadaShiva, accept fees (in the form of) the principle of mind. Oblations. O lord) SadaShiva! Youshould never remain as a bond for this being whose allshackles have been destroyed. You hear the mandate of lordshiva." 

23-24. The final oblationshould be made with the principal (mantra). (Lord) SadaShivashould be bid adieu. Then the preceptorshould unite in his soul, the pure soul in the body of the pupil just risen like the autumnal moon byshowing the samharamudra (posture made with the fingers denoting gathering), after having collected the same by (showing) the udbhava mudra (posture made with fingers denoting generation), 

25. Then (the preceptor)should place drops of water of arghya (offered for washing) on the head of the disciple as completion. Having requested the divine parents with great devotion to forgive theyshould be bid adieu. 

26. “O Parents! You have been put to trouble for the sake of initiating this disciple. Having discarded that gracefully depart with pleasure to your own place.” 

27. (The preceptor)should then cut off the tuft (of the disciple) of the form of knowledge to a length of four fingerbreadths with the scissors, the weapon of lordshiva, (duly) consecrated with the mantra of the tuft. 

28. “Om, klim; to the tuft, him, phat, om, haḥ, to the weapon, him, phat.” Then those (cuttings)should be set in a ladle full of clarified butter in which a ball of cow-dung is kept in the middle and cast into fire with (the recitation of) the mantra of weapon ending with phat. 

29. After having washed the two kinds of ladles and after. bathing the disciple, the self (preceptor)should sip waters and gently beat the soul thus blended with the mantra of the weapon. 

30. Itshould be disjoined, drawn and worshipped as before to the end of twelve (kinds of worship) and placed in the petals of the lotus of his own heart. 

31. The ladle is filled with clarified butter. The ladleshould be held in such a way that the cup of the ladle) faces downwards according to the rules of daily rites of worship and byshowing theshankhamudrā (posture made with fingers denoting a conch). 

32. Heshould have his head and neck expanded in unison with the pronunciation of the nasal sound (om), having his sight fixed and (the heart) filled with contemplation of the Supreme Being. 

33. Having gathered the six paths¹ in the form of nerves from the pitcher, the sacrificial pit, the pupil and from one's own soul, (the preceptor)should place them at the head of the sacrificial ladle. 

1. The six paths are mantra, pada, varna, bhuvana, tattva and kala of which the first three are related to the sound and the rest to the object According to samharakrama and the reverse way according to srushtikrama. Sesharadataka 5.79.84.93. 

34-35. Having contemplated the soul-energy as a point itshould be united with the (following) seven (principles) in turn. The first one is the union of the soul. Then follows the next one consisting of repetition of the mantras of the heart etc. after having done the inhalation and the retention of the breath with the mouth open a little. 

36. The form of the sound (om), which has permeated the sushumna (an artery of human body), is the third one. There would be calm absorption of the mind in the seventh cause by one's renunciation. 

37-38. The movements above the energy and the sound known as the discordant (are the fifth one). (The sound emitted) by the universal life, which cannot be measured by energy and which is the discordant of time is the sixth one. The seventh one is that beyond the (region of) energy. This is the proper place for union and is known as the discordant principle. 

39. After having inhaled the breath and retaining it while keeping the mouth little open, (the preceptor)should utter the principal (mantra) and (accomplish) the repose of the soul of the disciple. 

40. The letter ha (should be deemed as resting) in the lightning stream which is the life force of six paths. The letter u remains pervading above the navel for a length of twelve angulas (an angula is equal to four finger breadths). 

41. Then above that the letter ma (should be made to occupy) four finger breadths over the heart. The syllable om, expressive of lord Vishņu, occupies the region of the heart for eight angulas still above. 

42. The letter ma, expressive of (lord) Rudra, occupies the region of the palate for four angulas. Similarly, the nasal phonetic sign, expressive of lord Ishvarashould occupy the middle of the forehead. 

43. The syllable om, (the essence of) Lord SadaShiva,should rest in the aperture on the head. The female energyshould be located in the aperture on the head. Theseshould always be rejected one by one. 

44-45. After having experienced the divine minute contact therein, the preceptorshould contemplate the soul of the disciple in that supreme twelfth principle, characterising extreme happiness, devoid of feelings, beyond the reach of mind, auspicious and giving rise to eternal qualities. 

46. Afier having offered an oblation of clarified butter into the fire for lordshiva with the mantra of lordshiva ending with vaushat for the sake of stability of the union. 

47-52. Having offered final oblation as laid down, (the preceptor)should do for the attainment of qualities. “Om, ham, oblations to the soul! Be omniscient! Om, ham, oblations to the soul! Be satisfied! Om, hrüm, oblations to the soul! Be cognizant of originless existence! Om, haum, oblations to the soul! Be self-dependent! Om, haum, soul! Oblations! Be undiminished in energy! Om, haḥ, oblations to the soul! Be of endless energy!" The self, possessing six qualities,should thus be taken out of Supreme Being and with contemplation united in the body of the disciple as laid down. Drops of ambrosia from the water-offeringshould be placed on the head of the disciple to alleviate sufferings due to the projection of powerful soul force into the disciple). Having made obeisance to the sacrificial pitcher relating to lordshiva, situated to the right of (lord)shiva, and placing the disciple to the right of his self with a pleasing face, (the preceptor)should submit to the lord (as follows): "This (disciple) has been favoured by you only! Being present in this form of mine, increase his devotion to the lord, Agni, and preceptor." Having paid obeisance to the lord, the preceptorshould himself bless the disciple affectionately by saying, "May you have bliss". The sacrificeshould be concluded after having offered eight flowers to the lord with extreme devotion and bathing the disciple with (the waters of) the pitcher of lordshiva.