19 - The mode of Shiva’s worship

Shailadi said:

1. After bowing down to the bull-bannered lord who had been pleased, the sages and Devas who felt the sense of horripilation due to pleasure said.

Devas said:

2. O lord Shankara, it behoves you to relate this. By what means are you to be worshipped by the twice-born? where? in what form?

3. Who is authorized in thy worship? O lord, how is a brahmin authorized? O lord, how are the Kshatriyas authorized? O bull-bannered one, how are the Vaishyas authorized?

4. How are the women and the Shudras authorized? How are the bastards and illegitimate sons of widows authorized? For the welfare of the worlds, it behoves you to mention everything to us.

Suta said:

5. On seeing the fervent emotion of the sages, Nilalohita, Sadashiva stationed in the mystic diagram said in a majestic tone.

6-8. Devas and sages saw the lord of Devas in the company of Uma in the Mandala ¹⁷¹ in front of them. His lustre was like that of ten million streaks of lightning. He had eight arms, four faces and twelve eyes. He had big mighty arms. Half of his body was female in form. He wore the coronet of matted hairs. He was bedecked in all ornaments. He wore red garlands and had smeared red unguent over his body. He who was the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation was clad in red garments.

171. mandalasthah — suryamandalasthah ST. stationed in the solar orb.

9. His face to the east ¹⁷¹ was pleasing in appearance and yellow in colour. That is in the form of Tatpurusha. His face to the right (i.e. to the south) in the Aghora form was comparable to a mass of blue collyrium.

172, puramukham - the eastern face, viz. Tatpurusha.

10-11. His face to the north, named Vamadeva, was very fierce and terrible with curbed fangs and red moustache. It was enveloped by clusters of flames and matted hairs. It had the lustre of coral. It was pleasing with the universe for its form. It was the bestower of boons.

His western face was splendid and white as the cow's milk.

12. The divine face Sadyojata that destroyed Kama was shining with the splendour of the Sun as the caste mark on the forehead. It was bedecked in garlands consisting of pearls.

13-14. In the mandala they saw Aditya in the east, Bhaskara in the west, Bhanu in the south and Ravi in the north; all with four faces as before (?) (all these are the different forms of the Sun-god).

15-16. In the Mandaala they saw in the east the Shakti Vistara, in the south Uttara, Bodhani in the west and Apyayani in the north. All these Shaktis had one face and four arms, were bedecked with all ornaments and were approved by all Devas.

17. On the right side they saw Brahma and on the left they saw vishnu. They saw Shiva identical with the three Murtis by way of Ruk, Yajus and Saman.

18. They saw lord Ishana the bestower of boons, Ishana Parameshvara, seated on the dais of Brahma. The bestower of boons was on the seat of virtue and perfect knowledge.

19. They saw the lord Sarveshvara on a seat equipped with detachment and prosperity which was very pure and worthy of being propitiated, which was highly pleasing and which contained all essence (?).

20-22. The lord was seated in the middle of a white lotus and surrounded by Dipta ¹⁷² m and other lustres. Dipta (Refulgent) had the form of a bright and brilliant flame. Sukshma (subtle) was splendid with the lustre of lightning. Jaya (victorious) had the shape of fiery flame. Prabha (lustre) had golden lustre. Vibhuti (magnificence) had the refulgence of coral. Vimala (spotless) resembled the lotus. Amogha (invincible) had the shape of Karnikara flower. Vidyut (lightning) had universal colour. Sarvatomukhi had four faces and four colours.

173. diptadyaih — the nine Shaktis beginning with Dipta are described in the following verses.

23-24. They saw the planets all round the lord: — viz., the lord Soma (Moon), Angaraka (Mars), Budha (Mercury) the most excellent among the intelligent, Bruhaspati (Jupiter) of enormous intellect, Bhargava (Venus) the storehouse of refulgence and Manda (Saturn) slow in gait. Surya (Sun) was Shiva, the lord of the universe and Soma (Moon) was Uma herself.

25-26. The five elements ¹⁷⁴ were the rest. The universe of the mobile and immobile beings was seen as identical with them. On seeing Shiva the consort of Uma, the lord of Devas, the sages and Devas joined their palms in reverence and eulogised him who was the bestower of boons, by means of pleasing and delightful words.

174. sheshani pancha bhutani — the rest of the five grahas (following the tun and the moon), beginning with Bhauma are represented by the five gross elements, vis. ether etc.

The sages said:

27-30. Obeisance to Shiva, to Rudra, to Kadrudra, to Pracetas, to Midhushtama (the bountiful one), to Sharva, to Shipivishta, to Ramhas. I bow down to lord Bhaskara (refulgent like the Sun) seated in the lotus and surrounded by the nine Shaktis on a pedestal which was highly pleasing, large, spotless and essentially powerful. I bow to Aditya, Bhaskara, Bhanu, Ravi and lord Divakara. I bow down to Uma, Prabha, Prajna, Sandhya, Savitri, Vistara, Uttara, and Bodhani as well as Apyayani the bestower of boons. I bow to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

31. After worshipping the group beginning with Soma in due order by means of the mantras in accordance with the prescribed injunctions I remember lord Sadashiva, Shankara the primordial deity stationed in the Solar disc.

32. I remember Indra and other Devas as well as Ishvara, Narayana, and the lotus-born first Deva in due order from the east, etc., beneath and above. I remember the thunder-bolt and the lotus.

33. Obeisance unto you of the colour of saffron. Obeisance unto you with golden ornaments and diamonds. Obeisance unto one having eyes resembling the lotus, to one holding the lotus, to the cause of Brahma, Indra and Narayana.

34. I remember the chariot fitted with seven horses and having Anuru as a charioteer. I remember the ganas of seven ¹⁷⁵ kinds in due order by way of the continuous flow of the seasons. I remember the Valakhilyas. ¹⁷⁶ I remember the lord who destroyed the group of Mandeha giants.

175. ganam saptavidham. According to ST. the sevenfold group comprises adityas, rushis, nagas, gandharvas, gramanis and rakshas.

176. Valakhilyas — a class of rushis, sixty thousand in number, are said to be Brahma’s sons. A number of eleven hymns of the Rugveda (inserted after vi.ii 48) are attributed to these sages.

35. O lord of Devas, after performing Homa in the fire by means of gingelly seeds, etc. of various kinds and after dedicating everything once again, I remember your disc stationed in the middle of the lotus of the heart after duly discharging it ritualistically.

36. I remember the disc in the due order. I remember the pure lotus-like eyes red in colour. I remember the lotus in the right hand and the gesture of granting boons in the left. I remember the ornaments that adorn the lord.

37. I remember your divine face that is terrible due to the curved fangs, that has the lustre of lightning, that frightens the Daityas, that is engaged in protecting the brahmins and that threatens the groups of Rakshasas.

38-43. I remember Soma [Moon] white in colour, Bhumija (Mars) who has the colour of fire, Budha (Mercury) the son of Moon who has golden lustre, Bruhaspati [Jupiter] who resembles gold, Shukra [Venus] who is white in colour, and Manda [Saturn] who is very dark. I remember the right hand with the gesture of granting fearlessness, and the left-hand that rests on the thighs. I remember all those planets ending with Saturn. I remember Mahadeva and Bhaskara. O lord, be pleased. I shall offer Arghya unto you in a strong vessel made of copper and filled with splendid water resembling the full moon in colour and having a prastha of flowers and sweet scents.

Obeisance to lord Shiva, Ishvara, Kapardin, Rudra, Vishnu. Obeisance to you Brahman of the form of the Sun.

Suta said:

He who worships thus, with concentration and mental purity, lord Shiva in the mystic diagram, he who reads this excellent hymn in the morning, mid-day and evening, acquires no doubt, identity with Shiva.