186 - Consecration of silver and golden Images

Varäha said:

1. Getting a pure, well-shaped and well-proportioned silver image, free from all defects,

2. White like the moon and radiating lustre in all directions,

3. The devotee may take it to the temple to the accompaniment of music and the sound of the conch and drums and praises and benedictions.

4. Then taking water for arghya and pädya, the following mantra is to be recited:

5. The mantra: “O lord of worlds, you who are the arghya in all worlds, worshipped by all and honoured by the celestials, the master of my Agnihotra done at Sunrise, be pleased to come here and receive this arghya. The glow residing in the middle of the sun”.

6. After giving arghya with this mantra, the idol should be placed facing north.

7. On the day when the asterism is in the Zodiacal house Karkataka, when the sun has set, the adhiväsana should be done with mantras and in the prescribed manner.

8. Four pots filled with sandal water should be placed there with all herbs and decorated with mango twigs.

9. Then the devotees should do the rituals as instructed by the preceptor.

10. Namo Näräyanaya should be uttered and the following mantra recited:

 11. The mantra: “O lord the creator of all worlds, the ruler of all, the form of all forms, worshipped by Dhruva and the deities guarding the quarters, be pleased to make your presence in this idol Bow to Ananta.” 

12. When the night is over and the sun rises and the quarters are Clear, it should be taken to the doorway of the sanctum.

13. Then my devotees should perform the bathing ceremony there.

14. He may perform this bath in the prescribed manner uttering Namo närãyanäya and reciting the following mantra:

15. “This water I have brought, O lord, from rivers like Gañgä and the Oceans and scented with camphor for your bath”.

16. The idol should be taken to the interior and installed there with the following mantra:

17, “O lord of the worlds, known through the Vedas, worshipped by those who know the Vedas, having the form of sacrifice, the giver of the fruit of sacrifice, I invoke you here for sacrifice. Be pleased to remain in this idol. Wealth, people, silver, gold, bow to Ananta.”

18. After installation in this manner with a pleasant mind, archanä should be done in the manner stated before.

19. Then blue garments may be offered, as they are dear to me.

20. Taking clothes and kneeling down, Namo Näräyanaya should be uttered and the following mantra recited.

21. The mantra: “O lord, resplendent like moonbeams, resembling the conch, jasmine and milk, may you be pleased to accept these garments for my sake: Dress, good dress, O lord, endless, imperishable, causing death, Cause, easy to obtain, difficult to attain, the supreme”. 

22. After giving me clothes with this mantra, food is to be given with all reverence, uttering Namo Narayanaya and reciting the following mantra:

23. “O lord Purushottama may you be pleased to receive this food containing cooked rice and Päyasa with sugar and ghee”.

24. After this naivedya, water should be given.

25. For the welfare of the world, Shäntipätha should be recited.

26. “Om, peace is brought about by Brahma, Rudra, Vishnu, Sürya, Rätrï, Sandhyä, Nakshatras and Diks. Motionless, vibrating, moving, moving in the sky, rapidly moving, having the hue of lotus, Bow to Väsudeva.”

27. After the Šhäntipätha which removes sins, the devotees should be honoured.

28. The Brahmins should then be fed according to capacity and water taken from them should be sprinkled on me.

29. Then Brahmins and relatives should be sent off with folded hands.

30. The preceptor should be worshipped with gifts. When he is worshipped, I am worshipped.

31. He who docs this remains in my world for as many thousands of years as there are drops of water falling at the end of the meal.

32. He who worships in this manner liberates his paternal and maternal lines.

33. This is the way to instal silver images. I shall now tell you about the installation of golden images.

34. The golden image may be made in the same manner as the silver image and invocation etc., may be made similarly.

35. The benefit of erecting idols in wood, stone, bronze etc., becomes a crore times more with golden images.

36. Twenty-one generations are liberated (by one installing golden idols) and he is finally merged in me without being born again.

 37. O Earth, I have thus told you what you desired to know. What else am I to tell you?

Earth said:

38. You have now told me about the idols made of gold and other metals. You remain in all these, no doubt, but you remain in Sälagrämas too.

39. O Mädhava, be pleased to tell me the number (of these Sälagrämas) to be worshipped in homes and the general and special benefits arising therefrom, as also the number in worshipping Shiva and other deities.

Varäha said:

40. In the house two (Shiva) liñgas should not be worshipped, so also three Sàlagrãmas.

41. Two Chakras from Dvärakâ should not be worshipped, so also two Süryas. Three Ganešhas should not be worshipped, so also three Šhaktis (Ambikäs).”

42. A Pair of Šälagrämas should be worshipped, but not two pairs. Odd number should not be worshipped because this amounts to a single one.

43. Burnt or broken (Sälagrämas) should not be worshipped at home, as this may bring about calamities.

44. But even if broken, if the Chakra is clear, then it is good enough.

45. I shall tell you, O Earth, the merit of worshipping twelve Sälagrämas.

46. The same result is attained in a single day as of worshipping twelve crores of liñgas worshipped with golden lotuses for twelve aeons.

47. The merit that accrues to a man worshipping a hundred Sälagrämas, I am unable to recount even for hundred years.

48. All deities can be worshipped in idols by people of all castes. Crystal liñgas can also be done similarly.

49. But a Sälagräma should not be touched by men of inferior caste or by women and Šhüdras.

50. If a woman or Shüdra touches it even out of curiosity, the result will be torment in hell till deluge.

51. But if a woman or Šhüdra has devotion (for me through the Sälagräma), then worship may be got performed by others without it. The drinking of that water (used for worship) removes all sins.

52. The offerings made to Shiva like leaf, flower, fruit and water, are prohibited from use. But they get purified by association with Sälagräma.

53. I shall tell you the merit that accrues to a person who makes gift of a Sälagräma together with some gold to a devotee.

54. It is equivalent to making gift to a worthy person of the whole earth with its gold, mountains, forests and oceans.

55. Sale of a Šälagräma leads to hell both the seller and the buyer.

56. I will be unable to say in full about the good results o this worship even if I take a hundred years.

57. have thus told you about the installation of idols and the specialities relating to the Sälagramas and the Liñgas.

58. I have also told you about the rules in worship. What else do you wish to know?