Garuda Mahā Purana - Achara Khaṇḍa
9 - Vishnu-diksha
Hari said:
1. The disciple, duly consecrated in proper time, should be blindfolded with a cloth. He should be made to offer oblations with the original mantra hundred and eight times.
2. If the consecration is for the acquisition of a son, the oblations offered are twice in number, if it is for a sadhaka (aspirant after Spiritualism) it is thrice. O Rudra, if it is the case of a preceptor who had to attain salvation, it is four times.
3. If the consecration were to be omitted, it amounts to killing a preceptor, Vaishnava brahmana and woman. The details of the consecration will now be narrated by me. The consecration destroys adharma.
4. After making the disciples sit outside, they should be made to contemplate. O Rudra, they should be considered as being dried up by a portion of wind.
5. They should be considered as being scorched by a portion of fire, and being inundated by a portion of water. Tejas will make that being one with it and then leave it out.
6. He should think upon Pranava1 (the mystic syllable Om) as the cause in the heaven, the cause in the body being the other one. There he should unite one soul with another, that being the cause of the body.
1. Vide fn. 5 on p. 9.
7. Then having aroused, he should attach each one, O Shankara. If one is incompetent to worship Hari in the mystic diagram, one should adore him in contemplation.
8. This adoration) should have four openings (doors) beginning with Brahmatirtha in order. The hand is the lotus and the fingers are the petals.
9. The palm is the pericarp and the nails are the filaments. He should adore, having contemplated Hari there in the midst of the sun, the moon and fire.
10. He, with due contemplation, should place the palm on the head of the disciple. Since there is Vishnu in the palm, this palm is that of Vishnu; and all sins perish on coming in contact with it.
11. The teacher should honour the disciple, whose eyes are covered with a piece of cloth, and then keeping him face to face with the Lord should offer a flower so that it falls there where the head of Lord Vishnu is.
12.. He should give him a name. The names of ladies should be self-chosen. The learned preceptor shall fix the names of the Shudras, ending with dasa.
Summary of chapter 9 of the Garuda Mahā Purana - Achara Khaṇḍa is as follows:
Bhagavān Vishṇu describes the worship of His eternal consort, Goddess Lakshmī, who embodies divine grace, auspiciousness, and spiritual abundance. The text outlines the installation of the sacred vessel, the recitation of auspicious hymns, and the practice of unselfish charity, which attracts both material prosperity and pure spiritual devotion to the household.