67 -

Sanat Kumara Said: 

1-3. Henceforth, I shall recount the worship of devas, which bestows desired ends on the aspirant. After drawing a triangle or a square, to his left, one should worship it and then wash it with astra=phat and placing the adhara (support of the vessel) with hrut = namah. Then placing the chamasa the vessel on the support, he should fill it with water while meditating there the disc of the sun and repeating the alphabets in their ascending order (vilomamåtrukā). 

4. He shall worship the disc of the moon thereafter invoking the holy tirthas as before. Then he should make it (the water) turn into nectar by means of gomudra and should cover it with Kavacha = hum. 

5. After washing it with astra =phat, he shall then perform the japa of pranava=om, eight times over it. This is called sămânyargha (an arghya for the general purpose) and the bestower of all attainments. 

6. The excellent sadhaka shall take a little water from the prokshaņi vessel and sprinkle himself as well as the articles to be used in the ritual separately. 

7. He should make a triangle inside two intersecting triangles in front of him and to his left. It should be surrounded by a square and washed by the water from the argha vessel. 

8-9. The excellent sadhaka should arrest it by means of shamkhamudră. He should then worship the four limbs (angas) beginning with hrut=namah in the four corners from south-east to north-east. He shall worship the middle portion with netra - vaushat and the quarters with astra =phat. He shall then worship the triangle, the adhäraśhakti (the power as support) as present in the middle by means of mulamantra, 

10. Thus worshipping duly as washed by means of astraphat and established by means of hrut=namah, he should place the tripädikā (a three-legged stool) and worship it by means of the following mantra. 

11. (Namo vahnimandaláya daśhakalåtmane amuka arghya påtråsanaya namah) I bow to the disc of the fire having Kalas and which is the receptacle of the seat for the person referred to here. 

12. The mantra for the purpose of worshipping the support (adhara) consists of twenty-four letters. He shall then place the conch washed with its own mantra=phat and then worship. 

13. (He should utter) tara = om in the beginning, then mahần, then jalacharaya, then varma =hum phat, hrudayam (?) (svaha), pāñchajanyaya, hrudayam=namah (om mahājalacharaya hum phat svaha pānchajanyåyå namah). 

14. He should then worship the disc of the sun consisting of twelve Kalas and adding the name of the deity referred to with its relation to the verse of the arghya and then add namah in the end. (arkamaņdalāya dvadaśhakalătmane amuka arghyapātrāya namah). It has three times two syllables (?) 

15-17. After worshipping thereby, one shall worship the twelve Kalas of the sun in due order. Therefore, he shall fill the conch by means of pure water reciting the mulamantra (the principal mantra) and the letters of alphabets in the ascending order (i.e., from ksha to a) and then worship it with the following mantra. 

Om obeisance to the disc of the moon consisting of sixteen kalas and which is of the nature of nectar and has taken the form of the arghya of the deity referred to here (Om somamandalaya şhodaśhakālātmane amuka arghyapătrāya namah). The mantra for the purpose of worshipping the arghya is the kalas of the moon. 

18. Therefore, the holy rivers are invoked repeating ‘O Ganga’ etc. as before. He should make it turn into nectar by means of Gomudrā. He shall then cover it with Matsyamudra. 

19. He shall cover it with kavacha = hum and guard it again with astra = phat. Meditating on the desired deity he should show mudras. 

20. (The learned man should show in due order) shankha,¹ musala, paramikaraṇa and then the mudras called mahamudra, yonimudra. 

1. Shankhamudra is defined thus: Clench the right fist facing upward and place the thumb of the left hand in place of the tight palm where all the fingers of the right hand touch the root of the right thumb. The right thumb should remain stretched. Then all four fingers of the left hand will remain joined and then place them below the back of the right palm and then touch the right thumb with them. 

Musalamudra: Place the right clenched list of the right hand over the left fist.

Paramikarana mudra: Bind the thumbs of both the hands tightly and then stretch the fingers of both hands in front. This mudra is also called Mahamudra. It may remain up-faced or down-faced according to tradition, 

Yonimudra is defined thus: 

Mithaḥ kanisthike badhvā taranibhyāmanāmike|

Anámikordhvasamslishtadirghamadhyamayoradhah||

Angushthägradvayam nyasyed Yonimudreyamirită||

21. The gārudi¹ and gālini² are known to be the chiefest of the mudras. He should worship the deity there by means of sandal paste and flowers after recalling the deity in his mind. 

1. Garuda mudra: Put the left hand to the right and the right hand to the left and place the back of the right palm over the back of the left palm and join the little finger of the one hand to the little finger of the other, hold tightly the fore-fingers with the fore-finger of the other and similarly hold the thumb with the other thumb and then wave the middle and ring fingers like two wings. 

2. Galinimudra: Place two pálms of the hand close to each other and then bring the little finger of the left hand close to the thumb of the right band and similarly place the little finger of the right hand close to the thumb of the left hand and keep them tightly. Then join all the remaining fingers i.e., the fore with the fore, the middle with the middle and the ring with the ring. 

22. He should repeat the principal mantra eight times and the pranava also eight times. He shall place the prokshaņi vessel to the southern side of the conch. 

23-24. He should take a little water from the prokshaņi and sprinkle it thrice. He shall sprinkle himself with that water repeating the following three mantras: Om obeisance to ätmatattva, to vidyātattva and to Shivatattva adding om and hrut =namah. The intelligent devotee should worship duly the diagram (mandala) with flowers and akshatas (raw rice grains). 

25-27. He should sprinkle the articles for the worship with the mulagayatri. For padya (water for washing the feet), arghya (offerings), achamaniya (water for rinsing the mouth), and madhuparka, he should place vessels with their stands in front of him. The padya water is known to consist of shyāmaka (green) durva grass, lotus, Vişhnukrånta (wild jasmine) flowers. The arghya consists of water with flowers, akşhatas, barley grains, tips of kusha grass, sesamum seeds and mustard. The åchamanīya water contains sandal pastes and blades of durva grass.

28. Madhuparka is said to contain jätiphala, kankola cloves along with water and a mixture of honey, clarified butter and curds. 

29. All these pădyas are to be placed in a single vessel or otherwise. But for worshipping Shankara or the sun the vessel of shankha is not recommended. 

30. The pīthaśhaktis should be meditated upon as having white, black, pink, yellow, dark-coloured, reddish, white, not white and red garments. They should be meditated upon with hands showing gesture of assurance (abhaya). 

31. One should worship either in the yantra inscribed in plates of gold or in the Salagrama stone or in an idol installed according to religious injunction. 

32. For the purpose of daily worship at home the idol made of gold and other metals is auspicious. Its measurement may be of the length of the thumb upto the span of vitasti (the measure of twelve angulis) 

33. One should not worship an idol if it is crooked, burnt, or broken, if its head is split, or if it is looking upward, or if it is touched by an antyaja (outcaste) and others. 

34-35. Or he should worship in a Banalinga etc. endowed with good characteristics. He should conceive the image of the deity by means of mulamantra (the principal mantra) and meditate in the manner as mentioned. He should invoke the deity and worship the idol (as conceived by him) along with the attending deities. In a Salagrama or in the installed idol, there is neither avahana (invocation) nor visarjana (dismissal). 

36-38. He should take handful of flowers, meditate and utter the mantra: 

“O Parameshvara, unto this idol I invoke you who are pure, unborn, self-established (åtmasamstha) like the fire in the arani. This is verily your great image. O lord, I instal you in that, for you are present everywhere. I shall instal you who have been drawn near by means of attachment of devotion like the lamp with oil. 

39. O lord, you are the immanent soul in everyone for the establishment in åtman. I offer you this pure, auspicious seat consisting of Bijas. 

40. O lord of devas, this murtishakti of yours is nondifferent from you. O benefactor of devotees, be present therein. 

41. Even if the rituals are incomplete either due to my ignorance or arrogance or due to deficiency in any material, be favourable to me. 

42. O Maheshvara, with your eyes showing nectar, for the purpose of fulfilling yajna, be stationed in the sacrificial seat or in the murti. 

43. O God, your lustre is far away from speech, mind and the eyes of non-devotee, be enveloped all round by means of enclosure of your refulgence immediately. 

44. Welcome to you, the great Isha, whose vision Devas wish for fulfilling their desire. To me you are welcome. 

45. My desire has been attained, favour has been shown to me and my life has become fruitful, for the lord of devas has come. I say welcome to you again. 

46. I offer padya to your lotus-like feet. A slight touch of devotion of your feet brings about supreme bliss. 

47. O lord, the veda of the Vedas and the deity of the deities, I offer this achamaniya to you for the purpose of causing purification to those who are already pure. 

48. O lord, I am presenting this arghya unto you for being liberated from three kinds of miseries (tāpa). The arghya is characterised by supreme bliss. It is divine and it dispels three kinds of miseries. 

49. O lord, you are of the nature of perfect happiness and free from all kinds of stains, I offer unto you this madhuparka. Be pleased with me. 

50. Again do I offer you achamaniya the second time. Merely by remembering you, one who is defiled by ucchishta (leavings of food), or one who is impure otherwise attains purification. 

51. O lord of the worlds, O high-souled one, please accept oil out of compassion to me. You are pure-souled in the world. I am presenting this excellent oil to you. 

52. O lord, your own form is immersed in the ocean of great bliss and enlightenment. I offer you this ablution along with its ancillaries and sub-ancillaries with respect and in accordance with my capacity. It may be a thousand times or it may be only a hundred times. 

53-55. He should make the ablution with perfumes, flowers etc. by repeating the mantra of the Lord. “O lord whose perfect knowledge is unveiled, I offer this raiment to you whose secret and great splendour is enveloped by the cover of Maya of diverse colours. I offer this uttariya (upper cloth) to you, the great Lord. By resorting to you, Mahamaya always functions in deluding the entire universe.” 

56. To Shakti, the sun and Vighneshvara red cloth is offered, to Vishnu yellow and to Shiva white. One should avoid a cloth that is defiled by oil etc, that which is old, is in rags or dirty. 

57. I offer this sacred thread (yajñasūtra) to the one who himself is Yajñasūtra (the presiding deity of sacrifice) and by whose three-fold Shakti the entire universe is permeated 

58. O lord, worshipped by the immortal ones, I offer you ornaments of diverse kinds, to you whose limbs are naturally handsome, to you who are the support of various shaktis. 

59. O great Lord, accept this perfectly pure perfume that has filled up all quarters with its blissful fragrance. 

60. May this excellent flower that is grown in the best garden (turiyavana) and is charming on account of possessing diverse good qualities, and excessively fragrant be accepted. 

The following things should not be offered to Vishnu. Japa (chinarose), akşhatas (new rice grains), arka and dhattūra flower. 

61. The Ketaki, Kutaja, Kunda (a variety of Jasmine), Kesara (messure ferria), bandhūka and japa and the målati flower should never be offered to Maheshvara. 

62. The tagara (Jabernal montena coronaria) and the matulunga (pomegranate) shall never be offered to the sun. One should eschew durva, arka, and mandara flowers in the worship of Shakti and tulasi in the worship of Ganesha. 

63-65. The following can be used in the worship of all deities: Lotus, damanaka, marubaka, kusha, Vişhnukshånta, någavalli, durva, apămärga and dadima. One should perform the worship of deities with the leaves of dhatri (myrobalan) of three varieties. The wise worshipper with the fruits of Kadali (plantain), badari the jujube dhātri, tintiņi, bijapūraka (pomegranate), ámra (mango), dadima (pomegranate variety) jambira (sour lemon), and panasa (jack fruit). 

66-67. One should not worship the lord with such flowers, leaves or fruits as are dry. The experts say that the leaves of dhātri (myrobalan), khadira (achachia catechu) bilva and tamala (xanthocymus pictorious), should not be abandoned. O sage, even when they are split and torn. 

68. The lotus, amalaka (embylic myrobalan) remain pure for three days. The tulasi and the leaves of bilva are always pure. 

69. One shall not worship jagadambá with the flowers of palasha and käśha (butea frondosa and long reed), with the leaves of tamala, tulasi, dhātrī and durva grass. 

70. One shall not offer flowers, leaves or fruits over the deity with face down. Leaves and flowers, O brahmin, should be offered as they are grown. 

71. O lord of deities, the essence of the plant is divine, rich with fragrance, pleasing to the mind and is worthy to be inhaled. Please accept the incense that I have offered devoutly to you. 

72. Accept the great lamp having good brilliance. It always dispels darkness and has the wick soaked in ghee. Most reverently I submit it to you. 

73. O lord, accept naivedya offered devoutly by me. It contains four kinds of cooked food. It is tasty and contains six flavours and bestows satisfaction. 

74. Accept the excellent någavalli leaves (betel) accompanied by areca-nut and catecha powder (khadira chũrna). It is rich with the fragrance of camphor etc. Please accept as I offer them to you 

75. Then he should offer handful of flowers and perform worship of the attending deities (avarana). 

76-77. The direction facing which one performs worship should be known as the east. The other ten directions are to be ascertained accordingly. One should worship in the pericarp beginning with the south-east etc the hrud-namaḥ netra = vausat in the front and astra = phat in all directions uttering the angamantras duly. 

78. The angaśhaktis should be meditated upon in their respective quarters. Their complexion being sparkling, white, grey, dark black and red and their hands showing the gesture of granting boons and fearlessness. 

79-80. He should mention the name of avarana as referred to here, then add devata, then utter sälamkårāḥ well-adorned with ornaments, then utter sängāḥ and saparichårikåh, savāhanāḥ (along with their attendants, servants and vehicles), säyudhäḥ with weapons. May they be pleased with us and be givers of boons after being worshipped with all ingredients and made fully satisfied. (amukavarana devatá sālankārās sångåḥ saparichărikaḥ savahanah sayudhaḥ sarvopachărakaiḥ sampüjitāḥ tarpitäh varadāḥ santu-this is the mantra). 

81-82. At the end of the mulamantra, uttering the mantra (just mentioned) he should offer everything to the deity. He should say: O lord, favourably disposed towards those who seek refuge, grant unto me the object of my desire. I offer this presentation of worshipping such and such avaraṇa deity to you with devotedness. After saying this, he should cast the handful of flowers on the head of the lord. 

83. Then the attending deities as mentioned in the kalpas should be worshipped. He should worship Indra and others equipped with their respective weapons and placed in their respective quarters. 

84. They are Indra, Agni, Yama, Rakshas, Varuna, Pavana, the moon, Ishana, and Brahma and in the bottom the lord of the serpents. 

85. Learned people know these as their vehicles viz. Airåvata (elephant), mesha (ram), mahişha (buffalo), preta (ghost), timi (whale), mruga (deer), vājin (horse), vrusha (bull), hamsa (swan), and Kurma (tortoise). 

86. The respective weapons of Indra and others are as follows: Vajra (thunderbolt), shakti (javelin), danda (staff), khadga (sword), pasha (noose), ankusha (goad), gada (club), triśhūla (trident), padma (lotus), chakra (discus). 

87-88. After worshipping the avaraṇa he shall perform the årārtrika (waving of lamp and incense) of the deities. After pouring the water from the conch-shell he shall lift his arms and dance, then fall prostrate on the ground like a staff. 

He shall then get up and pray to his favourite deity. 

He shall make an altar on the right-hand side of him and perform its consecratory rite. 

89. The looking at the altar is to be done with the mulamantra, the sprinkling of it with astra (phat), the striking to be done by kusha grass, abhyukshana (sprinkling over) by varma-hum. Then he should make a nyasa of vaşu. 

90-92. He should kindle the fire and after intensifying it he should perform homa after meditating on the desired deity. He shall then perform mahảvyåhruti homa separately and then collectively with ghee, cooked rice, gingelly seeds or milk pudding. The excellent sadhaka shall perform twenty-five oblations with ghee. After offering homa with mahavyähruti, he shall again offer worship to the deity with sandal pastes etc. Then inviting the deity of the fire to the idol of the pitha, he should dismiss it. 

93. O vahni of great power, O achiever of holy rites, even when another holy rite befalls me, be gracefully present. 

94-97. After the ritualistic dismissal he shall offer achamaniya to the fire-god. By means of the havis left over, he should offer oblations to the attendants of the deity as mentioned before along with sandal pastes, fragrant flowers and akshatas “May all Rudras who are the doers of terrific activities, who are the dwellers of dreadful abode, may the Yoginis of terrible forms, may the overlords of the Ganas and others who act as obstacles and who resort to various quarters and their interstices, may all these accept this bali with delightful minds”. Thus, he shall offer oblations in the eight quarters and perform bhūtabali (oblations to the goblins) again. 

98. By means of dhenumudra he shall make the drinking water change into nectar and offer achamaniya again into the hand of the deity. 

99. After ritualistically dismising the lord stationed in the murti; he shall re-unite him there itself. He shall give naivedya (food-offering) to different ucchişhțabhojins (those who partake of the leavings of food) 

100. The following are the ucchişhțabhojins viz, Chandesha of Maheshvara (Shiva), Vishvaksena of Vishnu, Chandámshu of Tarani (sun), Vakratunda of Ganesha and Chandali of Shakti. 

101. Thereafter, he shall remember the sage etc and perform the mūlaşhadanga nyasa. After repeating the japa of the mantra according to his ability he should offer it to the deity. 

102. You are protector of the secret of secrets. Accept this japa performed by us. O lord, by your grace, may siddhi (attainment) lying with you be mine. 

103-104. Then he should place the arghya turned back and worship it with flowers. Obeisance to you of eight limbs with hands, feet, knees, chest, head, eyes, mind or speech. Obeisance to you having five limbs with the hands, feet, knees, head or speech. In worship both of them are the most distinguished. 

105. The knower of mantras should perform obeisance by prostrating like a staff. He should perform circumambulations two for Vishnu, one for Soma, seven for the Sun and three for Vighneshvara 

106-109. Then the knower of the mantra should recite hymns etc. with devotion (Then taking water in his palm he should utter beginning with itaḥpūrvam) ‘previously’ by virtue of my possession of prana (vital energy), buddhi (intellect and the physical body with their attributes, he should state after, during the various conditions of waking, dreaming and deep sleep, whatever has been done by the mind. hands, feet, belly, penis, whatever is remembered, after this he should mention, ‘whatever has been uttered, has been done, may that be dedicated entirely to Brahman, then he should say two thas-svähä. I dedicate myself and whatever is mine to Vishnu. The mantra is known to be ‘Om tat sat Brahmärpanamastu’. 

110-117. The mantra beginning with pranava = om having sixty-four letters (8x8=64) should be used for surrendering oneself. It behoves you to forgive everything if it is deficient or superfluous due to ignorance, or due to blunder or due to lack of materials. O Isha, O storehouse of mercy, kindly forgive if anything is done otherwise, or if it is devoid of articles, deficient in any rite or deficient in mantras. O Lord, whatever has been done by me in the states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep may be conducive to my prosperity. It shall be your worship. Those who stumble on the ground, have the ground itself as their support. O Lord, those who offend you have only you as their refuge. I have no other refuge; hence you alone are my refuge. 

O Parameshvara, hence you forgive me. Thanks to your merciful nature. Thousands of crimes are being committed by me day and night. O Lord of the worlds, forgive the same considering that I am but your slave. I do not know avahana (invocation) neither do I know visarjana (dismissal). O great lord, I do not know your worship as well, you alone are my goal. 

After praying thus, the knower of the mantras should utter the verse at the end of the mulamantra. 

118. ‘O Lord of the universe, the immanent one, go, O go to your supreme abode of which Brahma and other gods and even Sadashiva do not have any knowledge’. 

119-120. Repeating the above verse, he should offer handful of flowers and then by means of samharamudra,¹ he should place the deity along with its attending deities in the lotus heart by means of suşhumnapatha. 

1. Samharamudra: Place the left hand down-faced and place the palm of the right hand facing upward. Then attach tightly each finger with the each, i.e., the little with the little, the fore with the fore, the ring with the ring and then transverse the position of the hand i.e., the left comes to the right and vice versa. 

The wise worshipper should inhale the fragrance of the flower and thus perform the ritualistic dismissal of it. 

One should never worship two śhańkhas, chakras, shilas (Salagrama), lingas, two idols of Vighneśhvaras, two of suns and three Shaktis together. It is conducive to misery. 

121-124. The holy water from the feet of Vishnu is auspicious. It wards off premature death and it is the destroyer of all ailments. It reduces all sins. The naivedya (food offering) to the different deities shall be taken by the respective devotees. Shiva’s nirmalya (remains of worship), leaves, flowers, fruits or even water should not be partaken of. By the contact of Salagrama stone everything is rendered pure, 

O Narada, worshipping is said to be of five kinds. 

125. They are åturi (pertaining to the sick) sautiki (that of the polluted), trăsi (that of the frightened), sadhanabhāvini (the articles for the worship are mentally conceived) and daurbodhi (that which is done by ignorant people). Listen to the characteristics of them in their order. 

126-129. One who is sick shall not take bath, or perform japa or puja. He shall witness other person’s worship. Looking at the idol or the disc of the sun he shall bow down or recollecting the mantra he should offer handful of flowers. When sickness is cured he shall take bath. He shall then bow down to and worship his preceptor. He shall then pray as follows: ‘By your grace, O lord of the universe, O storehourse of mercy, worthy of being worshipped by the world, let no defect arise in me on account of the break in the puja’. He shall show honour to the Brahmanas and propitiate them according to his capacity. Then on receiving their blessings he should worship the lord as before. 

130-132. The puja called åturi has been recounted. Now the sautiki form is being explained. 

Sutaka is said to be of two forms: One is named jataka and the other is mrutaka i.e., due to the nativity of a child and death. The devotee should take his bath and perform sandhya mentally with concentration. He should worship the deity mentally and make a japa of the mantra. When the period of pollution is over he shall worship the preceptor and the brahmans as before. After securing their blessings he should resume daily rites. This is called sautiki form of worship. The type called träsi is being explained now. 

133-135. When one is afraid of wicked people one worships the lord with whatever form of service one finds available or mentally. This is called träsi. If there is deficiency of the means of worship in everything, he should worship the lord with flowers, leaves or fruits or worship mentally. This is called sadbhávanäbhåvini. O Narada, now listen to Daurbodhi type of worship. 

136. Women, old people, children and ignorant people do this out of ignorance; hence it is called daurbodhi. 

137-140. The aspirant should perform puja in any of the above ways. One who is devoid of worship of the lord certainly goes to hell. After performing the rites of Vaišhvadeva etc. he should feed the best of brahmins. Afterwards he shall partake of what has been offered unto the lord with his near relatives. He shall rinse his mouth and make his mouth and face pure. Then take a little rest and then listen to the puranas, itihāsas etc along with his kinsmen. One who is able to perform the best of alternatives but performs with the substitute he, the wicked-minded person, will get a doubtful result.