47 - Installation of Linga

Suta said:

1-4. On hearing these words in the Heaven, the great sages joined their palms in reverence. Deciding to install the Linga they bowed down mentally to the unchanging lord identical with the Linga. Indra the lord of all Devas, the unborn lord Vishnu, the lord of everything, the excellent sages including Guru — the preceptor of Devas, the groups of Devas, Asuras and excellent men— all these imagined themselves to be identical with the Linga. On hearing these words in the Heaven the sages of the six great spiritual families, 286 endowed with concentration eschewed everything and attempted to install the lord. The sages of holy rites then asked the sinless Suta about the installation of the Linga. Their voices were choked with delight.

286. shatkuliyah — belonging to six different families.

Suta said:

5. I shall mention succinctly duly and precisely the installation of the lord in the form of Linga for obtaining virtue, love, wealth and salvation.

6-10. The Linga shall be made with great assiduity in accordance with the injunctions. A Linga shall be made of rock. It shall be identical with Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. It may be made of gold studded with jewels, or of silver or copper. It shall have its pedestal and the exit for water.287. The top portion shall be sufficiently wide. The devotee shall clean Linga along with the pedestal and then devoutly install it. The pedestal of the Linga is goddess Uma and the Linga is Maheshvara him-self. By worshipping these two the lord and the goddess are worshipped. By their installation, the lord of Devas is installed along with the goddess. Hence, the most excellent among the installers shall install the Linga along with the pedestal.

287. sasutram- panchasutradiyuktam ST. embellished by five sacred threads.

11. Lord Brahma resides at the root; lord Vishnu in the middle. The unborn Rudra, Pashpati, the lord of all, the most excellent one resides at the top. Since this lord of the Ganas is worthy of being worshipped by all Devas the devotee shall install and worship a very weighty Linga.

12. Those who always worship Mahesha the most excellent lord among Devas, in his physical form of Linga, those who worship him by the pious articles of worship viz: — scents, garlands,incense, lights, ablutions, Homas, oblations, prayers, chanting of mantras and offerings of presents become free from the fear of birth and death. They become worthy of being saluted and worshipped by Siddhas, Devas and Gandharvas. They are bowed to even by the most excellent Ganas.

13. Hence, one shall install the great Linga with devotion and fervent offerings of services. He shall worship the Linga for the achievement of all objects.

14-18. After worshipping it he shall install the Linga in the middle of the holy centre288 in the seat of Shiva. The Linga shall then be wrapped in cloth, Darbha grass, etc. Eight pots with the guardians of the quarters as their deities shall be placed in a circle with Darbha grass bundle inserted into each of them. Akshata grains shall be put into the pots and they shall be tied with threads of various colours. Svastika and other auspicious signs shall be drawn over them. The thunderbolt and other weapons shall be represented therein; they are then to be covered with cloth, and installed round the Linga by repeating the Hana mantra. The canopy above shall be fumigated with incense and lamps. Cloths are spread with the pictures of the emblems of the guardians of the quarters and their vehicles such as elephant buffalo etc. The devotee shall tie all-round the place garlands of Darbha grass, with all their characteristic marks and woven into various beautiful forms.

288. tirthamadhye — kshetramadhye ST. m the midst of the soil, i.e. in the vaginal passage. ST. quotes Vishva in support of this meaning.

19. The devotee shall then keep it within water along with incense and lights for five days, three days, or only for a single night.

20-26. The devotee shall spend this period studying the Vedas, performing dances and singing auspicious songs or playing on Vina and other instruments to the accompaniment of tingling of small bells. The sacrificer shall have mental concentration and be free from excitement. After taking it out he shall meditate on the Svastika. The Linga shall then be placed in the Mandapa endowed with characteristics. There shall be nine pits all round endowed with their characteristic marks. The eight auspicious articles called Ashtamangalas shall be spread there. There shall be the eight emblems of the guardians of the quarters. The pits shall have the auspicious signs mentioned before. They shall be placed in the directions beginning with the east. The chief pit shall be made in the north-east oblong in shape. Or five pits made into one and a bare spot of ground shall constitute one unit. They shall be endowed with the paraphernalia and requisites of the sacrifice and ornaments, used in the worship of Shiva (?). In the middle of the altar there shall be a great bed bedecked in gold. A five-wicked lamp shall be kept nearby. The bed shall be covered with a white cloth. After arranging these he shall place the idol of the lord thereon.

27. He shall place the Linga with its head towards the east. He shall place it duly repeating Ishana mantra. After performing the rite of Ratnanyasa (fixation of jewels) he shall place the Kalasha (water-pot) above.

28-29. The Linga shall be wrapped all round by two cloths and the Darbha grass. After doing the Ratna nyasa the nine Shaktis, Vama 289 etc. shall be fixed. The nine precious stones accompanied by gold, Panchagavya and all kinds of grains shall be placed on the rock.

289. Vamadya nava-shaktayah — vide Linga. II. 27.26.

30. One shall install the Brahmalinga by repeating Shivagayatri. One shall install the unchanging Shiva by repeating the Pranava alone.

31. He shall fix the Brahma portion 290 of the lord with the mantra beginning with (Brahma jajnanam.” 291 He shall fix the Vishnu portion 292 with Vishnu Gaya tri. 293

290. brahma-bhagam — Vedikadhobhagam ST. the lower part of the pedestal.

291. Brahma jajnanam — TS. 4. 2. 8. 2.

292. Vaishnavam bhagam  madhyabhagam ST. the middle part.

293. Vishnu-gayatriya — the correct form would be Vishnu-gayatrya. This form is enforced by the exigency of metre.

32-33. He shall fix Sharva in the pedestal consisting of the three Tattvas by means of Pranava with the mantras “Namah Shivaya,” “Namohamsa Sivaya” or by reciting the Rudradhyaya after scrubbing Sharva (i. e. the Linga). He shall install the Kalashas all round by means of Vedic mantras.294

294. brahmabhih — pancha-brahma mantraih ST. by reciting the pancha-brahma mantras.

34-37. He shall place them in the middle of the altar along the lines mentioned before. He shall fix Shiva in the middle and the goddess Siva in the southern pot. He shall place Skanda in the pot intended for him or he shall install Brahmha in the pot pertaining to Skanda and Vishnu in the pot pertaining to Isha. It shall be wonderfully decorated or he shall fix the body of Brahma” in the pot pertaining to Shiva. The Brahmans are briefly — Shiva, Maheshvara, Rudra, Vishnu and Pitamaha. These, Hrudaya etc. and the mother goddess shall be fixed in the middle of the altar in accordance with the injunctions mentioned before.

38. He shall fill the Vardham295 vessel with scented water and install goddess therein. He shall place gold, silver and jewels in the pot pertaining to Shiva.

295. vardhanyam— khadgakarayam ST. Vardhani is an instrument of cutting in the form of sword.

39-40. O sages of good holy rites, the Vidyeshvaras 296 shall be fixed in the Vardhani assiduously by reciting the Gayatri and ancillary mantras. He shall fix Ananta, Isha and other Devas in the pots pertaining to the quarters and filled with Brahmakurcha ( cow’s urine). The mantra begins with Pranava and ends with Namah. He shall cover with a fresh cloth each of the eight pots.

296. Vidyeshvaran - probably vishveshvaran. Cf. v. 41 below, where ST. reads Vishveshvaranam for vidyeshvaranam and explains as ashtadikpalanamnam. But is not vighneshvaranam more suitable? The guardians of the quarters axe stationed to ward off evil from their respective directions.

41. He shall put gold, jewels etc. in the pots of Vishveshvaras. Homas should be performed in the order of the faces (of Shiva) 997 with Gayatri and ancillary mantras.

297. vaktra-kramena— In the eider of frees beginning with Ishana.

42-43. The rites ending with “Jaya” and “Svishta” shall be performed as before. Water shall be sprinkled all round from Shivakumbha, Vardhani, those belonging to Vishnu and Brahma, the Brahmk portion particularly the vessel belonging to Pitamaha. He shall sprinkle Parameshvara with water from the pots of Vidyeshvaras.

44-45. As before he shall fix all the mantras with concentration and worship after performing the rite of ablution. The Dakshina shall be a thousand Panas298 at the most. Half of that or one-fourth of it shall be given to others if possible.

298. Uttamam sahasra-palam — one thousand palas of gold, pala is a particular measure, approximately equivalent to twenty masas.

46-50. Garments, fields, ornaments, cows and cash shall be given to the chief. 299 A great festival shall be celebrated. Homa, Yaga and Bali shall be offered in due order for the duration of nine, seven or three days or even for one day. Homa shall be done as mentioned before daily after worshipping Shankara. Homas on behalf of Devas, Bhaskara etc. shall be done as before. They shall be daily worshipped within and without 300 as also in the fire. He who installs the Linga in this manner becomes identical with Parameshvara himself. By doing this Devas, Rudras, sages and the Apsarases shall be installed and worshipped by him. In fact, the three worlds of the mobile and immobile beings are being worshipped by him.

299. pradhane — i.e. the head-priest who represents lord Shiva himself.

300. abhyantare tatha bahye — in the internal (i.e. mental) as well as the external (physical) fire.