22 - Worship of Shiva

Suta said: 

1. I shall now explain the process of worship of Shiva which brings enjoyment and salvation. He is quiet, omnipresent, void and stationed in a diagram of twelve parts. 

2. The five faces are short vowels. His limbs are long vowels with bindu. 

His missile is represented by visarga. Above that the word Shiva should be written. 

3-4. In the sixth apartment the great mantra Haum should be written below. It bestows all wealth. 

The great Mudra is as follows. With both the hands grasp the feet. The head then shall be placed over the tips of the feet. Then perform Karānganyasa (the placing of the fingers as a mystic ritual) 

With the palm of the hand using the Astra mantra purify the back. - 

5. Then perform Angavinyasa beginning with the little finger and ending with the forefinger. 

I shall now explain the worship in the pericarp of the lotus of the heart. 

6. Perform archana1 of virtue, knowledge, unattachment, prosperity etc. with the heart. 

1. Adoration. 

With the heart offer the invocation, installation of the deity, the padya and arghya. 

7-8. The Achamana (mystical drinking of water), the bathing, and the worship of similar base should be performed. 

I shall now narrate the rites in five Ullekhana-s (prodding with the tip) performed with the Shastra. With the coat of mail sprinkling should be made. Shaktinyāsa should be made with the heart. 

Throw fire either in the pit of Shakti or in the heart. 

9. After performing Garbhadhana and other rites (mystical conception), performing all activities with the heart he should perform Homa of Shiva with all the Angas (parts). 

10. Shambhu ghould be worshipped in the altar and in the Padma Garbha; let there be a mark of a cow, 

The mandala (altar) of Svakshi, Svadhya and other things has eight in the beginning and sixty-four in the end. 

11. Sovkshi (one's own eye) goes up to Indra and Sun by means of fortyone vartanas (revolutions) in the whole sky, 

The auspicious pit should be made in the south-east in the form of a crescent moon. 

12. The groups of Shastra hrudaya are devoted to the Shastra of five. Astra should be placed in the border of the quarters and ShadaShiva in the pericarp. 

13. I shall now mention Diksha (preparation for sacred rite) and the ground, etc. settled in the five tattvas. Nivrutti (returning) is the ground, then Pratishtha (establishing); learning is five; Shanti is the ray. 

14. In the homa1 Shanti goes beyond. After that the immutable is quiescent. For each there shall be a hundred homa. Thus homa shall be performed five times. 

1. v. l. vyoma.

15-16. After giving the Pūrnähuti (the final ghee-offering) he should meditate upon Shiva for his favour. 

In order to purify the atonement each Ahuti should be gradually made with the Astrabija. Thus Dikshā is concluded. 

Except the actual performance of the sacrifice all other rituals should be kept confidential. 

17. If the devotee thus becomes purified ritualistically he attains to Shivahood, indeed.