182 - Consecration of Stone Images

Varaha said:

1. I shall tell you now how I am to be consecrated in stone images.

2. A beautiful, flawless stone should be selected after careful examination and a quick and clever artisan should be engaged to carve out the image. The outline may be made with a white brush.

3. After circumambulation, worship should be made with rice grains and the like.

4. Lamp should then be offered and then rice with curd. Then Namo narayanaya (Bow to Narayana) should be uttered and the following mantra recited.

5. The mantra: “You are the most heroic of all, the foremost among the intelligent and effulgent like the sun, the moon and the fire. May you be consecrated here by this mantra and may fame increase. Hail, hail, great Varaha”.

6. Whatever is necessary should be done with this mantra. Consecrating Lord Narayana in this form, he should be installed facing east.

 7-8. Fasting for a whole day and night, wearing white dress and white Yajnopavita, and after cleaning the teeth, the following mantra should be uttered taking sandal water.

9. The mantra: “O Lord of the worlds, you who are the entire world with all forms, remain worshipped in this. You are always held in the mind, you are the supreme example of indestructibility, you are never defeated, you have no old age or death. Being worshipped, fix yourself here by this mantra 0m namo Vasudevaya.

10. After this consecration, the stone idol should be given adhivasana (rest on a substratum) in the asterism Proshtapada.

11. He who instals me in this manner, goes to the world of Vishnu. There need be no doubt about this.

12. The whole day and night should be spent thus eating only wheat cooked in milk. (The next day) during the evening sandhya four lamps should be offered.

13. At the foot of the deity four small pots containing water mixed with Panchagavya and sandal should be placed.

14. A festival should be conducted with vocal and instrumental music and recitation of Samaveda by Brahmins should be arranged.

15. I make my presence there when thousands of Vedic syllables are uttered in proper tone and tune, because, O goddess, the recitation of Vedic mantras is dear to me.

16. The idol should then be installed in the company of devotees and invocation should be made with the following mantra:

17. “Come here, O lord, with the mantras, the five sense organs and the mind. You, the dispenser, remain in all these beings”.

18. With the same mantra, hundred and eight ahutis (offerings in fire) should be made using twigs, sesamum clarified butter and honey.

19. Wheh all this is done, I voluntarily make my presence in the idol.

20. When the night is over and the day dawns, panchagavya should be offered with mantra as prescribed.

21. Sandal, fried rice and water with Panchagavya should then be given and the idol installed in the temple with vocal and instrumental music and recitation of auspicious hymns.

22-23. Taking different kinds of sandal paste, the mantra should be recited: “O Primeval being, may you who have been here according to the prescribed rules, be pleased to enter this temple with all effulgence together with Lakshmi. Bow to you again and again.”

24. With this mantra the idol should be taken into the temple and placed there in the exact centre, not on the side.

25. The idol should then be erected. Sandal, saffron etc., should be applied and the following mantra should be recited: 

26. “O Lord of the world, you are the foremost in the world, worshipped by Brahma and Bruhaspati. Remain here welcomed and saluted with mantras”.

27. After installation in this manner, worship should be made with sandal and garlands. White cloth should then be offered with the following mantra:

28. The mantra: “O Lord, accept these garments given by me with devotion and put them on. Be pleased with me. Bow to you again and again”.

29. Clothes should be offered to me in this way following the rules. Incense should then be offered with Agaru and saffron. While giving this dhupa the following is the mantra:

30. “You are the most ancient Man, the foremost in the world and without a beginning. Accept this sandal, garlands, incense and lamp, O Lord. Bow to you again and again.”

31. After this food should be offered as before.

32. For this the same mantras as before may be used. Then should be given water for cleaning.

33. Shantijapa should then be conducted, which accomplishes all desires, with the mantra: “O Lord of the worlds, bestow peace on the king and the kingdom anth on the Brahmins. Bestow peace on the infants and the aged, on herds of cows, virgins and chaste women.

34. May ailments vanish everywhere, may the farmers, always get good yield. May the world be prosperous and peaceful with the rains falling in time.”

35-36. After performing worship to the Lord in this manner with all the rites, Brahmins should be feasted and the poor fed according to capacity.

37. He who instals me in this way remains in my world for as many thousands of years as there are waterdrops in my body.

38. O Earth, he who does all this without any ego liberates seven, seven and seventy in his clan.

39. Thus have I told you about the installation of stone idols for the sake of dharma and for the good of devotees.