The Shiva Purana — Vidyeśvara Saṁhitā

1*(Benedictory Prayer)*

Chapter 1 — The Doubt of the Sages

1I meditate on Śiva, the lord of Ambikā (Pārvatī), auspicious from the beginning to the end, having no parallel, the noble lord, the unaging and the undying, the lord of Ātmans, the five-faced (see appendix on the five faces of Śiva) and the dispeller of the five powerful sins.
*Vyāsa said:—*

2Sages of edified souls, engaged in truthful rites, powerful and blessed, performed a great sacrifice at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Kālindī (Yamunā) in the most sacred city of Prayāga, a great holy centre, the path that leads to Brahmaloka.

3On hearing that a sacrifice was being performed there, the disciple of Vyāsa, the great sage Sūta, an excellent scholar in the Purāṇas, arrived there to see the sages.

4The sages were delighted on seeing him and received him with due hospitality and adoration.

5The due adoration being completed, the noble sages, being highly pleased, addressed him in all humility with their palms joined in reverence.

6O Romaharṣaṇa, the omniscient, by thy weighty fortune, the entire Purāṇic lore, pregnant in its meaningful content, has been secured by thee from Vyāsa.

7Hence thou art the receptacle of wonder-inspiring stories, even as the vast ocean is the storehouse of gems of great worth.

8There is nothing in the three worlds that is not known to thee, of the past, present and the future.

9It is our great fortune that thou thyself hast come to pay a visit to us. Hence it is not proper on thy part to return without doing us a favour.

10It is true that we have already listened to the explanation of the auspicious and the inauspicious. But we are not content. We yearn to hear more and more.

11Now, O Sūta of good mentality, we have only one point to be clarified. If thou dost desire to bless us, please explain the same, though it be the secret of secrets.

12At the advent of the terrible age of Kali men have become devoid of merits. They are engaged in evil ways of life. They have turned their faces from truthful avocations.

13They are engaged in caluminating others. They covet other men’s wealth. Their attention is diverted to other men’s wives. Injuring others has become their chief aim.

14They view the physical body as the soul, deluded as they are; they are atheists of mere brutish sense; they hate their parents; their wives are goddesses unto them; they are slaves to lust.

15Brahmins are in the clutches of greed, they sell Vedas for livelihood; they acquire learning as a means of earning money; they are deluded by their false pride.

16They have forsaken the duties of their own castes; they have almost become swindlers of others; they do not offer Sandhyā prayers thrice a day; they are deprived of Vedic enlightenment.

17They are ruthless; they make much of their little knowledge; they have discarded many of their rites and good conduct of life; they have taken to agriculture as their profession; cruelty has become second nature to them; their ideas have become dirty and defiled.

18Similarly the Kṣatriyas also have discarded their duties; they associate with evil men; they indulge in sinful activities; vice and debauchery have become their main aim in life.

19They have ceased to be valorous; they never take interest in virtuous warfare; they flee from the battlefield; they follow the mean tactics of thieves and Śūdras; they are mentally enslaved by base passions.

20They have eschewed the practice of miraculous weapons; they never care to protect cows and brahmins; they no longer consider it their duty to protect those who seek refuge in them; they always indulge in brutish sexual dalliance with their damsels.

21The good virtue of protecting their subjects they have thrown over-board; they strictly adhere to sensual enjoyment; they are wicked annihilators of their own people; they rejoice in the harassment of all living beings.

22Vaiśyas too no longer perform holy rites; they have cast off their traditional virtue; they have taken to crooked ways to earn more and more; they are now notorious for their malpractices with the weighing balance.

23They are no longer devoted to preceptors, gods and brahmins; their intellect has become distorted; miserly and tight-fisted they no longer feed the brahmins.

24They take delight in being the paramours of beautiful women; squalid and filthy in their ideas and deluded by cupidity they have lost clear thinking; they have abandoned their zeal for Pñrta and other holy rites such as digging wells, tanks, planting trees and parks.

25Similarly most of the Śūdras have become depraved. Some of them show their interest in leading the life of brahmins with shining forms and features; they too in the confusion of their minds have abandoned their traditional practices.

26In their eagerness to appropriate a brahmanical splendour they frequently perform penances. They cause infantile and premature deaths by their chanting of mantras.

27They worship the Śālagrāma stone and other things; they evince some interest in Homas too but in their thoughts and actions they are crooked and antagonistic; they calumniate the brahmins.

28Rich people indulge in misdeeds; learned people take perpetual delight in disputations; those who conduct discourses in holy narratives and expound virtuous rites of worship, themselves abandon virtuous practice of the same.

29Haughty persons assume the features of noble kings; those who liberally give, do so with a lot of fuss and haughtiness thinking themselves to be great lords and treating the brahmins and others as their servants.

30Devoid of the strict observance of their traditional duties and virtues, the foolish people have brought about an admixture of various castes. Cruel in thought and obsessed by false prestiges, people have discarded the four-fold system of social classification.

31Deluded people, wrongly considering themselves high-born, perform certain good rites which result only in the upset of the caste-order and down-fall of all people.

32Women too generally misbehave and err; they slight their husbands; they are inimical to their fathers-in-law; fearlessly they pursue their nefarious activities.

33They indulge in foul coquettish gestures; they are carried away by amorous dispositions; their conduct is bad; they pursue illicit connections with paramours; they turn away from their own husbands.

34As for sons, they are invariably wicked without any filial affection; they take lessons in ignorant activities and succumb to various ailments.

35O Sūta, how can these deluded people who have abandoned their traditional virtues get salvation here and hereafter.

36Hence our minds are always agitated. Indeed there is no virtue equal to helping others.

37Since thou art conversant with the essentials of all tenets, please tell us the easiest remedy for the immediate destruction of the sins of these people.
*Vyāsa said:—*

38On hearing these words of the sages of sanctified souls Sūta thought of Śiva and told them thus.
*Sūta said:—*

Chapter 2 — Answers Clarifying the Doubts of the Sages

39O saintly men, the question that you put me is very pertinent. Prompted by my love towards you all I shall, remembering my preceptor, the benefactor of the three worlds, tell you everything. All of you listen attentively.

40The entire essence of Vedānta is contained in the excellent Śivapurāṇa. It dispells all sins. It affords the attainment of the highest truth (Brahma) hereafter.

41O brahmins, the great glory of Śiva, that destroys the sin of the Kali age, unfolds itself in the Purāṇa and yields the fruits of the four varieties (Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Mokṣa).

42By the single-minded study of that most excellent Śivapurāṇa excellent brahmins will attain salvation.

43It is only as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world, that Brahma-hatyā (the sin of slaying a brahmin) and other sins display themselves.

44It is only as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world, that the evil portents of Kali fearlessly roam about.

45It is only as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world, that the different sacred texts clash together in disputation.

46It is difficult even to great men to comprehend Śiva’s features as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

47The cruel attendants of Yama roam about fearlessly as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

48All the other Purāṇas roar loudly on the earth as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

49All the holy centres enter into mutual wrangles and disputes on the earth as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

50All the mantras rejoice in mutual disputes as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

51All the sectors of pilgrimage engage themselves in mutual disputes as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

52All the altars and pedestals engage themselves in mutual disputes as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

53All the gifts engage themselves in disputes as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

54All those gods engage themselves in mutual disputes as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

55All the philosophical tenets engage themselves in mutual disputes as long as the Śivapurāṇa has not risen high in the world.

56O foremost among brahmanical sages, I cannot adequately describe the fruit accruing from reciting and listening to this Śivapurāṇa.

57Even then, O sinless ones, I shall succinctly describe its greatness as narrated to me by Vyāsa. Please listen attentively.

58He who reads a single stanza or even half of it piously becomes free from sin instantaneously.

59He who reads every day as much of Śivapurāṇa as he can with devotion and alertness is called Jīvanmukta (a living liberated soul).

60He who continues to worship this Śivapurāṇa daily derives the fruit of horse-sacrifice undoubtedly.

61He who with a craving for an ordinary position in life listens to Śivapurāṇa even from a person other than me is freed from sin.

62He who bows near this Śivapurāṇa derives undoubtedly the fruit of adoration of all the gods.

63Please listen to the meritorious benefit that accrues to the man who copies Śivapurāṇa and gives the manuscript to the devotees of Śiva.

64He will have that benefit—very difficult to attain in the world—as that of the study of Śāstras (sacred lore) and of commenting on the Vedas.

65He who observes fast on the Caturdaśī (fourteenth day in the lunar fortnight) and conducts discourses and comments on the Śivapurāṇa in the assembly of the devotees of Śiva is the most excellent of all.

66He shall derive the benefit of the repetition of Gāyatrī syllable by syllable. He will enjoy all worldly pleasures here and attain salvation hereafter.

67I shall tell you the benefit derived by him who reads or listens to this after observing fast on the Caturdaśī day by keeping awake in the night.

68This is the truth, undoubtedly the truth that he will get the benefit derived by the man who makes gifts of wealth equal in weight to himself to brahmins with Vyāsas at their head at the complete eclipse of the sun, many a time, in all holy centres, Kurukṣetra etc.

69Indra and other devas wait eagerly for the directives of the man who chants day and night the verses of the Śiva-purāṇa.

70The sacred rites performed by the man who regularly reads or listens to the Śivapurāṇa are effective millions of times more than usual.

71He who reads the Rudrasaṃhitā portion of Śiva-purāṇa with pure and concentrated mind becomes a purified soul within three days even though he might have killed a brahmin.

72He who reads the Rudrasaṃhitā three times a day near the image of Bhairava, refraining from useless talk, shall get all cherished desires fulfilled.

73If a slayer of brahmin circumambulates the trees of Vaṭa and Bilva reciting the verses from Rudrasaṃhitā he will become purified of the sin of Brahmin-slaughter.

74The Kailāsa saṃhitā is even greater than that. It is of Vedic status and stature. The meaning of Praṇava (the sacred syllable Om) is amplified in it.

75O Brahmins, Lord Śiva knows the greatness of Kailāśasaṃhitā in its entirety. Vyāsa knows half of it and I a moiety of the same.

76A part of it, I shall tell you, since it is impossible to say everything. On comprehending it people attain purity of their minds instantaneously.

77O Brahmins, seeking for it ever and anon, I do not see a sin that cannot be quelled by Rudrasaṃhitā.

78Drinking that nectar prepared by Lord Śiva after churning the ocean of the Upaniṣads (a class of Vedic literature) and handed over to Kumāra (Lord Kārtikeya) the devotee shall become immortal.

79The person intending to perform expiatory rites for the sins of Brahma-hatyā etc. should read that Saṃhitā for a month. He shall be freed of that sin.

80By a single recital, that Saṃhitā destroys the sin originating from the acceptance of monetary gifts from defiled persons, partaking of defiled food and indulging in foul talks.

81The benefit derived by a person who reads that Saṃhitā in the grove of Bilva trees in a temple of Śiva is beyond description in words.

82If a person reads that Saṃhitā with devotion at the time of performing Śrāddha and feeding the brahmins, all his Pitṛs (manes) attain the great region of Śiva.

83The devotee who observes fast on the Caturdaśī day and reads that Saṃhitā under the Bilva tree is directly identified with Śiva and is worshipped by the gods.

84The other Saṃhitās are no doubt the bestowers of the benefit of fulfilling all cherished desires. These two Saṃhitās are particularly excellent as they are full of divine sports and divine knowledge.

85Such is the Śivapurāṇa, extolled on a par with the Vedas, created by Lord Śiva Himself at first and commensurate with the supreme Brahman.

86Originally the Śivapurāṇa was of very enormous size consisting of twelve sacred Saṃhitās:—(1) Vidyeśvara (2) Rudra, (3) Vaināyaka, (4) Aumika, (5) Mātṛ (6) Rudraikādaśa, (7) Kailāsa, (8) Śatarudraka, (9) Sahasrakoṭirudra, (10) Koṭirudra, (11) Vāyavīya and (12) Dharmasaṃjña. O brahmins, I shall mention the number of verses in those Saṃhitās. Please listen with due attention.

87The first Saṃhitā of Vidyeśvara, consisted of ten thousand verses. The Raudra, Vaināyaka, Aumika and Mātṛ Saṃhitās consisted of eight thousand verses each.

88O brahmins, the Rudraikādasa saṃhitā consisted of thirteen thousand verses; the Kailāsa saṃhitā of six thousand verses and the Śatarudra of three thousand verses.

89The Koṭirudra saṃhitā consisted of nine thousand verses; the Sahasrakoṭi-Rudra saṃhitā of eleven thousand verses.

90The Vāyavīya saṃhitā consisted of 4000 verses and the Dharma saṃhitā of twelve thousand verses. Thus the whole Śivapurāṇa contained a hundred thousand verses.

91That has been condensed by Vyāsa to twenty-four thousand verses; that is to about a fourth of the original Purāṇa and he retained seven saṃhitās.

92The Purāṇic lore at the time of the first creation as conceived by Śiva contained a thousand million (hundred crores) verses.

93In the Kṛta age Dvaipāyana and others condensed it into four hundred thousand verses which in the beginning of Dvāpara age was separated into eighteen different Purāṇas.

94Of these the Śivapurāṇa contains twenty-four thousand verses with seven Saṃhitās and the Purāṇa is on a par with the Vedas (in excellence).

95The first Saṃhitā is called Vidyeśvara, the second Rudra, the third Śatarudra and the fourth Koṭirudra.

96The fifth is Aumi (of Umā), the sixth Kailāsa and the seventh Vāyavīya; these are the seven Saṃhitās.

97Thus the divine Śivapurāṇa with its seven Saṃhitās stands on a par with the Vedas, according salvation more than anything else.

98He who reads this Śivapurāṇa complete with the seven Saṃhitās devotedly is a living liberated soul.

99Hundreds of other sacred texts as the Vedas, Smṛtis, Purāṇas, Itihāsas, and Āgamas do not merit even a sixteenth of this Śivapurāṇa.

100Śivapurāṇa is first expounded by Śiva and then condensed by Vyāsa, a devotee of Śiva. It is pure and brief and as such it renders help to all living beings. As a queller of the threefold calamities (physical, extraneous and divine) it is unrivalled. It bestows welfare upon the good.

101Undeceptive virtue is extolled herein; it is, in the main, of the nature of Vedantic wisdom. It contains mantras, and three aims of life and the thing knowable by wise men of unprejudiced mind. The Śivapurāṇa is the best among the Purāṇas, extolling the great Being that glows in Vedānta and the Vedas. He who reads and listens to it with devotion becomes a favourite of Śiva and attains the supreme position (here and hereafter).
*Vyāsa said:—*

Chapter 3 — The deliberation on the achievable and the means of achievement

102On hearing the words of Sūta, the great sages said, “Please narrate the wonderful Purāṇa that fully treats of the essence of Vedānta”.

103Very delighted at the request of the sages Sūta meditated on Śiva and spoke to them.
*Sūta said:—*

104Contemplating on Śiva free from ailments may ye all hear this Śivapurāṇa, the foremost among Purāṇas, that amplifies the essence of the Vedas.

105Where the trio, Bhakti (Piety) Jñāna (Wisdom) and Vairāgya (non-attachment) has been proclaimed and the object which is knowable only through Vedānta, has been particularly described.
*Sūta said:—*

106May ye all hear the Purāṇa that embibes the essence of the Vedas. Formerly, when many Kalpas (Aeons) elapsed and this Kalpa started with the process of creation, a great dispute arose among the sages of six clans who held divergent views as to which is great and which is not. They approached Brahmā the Creator, to ask him about the imperishable.

107All of them with palms joined in reverence addressed him with words couched in humility—“Thou art the creator of the entire universe, the cause of all causes. Who is that Being older than all Principles, the greatest of the great?
*Brahmā said:—*

108“That from whom words recede, not approaching him even with the mind; that from whom this entire universe beginning with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra and Indra, along with all elements and all sense-organs, is evolved at first; he is the lord Mahādeva the omniscient, the lord of the universe. He can be realised by supreme devotion and not by other means.

109Rudra, Hari, Hara and other lords of Devas are ever desirous of seeing Him, moved by great devotion.

110Of what avail is a verbose statement? One is liberated by devotion unto Śiva. Devotion to the deity is due to His Grace; and His grace is due to devotion just as the seed gives rise to the sprout and the sprout produces the seed.

111Hence, O Brahmins, all of you descend to the earth, to propitiate the Lord. You have to perform a sacrifice of long duration for a thousand years.

112It is by the grace of Śiva alone who will be the presiding deity of this sacrifice that the means of achievement of the Achievable can be realised and that is the essence of the Vidyā (mystic learning) mentioned in the Vedas.
*The sages said:—*

113What is that great Achievable? What is that great means of achievement? Of what sort is the performer of the rite? Please mention these precisely.
*Brahmā said:—*

114The attainment of Śiva’s region is the Achievable. Means of achievement is the service rendered unto Him. Sādhaka (the performer of the rite) is the person who is free from desire even for permanence which attitude is the result of His grace.

115Rites mentioned in the Vedas should be performed with the fruits thereof dedicated to Him. Thence, through Sālokya he attains the feet of the great Lord.

116All attain the great fruit according to the standard in devotion achieved. The ways of achieving these standards are manifold as expounded by Isa Himself.

117I shall condense the same and tell you the essential means. Listening to the glory of Śiva, glorifying him by means of words, and deliberation in the mind, these constitute the greatest of the means. Maheśvara is to be heard, glorified and meditated upon.

118Thus Śruti is our authority. Resorting solely to this great means, all of you attain the Achievable.

119Regarding visible things people see with their eyes and begin their activity. Concerning the invisible everywhere, they know through the ears and activise themselves.

120Hence Śravaṇa (listening) is the first rite. The intelligent scholar must listen to the oral explanation of the preceptor and then practise the other rites.—Kīrtana (glorifying) and Manana (deliberation).

121When all the means upto Manana are well exercised, Śivayoga (unification with Śiva) results gradually through Sālokya etc. All the ailments of the body are nullified and supreme bliss is realised. Painful indeed is the process but later on everything becomes auspicious from beginning to end.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 4 — The Excellence of Listening and Deliberation

122O holy one, what is Śravaṇa? what is Manana? How is the Kīrtana performed? Please expound these precisely.
*Brahmā said:—*

123The mind is fond of reasoning deliberation. The ability of the mind to ponder and evaluate the corresponding efficacy of the worship, Japa, the attributes of Īśa, His form, His divine sports and multifarious names, is the result of the benignant glance of Īśvara. Hence this steady continuance in the act of deliberation is the most important of all the means.

124By Kīrtana (glorification) is meant the clear expression of Śiva’s exploits, attributes, forms, sports, names etc. in good taste by reciting traditional lore, singing songs of praise even in mother tongue. It is the middle one of the three means.

125O wise men, the means of Śravaṇa famous in the world is the listening to words concerning Śiva, in whatever manner, howsoever and wherever they are produced with the same steady attention as in the sporting dalliance of women.

126Śravaṇa (listening) is effected when one associates with good men. Then the Kīrtana of Paśupati becomes steady. In the end is the Manana which is the most excellent. All these take place as a result of benevolent surveillance of Lord Śiva.
*Sūta said:—*

127O saints, in the context of the elucidation of the greatness of the means, I shall narrate an anecdote of former days for your sake. Please listen to them attentively.

128Long ago, my preceptor Vyāsa, the son of Sage Parāśara, performed penance on the bank of the river Sarasvatī with some mental agitation.

129The divine sage Sanatkumāra who happened to go that way in an aerial chariot resplendent like the sun, espied my preceptor.

130Waking up from his meditation my preceptor saw the son of Brahmā. The sage thereupon paid obeisance in a flutter and eagerness.

131He offered Arghya and a seat befitting the divinity of the sage. Being delighted, the divine sage spoke to my humble preceptor in words of great profundity.

132O sage, you must meditate upon the True object. The great lord Śiva can be realised and seen. But wherefore do you perform the penance here unattended?

133When Sanatkumāra addressed him thus, the sage Vyāsa clarified his purpose. “By the favour of divine elders like you I have almost established the four ways of virtue, wealth, love and salvation with due adherence to the Vedic path, in the world. I have become a preceptor unto all. Still it is surprising that the knowledge of the means of liberation has not dawned on me. I am performing penance for the sake of salvation. But I do not know how it can be achieved.

134O excellent brahmins, when thus requested by the sage Vyāsa, the competent divine sage Sanatkumāra told him of the sure way of realising salvation.

135It has already been mentioned that there are three means in conformity with Vedic ideal viz. Śravaṇa, Kīrtana and the highly efficacious Manana of Śiva.

136Formerly, I too, confounded by other means performed a great penance on the mountain Mandara.

137At the bidding of Śiva, the divine attendant Nandikeśvara arrived there. That sympathetic lord of Gaṇas, witness of all, lovingly told me about the excellent means of salvation. Viz.—Śravaṇa, Kīrtana and Manana all in conformity with Vedic ideals.

138Hence, O holy sage, as advised by Śiva these are the three means of salvation. Please practise them.” He repeatedly advised Vyāsa thus.

139After saying this to Vyāsa, the son of Brahmā mounted the aerial chariot accompanied by his followers and returned to his splendid and auspicious region.

140Thus, in brief, I have told you the ancient anecdote.
*The sages said:—*

141O Sūta, you have narrated Śravaṇa etc.—the three means of salvation. If a person is unable to practise these three, what shall he do to achieve liberation? What is that rite whereby salvation will be possible without stress or strain?
*Sūta said:—*

Chapter 5 — The greatness of the phallic emblem (liṅga) of Śiva

142A person incompetent to perform the three rites of Śravaṇa etc. shall fix the phallic emblem (liṅga) or the image of Śiva and worship them every day. He can thus cross the ocean of worldly existence.

143As far as he can afford, the devotee shall make gifts of wealth too without deceiving others. He shall offer them to the phallic emblem or the image of Śiva. He must worship them constantly.

144The worship must be performed elaborately. Construction of platforms, ornamental portals, monasteries, temples, holy centres, etc., offerings of cloth, scents, garlands, incense, lamps, with due piety; oblations of various cooked rice, pancakes, pies etc. with side dishes; umbrellas, fans, chowries with all paraphernalia—everything shall be maintained in the worship of Śiva. In fact, all royal homage shall be paid. Circumambulation and obeisance with Japas according to capacity shall be performed. All the different usual rites in worships like invocation shall be maintained with due devotion. A person who worships the phallic emblem or the image in this manner will attain salvation even without Śravaṇa etc. Many noble men of yore have been Uberated solely by this simple worship,

145Everywhere the deities are worshipped only in their image. How is it that Śiva is worshipped both in the image and the phallus?
*Sūta said:—*

146O sages, this question is holy and wondrous. Here the speaker is Śiva Himself and not any ordinary person.

147I shall tell you what Śiva Himself had said and what I heard from my own preceptor. Śiva alone is glorified as Niṣkala (nameless and formless) since He is identical with supreme Brahman.

148He is also Sakala as He has an embodied form. He is both Sakala and Niṣkala. It is in his Niṣkala aspect that the Liṅga is appropriate.

149In the Sakala aspect the worship of his embodied form is appropriate. Since He has the Sakala and Niṣkala aspects He is worshipped both in the phallic and in the embodied form by the people and is called the highest Brahman. Other deities, not being Brahman, have no Niṣkala aspect anywhere.

150Hence the deities are not worshipped in the formless phallic symbol. The other deities are both non-Brahman and individual souls.

151In view of their being embodied alone they are worshipped solely in the bodily form. Śaṅkara has Brahmatva and the others Jīvatva.

152This has been explained in the meaning of the Praṇava (Om), the essence of Vedānta, by Nandikeśvara when asked by Sanatkumāra, the intelligent son of Brahmā, at the mountain Mandara.
*Sanatkumāra said:—*

153The embodied form alone is often observed in the worship of the deities other than Śiva. But both the phallic and the embodied forms are seen only in the worship of Śiva. Hence O benevolent one, please tell me precisely making me understand the truth.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

154It is impossible to answer this question without revealing the secret of Brahman.

155O sinless one, since you are pious I shall tell you what Śiva Himself has said. Since Śiva has the bodiless aspect in virtue of His being the supreme Brahman, the Niṣkala liṅga, in conformity with the Vedic implication, is used only in His worship. Since He has an embodied form as well, His embodied form is also worshipped and accepted by all people. According to the decision in the Vedas, the embodied form alone is to be used in the worship of other deities who are only individual souls embodied. Devas have only the embodied aspect in their manifestation. In sacred literature both the phallic and the embodied forms are mentioned for Śiva.
*Sanatkumāra said:—*

156O Fortunate one, you have explained the worship of phallus and image distinctly for Śiva and the other deities. Hence, O lord of Yogins, I wish to hear the feature of the manifestation of the phallic aspect of Śiva.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

157O dear one, out of love for you I shall tell you the truth. Long long ago, in the famous first Kalpa, the noble souls Brahmā and Viṣṇu fought each other.

158In order to eradicate their arrogance lord Parameśvara showed his unembodied Niṣkala form in the form of a column in their midst.

159He showed his phallus emblem separate, evolved out of the column, with a desire to bless the worlds.

160From that time onwards the divine phallus and the embodied image, both, were assigned to Śiva alone.

161The embodied form alone was assigned to deities other than Śiva. The different types of the embodied forms of the different Devas yield only enjoyments. In regard to Śiva the phallic emblem and the embodied form together bestow auspicious enjoyment and salvation.

Chapter 6 — Battle between Brahmā and Viṣṇu

162Summary: The journey to Kailāśa of the Devas terrified by the use of the Pāśupata weapon in the fight between Brahmā and Viṣṇu who vied with each other maintaining that each of them is the Lord himself.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

163Once, long ago, O foremost among Yogins, Viṣṇu was having his nap on his serpent-couch. He was surrounded by the goddess of fortune and his attendants.

164Brahmā, the foremost among the Vedic scholars chanced to come there. He asked the lotus-eyed handsome Viṣṇu who was lying there.

165Who are you lying here like a haughty person even after seeing me? Get up, O dear, and see me who am your lord. I have come here.

166Expiatory rites are ordained for that spiteful wretch who behaves like a haughty fool at the visit of an honourable elderly person.

167On hearing these words Viṣṇu was angry. But assuming a calm exterior he said—“O dear, Hail thee. Welcome. Please sit on this couch. How is it that thy face is agitated and thy eyes look curious?
*Brahmā said:—*

168Dear Viṣṇu, know me to have come with the speed of the Time. I am to be honoured greatly. O dear one, I the protector of the world, Grandfather, your protector as well.

169O dear one, the whole universe is situated within me but your way of thinking is like that of a thief. You are born of the lotus sprung from my navel-region. You are my son. Your words are futile therefore.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

170Arguing with each other like this, saying that each is better than the other and claiming to be the lord, they got ready to fight, like two foolish goats, desirous of killing each other.

171The two heroic deities, seated on their respective vehicles—the Swan and the Garuḍa, fought together. The attendants of Brahmā and Viṣṇu also came into clash.

172In the meantime the different groups of Devas moving about in aerial chariots came there to witness the wonderful fight.

173Witnessing from the heaven they scattered flowers everywhere. The Garuḍa-vehicled deity (Viṣṇu) became infuriated and discharged unbearable arrows and many kinds of weapons on the chest of Brahmā. The infuriated Brahmā also hurled many arrows of fiery fury and different kinds of weapons on Viṣṇu. The Devas commented on this wondrous fight and were agitated much, Viṣṇu in his great fury and mental agitation breathed hard and discharged the Māheśvara weapon over Brahmā. Annoyed at this, Brahmā aimed the terrible Pāśupata weapon at the chest of Viṣṇu. The weapon rising high in the sky blazing like ten thousand suns, with thousands of terrible pointed spikes roared awfully like a gust of wind. These two weapons of Brahmā and Viṣṇu thus faced each other in a terrible clash.

174Such was the mutual fight between Brahmā and Viṣṇu. Then, O dear, the devas in their helpless agitation and vexation talked among themselves as people do at the time of war between their monarchs.

175The three-pointed-trident-bearing deity, the supreme Brahman, (i.e. Śiva) is the cause of creation, maintenance, annihilation, concealment and blessing. Without His corroboration even a blade of grass cannot be split by any individual anywhere. Thinking thus in their fright they desired to go to Śiva’s abode and accordingly came to the summit of Kailāsa where the moon-crested God resided.

176On seeing that region of Parameśvara in the shape of Oṃkāra they bent their heads down in reverence and entered the palace.

177There they saw the supreme leader of the Devas brilliantly shining on the gem-set seat in the company of Umā on an altar in the middle of the council-chamber.

178His right leg was kept over the knee of the left; his lotus-like hands were placed over the legs; his attendants were all round him. He had all good characteristic features.

179He was being fanned by the specialists in that art—ladies of pointed attention. The Vedas were extolling Him. The lord was blessing every one.

180On seeing the lord thus, the Devas shed tears of joy. O dear one, the hosts of Devas knelt down even from a great distance.

181The lord, on seeing the Devas, beckoned them to him through his attendants. Then causing the delight of the Devas, the crest-jewel of Devas (i.e. Śiva), addressed them gravely with sweet auspicious words.
*Īśvara said:—*

Chapter 7 — Śiva manifests himself as a column of fire in the battlefield

182Dear children, hail to ye. I hope the universe and the race of the deities, under my suzerainty, flourish in their respective duties.

183O gods, the fight between Brahmā and Viṣṇu is

184already known to me. This agitation on your part is like a redundant speech.

185Thus the consort of Ambā consoled the concourse of devas with honeylike speech sweetened with a smile in the manner of appeasing children.

186In that very assembly the lord announced his desire to go to the battlefield of Hari and Brahmā and accordingly issued His directive to a hundred of the commanders of his attendants.

187Different kinds of musical instruments were played to announce the start of the journey of the Lord. The commanders of the attendants were in readiness fully bedecked in their ornaments, seated in their respective vehicles. The lord, consort of Ambikā, mounted the holy chariot shaped like Oṃkāra from front to the back and embellished m five circular rings. He was accompanied by his sons and Gaṇas. All the devas, Indra and others, followed.

188Honoured suitably by the display of banners of various colours, fans, chowries, scattered flowers, music, dance and the instrument players, and accompanied by the great goddess (Pārvatī), Paśupati (Śiva) went to the battle-field with the whole army.

189On espying the battle, the lord vanished in the firmament. The play of the music stopped and the tumult of the Gaṇas subsided.

190There in the battlefield Brahmā and Acyuta desirous of killing each other were awaiting the result of the Māheś-vara and the Paśupata weapons hurled by them.

191The flames emitted by the two weapons of Brahmā and Viṣṇu burned the three worlds. On seeing this imminent untimely dissolution the bodiless form of Śiva assumed the terrific form of a huge column of fire in their midst.

192The two weapons of fiery flame potential enough to destroy the entire world fell into the huge column of fire that manifested itself there instantaneously.

193Seeing that auspicious wonderful phenomenon assuaging the weapons they asked each other “What is this wonderful form?”

194“What is this column of fire that has risen up? It is beyond the range of senses. We have to find out its top and bottom.”

195Jointly deciding like this, the two heroes proud of their prowess immediately set about assiduously in their quest.

196“Nothing will turn up if we are together”. Saying this, Viṣṇu assumed the form of a Boar and went in search of the root. Brahmā in the form of a swan went up in search of the top. Piercing through the netherworlds and going very far below, Viṣṇu could not see the root of the fiery column. Utterly exhausted, Viṣṇu in the form of a Boar returned to the former battle-ground.

197Dear one, your father, Brahmā who went high up in the sky saw a certain bunch of Ketakī flower of mysterious nature falling from above.

198On seeing the mutual fight of Brahmā and Viṣṇu, lord Śiva laughed. When his head shook, the Ketakī flower dropped down. Although it had been in its downward course for many years, neither its fragrance nor its lustre had been diminished even a bit. The flower had been intended to bless them.

199(Brahmā said) “O lord of flowers, by whom had you been worn? Why do you fall? I have come here to seek out the top, in the form of a swan.” (The flower replied) “I am falling down from the middle of this primordial column that is inscrutable. It has taken me a long time. Hence I do not see how you can see the top.”

200“Dear friend, hereafter you must do as I desire. In the presence of Viṣṇu you must say like this. O Acyuta, the top of the column has been seen by Brahmā. I am the witness for the same.” Saying this he bowed to the Ketakī flower again and again. Even falsehood is recommended in times of danger. So say the authoritative texts.

201(Returning to the original place) on seeing Viṣṇu there, utterly exhausted and lacking pleasure, Brahmā danced with joy. Viṣṇu, in the manner of a eunuch admitting his inability(to a woman), told him the truth (that he could not see the bottom). But Brahmā told Viṣṇu like this.

202“O Hari, the top of this column has been seen by me. This Ketakī flower is my witness.” The Ketaka flower repeated the falsehood endorsing the words of Brahmā in his presence. Hari, taking it to be true, made obeisance to Brahmā. He worshipped Brahmā with all the sixteen means of service and homage.

203The Lord taking up a visible form in order to chastise Brahmā who practised trickery, came out of the column of fire. On seeing the lord, Viṣṇu stood up and with his hands shaking with fear caught hold of the lord’s feet.

204It is out of ignorance and delusion about you whose body is without a beginning or an end that we indulged in this quest prompted by our own desire. Hence O, Sympathetic Being, forgive us for our fault. In fact, it is but another form of your divine sport.
*Īśvara said:—*

205“O dear Hari, I am pleased with you, because you strictly adhered to truth in spite of your desire to be a lord. Hence among the general public you will have a footing equal to mine. You will be honoured too likewise.

206Hereafter you will be separate from me having separate temple, installation of idols, festivals and worship.”

207Thus, formerly, the lord was delighted by the truthfulness of Hari and offered him a footing equal to his own even as the assembly of the devas was witnessing the same.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

Chapter 8 — Śiva’s forgiveness of Brahmā

208Mahādeva then created a wonderful person, Bhairava, from the middle of his brows to quell the pride of Brahmā.

209This Bhairava knelt before the lord in the battle-field and said—“O lord, what shall I do? Please give me your directives quickly.”

210“Dear, here is Brahmā, the first deity of the universe. Worship him with your sharp-pointed quick-moving sword.”

211With one of his hands he caught hold of the tuft of Brahma’s fifth head that was guilty of haughtily uttering a falsehood, and with the hands he furiously shook his sword in order to cut it off.

212Your father trembled like a plantain tree in a whirlwind, with his ornaments scattered here and there, his cloth ruffled and loosened, the garland displaced, the upper cloth hanging loose and the glossy tuft dishevelled, and fell at the feet of Bhairava.

213Meanwhile the sympathetic Acyuta desirous of saving Brahmā, shed tears over the lotus-like feet of our lord and said with palms joined in reverence just like a child lisping words of entreaty to its father.
*Acyuta said:—*

214O Lord, it was you who gave him five heads as a special symbol, long ago. Hence please forgive him his first guilt. Please favour him.

215The lord thus requested by Acyuta relented and in the presence of all devas asked Bhairava to desist from punishing Brahmā.

216Then the lord turned to the deceitful Brahmā who bent down his neck and said “O Brahmā, in order to extort honour from the people you assumed the role of the lord in a roguish manner.

217Hence you shall not be honoured, nor shall you have your own temple or festival.
*Brahmā said:—*

218O Lord, be pleased. O flourishing one, I consider this sparing of my head itself a great blessing and a boon. Obeisance to Thee, the lord, the kinsman, the originator of the universe, the forbearing, the forgiver of defects, the benevolent one, wielding the mountain as his bow.
*Īśvara said:—*

219O child, the whole universe will be ruined if it loses the fear of a king Hence you mete out punishment to the guilty and bear the burden of administering this universe.

220I shall grant you another boon which is very difficult to get. In all domestic and public sacrifices you will be the presiding deity. Even though a sacrifice is complete with all the ancillary rites and offerings of monetary gifts, it will be fruitless without you. Then the lord turned to the deceitful Ketaka flower guilty of perjury and said:—

221“O you Ketaka flower, you are roguish and deceitful. Go away from here. Hereafter I have no desire to include you in my worship.”

222When the lord said thus, all the devas shunned the very presence of the flower.
*Ketaka said:—*

223Obeisance to Thee, O Lord, Your bidding will mean that my very birth is fruitless. May the lord be pleased to make it fruitful by forgiving my sin.

224Thy remembrance is reputed to quell all sins perpetrated consciously or unconsciously. Now that I have seen Thee, how can the sin of uttering falsehood sully me?

225Thus entreated in the middle of the council the lord said—“It is not proper for me to wear you. I am the lord and my words must stay true. My attendants and followers shall wear thee. Hence thy birth shall be fruitful. Of course in the canopies over my idol you can be used for decoration.” The lord thus blessed the three—the flower Ketaka, Brahmā and Viṣṇu. He shone in the assembly duly eulogised by the Devas.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

Chapter 9 — The Proclamation of Śiva as Maheśvara (the great lord)

226I. In the mean time Brahmā and Viṣṇu had been standing silently on either side of the lord with the palms joined in reverence.

227Then they installed the lord with all the members of His family on a splendid seat and worshipped Him with all holy personal things.

228The personal things constitute those natural things of long and short duration such as necklaces, anklets, bracelets coronets, ear-rings, sacrificial threads, upper cloth of lace border, garlands, silk cloth chokers, rings, flowers, betel leaves, camphor, sandal paste, Aguru unguents, incense, lamps, white umbrella, fans, banners, chowries and other divine offerings whose greatness cannot be expressed or even thought of. Both of them adored the lord with all these things worthy of the lord and inaccessible to Paśu (the animal i.e. the individual soul). All excellent things are worthy of the lord, O brahmin.

229In order to set up a precedence the delighted lord handed over all those articles to the attendants assembled according to the order of priority.

230The bustle of those who came to receive them was too much. It was there that Brahmā and Viṣṇu adored Śaṅkara at first. When they stood there humbly, the gratified lord spoke smilingly heightening their devotion.
*Īśvara said:—*

231Dear children, I am delighted at your worship on this holy day. Henceforth this day will be famous as “Śivarātri” the holiest of holy days pleasing to me.

232He who performs the worship of my phallic emblem and the embodied image on this day will be competent, to perform the task of creation and the maintenance etc. of the universe.

233The devotee shall observe fast on Śivarātrī, both during the day and the night. He shall perfectly restrain his sense-organs. He shall adore (with flowers) to the extent of his strength. He shall not deceive any one.

234By the worship on Śivarātrī day the devotee attains that fruit which usually accrues to one who continuously worships me for a year.

235This is the time when the virtue of devotion to me increases like the tide in the ocean at the rise of the moon. Festivities like the installation of my idols etc. on that day are very auspicious.

236The day on which I manifested myself in the form of a column of fire is the Ārdrā star in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa (November-December), O children.

237He who sees me on the day of Ārdrā star in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa in the company of Umā and worships my phallic emblem or embodied image is dearer to me than even Guha (Kārtikeya).

238On that auspicious day the vision alone accords ample results. If he worships too, the result cannot be adequately described.

239Since I manifested myself in the form of phallic emblem in the field of battle, this place will be known as Liṅgasthāna.

240O sons, this column without root or top will henceforth be diminutive in size for the sake of the vision and worship of the world.

241The phallic emblem confers enjoyment. It is the only means of worldly enjoyment and salvation. Viewed, touched or meditated upon, it wards off all future births of the living beings.

242Since the phallic emblem rose high resembling a mountain of fire, this shall be famous as Ruddy (Aruṇa) mountain.

243Many holy centres will spring up here. A residence or death in this holy place ensures liberation.

244The celebration of chariot festivals, the congregation of devotees, the presentation of ordinary as well as sacrificial gifts and offering of prayers at this place shall be millionfold efficacious.

245Of all my sectors this sector shall be the greatest. A mere remembrance of me at this place shall accord salvation to all souls.

246Hence this sector shall be greater than all other sectors, very auspicious, full of all sorts of welfare and according salvation to everyone.

247Worshipping me in my supreme phallic form at this place and performing the other sacred rites shall accord the five types of salvation—Sālokya, Sāmīpya, Sārūpya, Sārṣṭi and Sāyujya. May all of you achieve all your cherished desires.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

248Thus blessing Brahmā and Viṣṇu who had been made humble, the lord resuscitated by His nectar-like power all the soldiers of the two deities that had been killed in the battle before and spoke to them in order to remove their foolishness and mutual enmity.

249I have two forms: the manifest and the unmanifest. No one else has these two forms. Hence all else are non-Īśvaras.

250Dear sons, first in the form of the column and afterwards in this embodied form I have expounded to you my formless Brahma-hood, and embodied Īśa-hood. These two are present only in me and not in anyone else. Hence no one else, not even you too can claim Īśatva (Īśa-hood).

251It is out of your ignorance of this fact that you were swept away by your false prestige and pride of being Isa, surprising as it is. I rose up in the middle of the battle-field for quelling the same.

252Cast off your false pride. Fix your thought in me as your lord. It is out of my favour that all the objects in the world are illuminated.

253The statement of the preceptor is the reminder and the authority on all occasions. This secret truth of Brahman I am revealing to you out of love.

254I am the supreme Brahman. My form is both manifest and unmanifest in view of my Brahma-hood and Isvaratva. My duty is blessing etc.

255O Brahmā and Viṣṇu, I am Brahman because of Bṛhatva (huge size) and Bṛṃhaṇatva (causing to grow). O children, similarly I am Ātman due to Samatva (equality) and Vyāpakatva (Pervasiveness).

256All others are Anātmans, individual souls undoubtedly. There are five activities in respect of the universe beginning with Anugraha (liberation) and ending with Sarga (creation). Therefore these activities devolve on me because I am Īśa and not on anyone else. It is to make my Brahmatva understood that my phallic emblem rose up.

257In order to clarify my Īśatva, unknown hitherto, I have manifested myself immediately in the embodied form of Isa.

258The Īśatva in me is to be known as the embodied form and this symbolic column is indicative of my Brahmatva.

259Since it has all the characteristic features of my phallic emblem, it shall be my symbol. O sons, you shall worship it every day.

260The phallic symbol and the symbolised Śiva are non-different. Hence this phallic emblem is identical with me. It brings devotees quite near to me. It is worthy of worship therefore.

261O dear sons, if phallic emblem of this sort in installed I can be considered installed, though my idol is not installed.

262The result of installing the phallic emblem is the attainment of similarity with me. If a second phallic emblem is installed, the result is union with me.

263The installation of the phallic emblem is primary and that of embodied idol is secondary. A temple with the embodied idol of Śiva is unfructuous if it has no phallic image.

Chapter 10 — The five-fold activities (pañcakṛtya) and the Oṃkāra-mantra

264Summary: The Evanescence of Śiva after expounding the Five-fold duties (pañcakṛtya) and the Oṃkāra mantra to Brahmā and Viṣṇu.
*Brahmā and Viṣṇu said:—*

265O Lord, please tell us the characteristic feature of the five-fold duties beginning with creation.
*Śiva said:—*

266I shall tell you the great secret of the five-fold duties, out of compassion for you.

267O Brahmā and Viṣṇu, the permanent cycle of the five-fold duties consists of creation, maintenance, annihilation, concealment, and blessing.

268Sarga is the creation of the world; Sthiti is its maintenance; Saṃhāra is the annihilation; Tirobhāva is the removal and concealment;

269Liberation (from the cycle of birth and death) is blessing. These five are my activities but are carried on by others silently as in the case of the statue at the Portal.

270The first four activities concern the evolution of the world and the fifth one is the cause of salvation. All these constitute my prerogatives.

271These activities are observed in the five elements by devotees—Sarga (creation) in the Earth, Sthiti (maintenance) in the waters, Saṃhāra (annihilation) in the fire, Tirobhāva (concealment) in the wind and Anugraha (liberation, the blessed state) in the firmament. Everything is created by the Earth; everything flourishes by virtue of the waters; everything is urged by the fire, everything is removed by the wind and everything is blessed by the firmament. Thus intelligent men must know the same.

272In order to look after these five-fold activities (pañcakṛtya) I have five faces, four in the four quarters and the fifth in the middle.

273O sons, in view of your austerities you two have received the first two activities:—creation and maintenance. You have gratified me and are blessed therefore.

274Similarly, the other two activities (annihilation and concealment) have been assigned to Rudra and Maheśa. The fifth one of Anugraha (liberation) cannot be taken up by any other.

275All this previous arrangement has been forgotten by both of you due to lapse of time, not so by Rudra and Maheśa.

276I have assigned them my equality in form, dress, activity, vehicle, seat, weapons etc.

277O dear sons, your delusion was the result of your not meditating upon me. If you had retained my knowledge you would not have embibed this false pride of being Maheśa yourselves.

278Hence, hereafter, both of you shall start reciting the mantra Oṃkāra to acquire knowledge of me. It shall quell your false pride as well.

279I have taught this great auspicious mantra. Oṃkāra came out of my mouth. Originally it indicated me.

280It is the indicator and I am the indicated. This mantra is identical with me. The repetition of this mantra is verily my repeated remembrance.

281The syllable “A” came first from northern face; the syllable “U” from the western; the syllable “M” from the southern and the Bindu (dot) from the eastern face. The Nāda (mystical sound) came from the middle face. Thus the complete set cropped up in five-fold form. Then all of them united in the syllable of “Om”.

282The two sets of created beings—Nāma (name) and Rūpa (form) are pervaded by this mantra. It indicates Śiva and Śakti.

283From this also is born the five-syllabled mantra (Namaśśivāya). It indicates all knowledge. The syllables “NA” etc. follow the order of the syllables “A” etc.

284From the five-syllabled mantra the five mothers were born. The Śiromantra is born of that. The three-footed Gāyatrī also came out of the four faces.

285The entire set of Vedas and crores of mantras were born of that. Different things are achieved through different mantras but everything is achieved through Oṃkāra alone.

286By this root-mantra, the very enjoyment as well as salvation is achieved. All the royal mantras are auspicious and directly accord enjoyment.
*Nandikeśvara said:—*

287The lord in the company of his consort Ambikā, assumed the role of the preceptor for both of them. He screened them and placed his lotus-like hand on their heads as they faced the north and slowly taught them the great mantra.

288The two disciples received the mantra by repeating it thrice, along with the requisite Yantra and Tantra duly expounded. By way of fees, the disciples dedicated themselves. Thereafter standing near him with hands clasped in reverence they addressed the lord, the preceptor of the universe.
*Brahmā and Viṣṇu said:—*

289(The prayer):—Obeisance to Thee of the bodiless form. Obeisance to Thee of the formless lustre. Obeisance to Thee the lord of everything. Obeisance to Thee the soul of everything or of the embodied form. Obeisance to Thee stated by the Praṇava. Obeisance to Thee having Praṇava as Thy symbol. Obeisance to Thee the author of creation etc. Obeisance to Thee of five faces. Obeisance to Thee identical with Pañcabrahma form. Obeisance to Thee of five-fold functions. Obeisance to Thee the Ātman, the Brahman, of endless attributes and power. Obeisance to Śiva the preceptor, possessed of both embodied and bodiless forms.”

290After eulogising the preceptor in verses Brahmā and Viṣṇu bowed to him.
*Īśvara said:—*

291O dear sons, the truthful extract of everything has been narrated to you with demonstration. You shall recite as directed by the Goddess this Om mantra which is identical with me.

292Your knowledge shall be stabilised. Permanent fortune shall stand by you. On the Caturdaśī day and on the day with Ārdrā star, the recital of this mantra will give you everlasting efficacy.

293The recital of this mantra at the time when the transit of the sun is in the Ārdrā star is million-fold efficacious. In the context of worship, Homa and Tarpaṇa, the last quarter of the star Mṛgaśiras and the first quarter of Punarvasu must always be considered on a par with Ārdrā. The Vision is to be had at early dawn and within three muhūrtas (two hours twenty-four minutes) thereafter.

294Caturdaśī is to be taken when it continues up to midnight. If it is only upto the early part of the night and joined with another thereafter, it is also recommended.

295Although I consider the phallic and the embodied form to be equal, the phallic form is excellent for those who worship. Hence for those who seek salvation the latter is preferable to the former.

296The others too shall install the phallic form with Oṃkāra mantra and the embodied form with the five-syllabled mantra, with excellent articles of worship and adore with due homage. It will be easy for them to attain my region.

297Having thus instructed His disciples Śiva vanished there itself.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 11 — Mode of worshipping the phallic form of Śiva and making gifts

298How is the phallic form of Śiva to be installed? What are the characteristic features of the form? How is it to be worshipped? What is the appropriate time and place for worship. What sort of performer he must be?
*Sūta said:—*

299I shall tell you everything for your sake, please listen attentively. The time must be convenient and auspicious. The place must be a holy centre. It can be on the bank of a river or anywhere facilitating a daily worship. It can be of Pārthiva (Earth), Āpya (Watery) or Taijasa (fiery) type.

300If it has all the characteristics mentioned in the sacred texts, the devotee derives the fruit of worship. If it has all characteristics, it accords the fruit of worship instantaneously.

301A subtle one is recommended if it be mobile and a gross one if it is stationary. The phallic emblem of good characteristics shall be set up in the seat of the same sort.

302The seat can be circular, square or triangular in shape. The one shaped like a cot in the middle is of middle efficacy.

303At first, the emblem was made of earth or rock; then it used to be made with the metals. If it is stationary, the emblem and the Pīṭha should be of the one and the same material.

304Save the one which the asura Bāṇa worshipped, both the emblem and the seat shall be unitary, if emblem be mobile. The length of the emblem shall be of the measure of twelve fingers of the devotee.

305If it is shorter it is less efficacious; if it is longer there is no harm. A shortage by the breadth of the finger of the devotee in regard to the mobile one is similarly harmless.

306A Vimāna (chariot-like structure) of artistic beauty shall be made at first wherein the divine attendants shall be represented. In its firm and beautiful sanctum sanctorum shining like a mirror studded with the nine precious gems—sapphire, lapis lazuli, Emerald, pearl, coral, Gomedaka, diamonds and rubies, the emblem shall be installed on the altar.

307The emblems hall be worshipped with the mantras beginning with “Sadyo” in five different places in order. Sacrificial offerings shall be made in the fire. Śiva and the gods of His family shall be adored. The preceptor is given monetary gifts. Kinsmen are propitiated with whatever they desire. Money is distributed among the mendicants. All objects sentient or otherwise, and all living beings movable or immovable are duly gratified. The cavity is filled with gems. Mantras “Sadyo” etc. are recited. The auspicious supreme lord is meditated upon. The great mantra Oṃkāra resonant with its mystical sound is repeated. The liṅga is then united with the Pīṭha (pedestal). The two are then welded together.

308Similarly the embodied image shall also be fixed there auspiciously. For the sake of festivals the embodied image shall be installed outside with the five-syllabled mantra.

309The embodied image shall be taken from the preceptors or it must be one that has been worshipped by saintly men. Such an adoration of the embodied image and the phallic emblem accords the region of Śiva.

310The phallic emblem is of two varieties: the stationary and the mobile. Trees, hedges etc. represent the stationary.

311Worms, insects etc. represent the mobile. For the stationary one, tending and similar service is recommended. For the mobile one Tarpaṇa (propitiation) is recommended.

312With a love for the happiness of different beings Śiva Pūjā shall be performed—so say the wise men. The pedestal represents Śiva’s consort—Pārvatī and his phallic emblem represents the sentient being.

313Just as lord Śiva remains ever in close embrace of the Goddess Pārvatī, so also the phallic emblem holds on to the pedestal, for ever.

314Such is the installation of Śiva’s great phallic emblem which shall be worshipped with due homage. The daily worship shall be made in accorance with one’s capacity; so also the fixation of banner etc.

315The devotee shall install the phallic emblem and it will accord directly the region of Śiva. Or the devotee shall worship the mobile emblem with the sixteen types of homage and services as prescribed. It accords the region of Śiva gradually. The sixteen types of service are:—invocation (Āvāhana); offering the seat (Āsana); water offering (Arghya); washing of the feet (Pādya); water for rinsing the mouth as a mystical rite (Ācamana); oil bath (Abhyaṅga snāna); offering of cloth (Vastra); Scents (Gandha); flowers (Puṣpa); incense (Dhūpa); lamps (Dīpa); food offering (Nivedana); waving of lights (Nīrājana); betel leaves (Tāmbūla); obeisance (Namaskāra); and mystical discharge and conclusion (Visarjana).

316Or the devotee need perform the rites from water-offering to food offering alone duly. Or the devotee shall daily perform, as he can, ablution (Abhiṣeka); food offering (Naivedya); and obeisance (Namaskāra) and propitiation (Tarpaṇa),—all these in order. It will accord him the region of Śiva.

317Or he shall perform all the sixteen rites in the phallic emblem of human, saintly or godly origin, or in one naturally risen up (Svayambhū) or in one of very extraordinary nature installed duly.

318If the devotee makes gifts of articles of worship he will get some benefit or other. By circumambulation and obeisance he will attain Śiva’s region gradually.

319Regular vision of the phallic emblem accords benefit. Or the devotee can make a phallic emblem out of clay, cow-dung, flowers, Karavīra fruit, jaggery, butter, ashes or cooked rice as he likes and worship it according to the prescribed rules.

320Some authorities have recommended the worship of the phallic emblem on the thumb etc. In these rites of phallic worship, there is no sort of prohibition whatsoever.

321Everywhere Śiva accords benefit as befitting the endeavour put in. Or he shall make gifts of the phallic emblem or the value of its construction.

322Whatever is given to a devotee of Śiva with sincere faith accords Śiva’s region. Or the devotee can repeat the Praṇava mantra ten thousand times every day.

323Repetition of Om (Praṇava mantra) a thousand times at dawn and at dusk is known to be according Śiva’s region. At the time of the repeated utterance (Japa) of the mantra, (Om) ending with “M” purifies the mind.

324At the time of Samādhi (meditation) the repetition of Oṃkāra must be mental. Muttering of it in low voice can be practised at all times. The same with Bindu (dot) and Nāda (sound) is also of the same efficacy.

325Or the devotee can with due reverence repeat the five-syllabled mantra ten thousand times every day or a thousand times at dawn and at dusk. It accords the region of Śiva.

326Repetition of the five-syllabled mantra (Namaśśivāya) by a brahmin is specially efficacious with the Om (Praṇava) prefixed. A mantra must be received from a preceptor with proper initiation for the acquisition of the desired fruit.

327The ceremonial ablution when the sun is in transit to the Zodiac Kumbha, initiation for mantras, the Nyāsa of Mātṛkās; a brahmin, a person with soul purified by truth; a preceptor of perfect knowledge—all these are splendid.

328Brahmins shall begin with Namaḥ and the others shall end with Namaḥ. With regard to some women the mantra shall end with Namaḥ duly.

329Some say that Brahmin women begin with Namaḥ. Repetition of this for five crores of times will render a person equal to Sadāśiva.

330By repeating it one, two, three or four crores of times, the devotee shall attain the region of Brahmā and others. One can repeat any of the syllables a hundred thousand times or all of the syllables separately a hundred thousand times.

331Or a hundred thousand times all the syllables together, if repeated, accord Śiva’s region. Or if the devotee repeats it a thousand times every day and completes a million times in a thousand days, he can achieve whatever he desires. He shall feed brahmins every day. A brahmin shall repeat the Gāyatrī a thousand and eight times every day m the morning. He shall attain Śiva’s region gradually. He shall repeat Vedic verses and hymns with the observance of restraints.

332The Daśārṇa mantra shall be repeated either 99 times or nine hundred times or nine thousand nine hundred times.

333The regular study of the Vedas accords Śiva’s region. All the other sorts of mantras shall be repeated a hundred thousand times.

334If the mantra consists of only one syllable it shall first be repeated a crore times and thereafter a thousand times with great devotion.

335Doing thus according to one’s capacity one shall gradually attain Śiva’s region. It is the duty of every one to repeat a mantra pleasing to him every day till his death.

336If a man repeats “Om” a thousand times he shall get all his desires fulfilled at the bidding of Śiva. If he plants a flower-garden for the sake of Śiva or even renders service by sweeping and cleaning Śiva’s temple and precincts he shall attain Śiva’s region. The devotee shall reside for ever in Śiva’s temple with great devotion.

337It yields worldly enjoyment and salvation to every one sentient or insentient. Hence an intelligent man shall reside in a temple of Śiva till death.

338In a temple built by ordinary man, the space upto a hundred hastas (1 hasta = 30 cms) from the phallic image is holy. In a temple dedicated to sages, the space upto a thousand Aratnis (1 Aratni = 45 cms) from the phallic image is holy. In a temple dedicated to sages, the space upto a thousand Aratnis (1 Aratni = 45 cms) from the emblem is holy.

339If the phallic emblem had been installed by gods the space upto a thousand Aratnis is holy. In a temple where phallic emblem is self-risen, the space upto a thousand Dhanuḥ. Pramāṇas (a dhanuḥ. pramāṇa = 4 hastas) is holy.

340The tank, well, pond etc. in a holy centre shall be considered Śiva-Gaṅgā in accordance with Śiva’s statement.

341By taking bath or making gifts or muttering mantras in that centre one will attain Śiva. One shall seek shelter in a temple of Śiva and stay there till death.

342The rites of obsequies of the second day or the tenth day, the offerings of monthly Piṇḍas, the rite of Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa or the annual Śrāddha shall be performed in a holy centre. He will instantly attain Śiva’s region. By staying there for seven, five or three nights or a single night he will attain Śiva’s region gradually. He will obtain results according to his conduct and befitting his caste.

343By the uplift in the caste and devotion the fruit gains more efficacy. Anything done with a desire in view yields results immediately.

344Anything done with no specific desire m view yields the region of Śiva directly. Of the three periods of time, ordained rites shall be performed in the morning, rites for the fulfilment of desires in the midday and rites for the suppression of the evil in the evening. The same thing holds good for nights too.

345The two middle Yāmas (1 Yāma is equal to 3 hours) at night are called Niśītha. The worship of Śiva at that time accords desired results.

346If a man performs rites after realising this, he shall achieve the due results. Especially in the Kali age the achievement of fruit is only due to the precise performance of actions.

347If the man is well behaved, afraid of sins and the observer of good actions at other man’s suggestion or at his own he shall attain due results.
*The sages said:—*

348O Sūta, foremost among excellent yogins, please tell us briefly about the various holy centres by resorting to which women and men shall attain the region (of Śiva). Please tell us about the traditions of Śiva temples also.
*Sūta said:—*

349All of you listen faithfully to the account of all holy centres and their traditions.
*Sūta said:—*

Chapter 12 — The narrative of Śiva’s holy centres and temples

350O wise sages, please listen to the narrative of holy centres with Śiva’s temples all of which accord salvation. Thereafter I shall tell you their traditions for the welfare of the people.

351The Earth, fifty crores of yojanas in extent, abounding in mountains and forests, supports the people at the bidding of Śiva.

352The lord has Himself raised up these temples and holy centres in different places for the liberation of the residents of these localities.

353These temples whether self-risen or not, in view of their being accepted (as their frequent resort) by the sages and Devas are intended for the redemption of the people.

354In these holy centres and temples, ablutions, charitable gifts, Japas etc must be regularly performed. Otherwise men are sure to be affected by ailments, penury, dumbness etc.

355If a man dies anywhere in the Bhāratavarṣa he shall be reborn again as a man if he has resided in a holy centre where there is a self-risen phallic emblem of Śiva.

356O brahmins, committing sins in a holy centre is of ineffable character. When a man stays in a holy centre he must not commit even the smallest sin.

357Somehow men must strive to find a residence in a holy centre. On the shores of the ocean in the confluence of hundreds of rivers there are many such holy centres and temples.

358The holy river Sarasvatī is said to have sixty mouths or holy centres on its banks. Hence an intelligent man must stay on its banks. He shall attain Brahma’s region gradually.

359The river Gaṅgā flowing from the Himālaya mountains is very holy with its hundred mouths. There are many holy centres on its banks such as Kāśī etc. Its banks are highly sacred in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa or when Bṛhaspati (Jupiter) is in the zodiac ‘Capricornus. The river Śoṇabhadra of ten mouths is holy and yields all cherished desires.

360By ablutions therein and observing fast the devotee shall attain the region of the god Gaṇeśa. The holy Narmadā is a great river of twenty-four mouths. By a dip therein and residing on its banks the devotee shall attain the region of Viṣṇu. The river Tamasā is of twelve mouths and Revā has ten mouths.

361Godāvarī is very holy and it quells the sins of murdering a brahmin or slaughtering a cow. It is said to have twentyone mouths and accords Rudraloka.

362Kṛṣṇāveṇī is a sacred river destroying all sins. It is said to have eighteen mouths and it accords Viṣṇuloka.

363Tuṅgabhadrā has ten mouths and it accords Brahmaloka. The holy Suvarṇamukharī is said to have nine mouths.

364Those who fall from Brahmaloka are born there. By residing on the banks of the auspicious rivers Sarasvatī, Pampā, Kanyā and Śvetanadī one shall attain Indraloka. The great river Kāverī flowing from the mountain Sahya is very holy and is said to have twenty-seven mouths. It accords all cherished desires. Its banks are the bestowers of heaven and the regions of Brahmā and Viṣṇu.

365The devotees of Śiva are the bestowers of Śivaloka and accord cherished desires. When the Jupiter and the sun are in the zodiac of Meṣa, the devotee shall take the holy bath in Naimiṣa and Badara. Worship etc. thereafter accords Brahmaloka. When the sun is in Karkaṭaka or Siṃha one shall take bath in the Sindhu (Indus). On that occasion the drinking of the sacred water of Kedāra and ablution therein accords perfect knowledge. Śiva Himself has mentioned before that the bath in the Godāvarī in the month of Siṃha when Jupiter is also in the zodiac of Siṃha accords Śiva region. When Jupiter and the sun are in the zodiac of Kanya, ablution shall be performed in the rivers—Yamunā and Śoṇa, the fruit of which is great enjoyment in the worlds of Dharma and Dantin (Gaṇeśa). When the sun and the Jupiter are in Tulā, the devotee shall take bath in the Kāverī the fruit whereof is the attainment of all cherished desires as stated by Viṣṇu Himself. The devotee who takes bath in the river Narmadā in the month of Vṛścika, when the Jupiter is in the zodiac of Vṛścika, attains Viṣṇuloka. Brahmā has stated that the bath in the Suvarṇamukharī when the sun and the Jupiter are in the zodiac of Dhanus accords Śivaloka. The devotee shall take bath in the Jāhnavī (Ganges) in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa when Jupiter is in the zodiac of Capricornus. After enjoying pleasures in the regions of Brahmā and Viṣṇu he will gain perfect knowledge in the end.

366In the month of Māgha when the sun is in the zodiac of Kumbha, Śrāddha, offerings of Piṇḍa and water libations with gingelly seeds raise the crores of manes on both the sides (Paternal and maternal) of the family. When the sun and the Jupiter are in the zodiac of Mīna, ablution shall be performed in Kṛṣṇāveṇī.

367The ceremonial ablutions taken in the different sacred waters in the respective months accord the region of Indra. An intelligent man shall resort to Gaṅgā or the Kāverī river. Certainly his sin will be quelled thereby. There are many holy centres yielding Rudraloka.

3683 3. The rivers Tāmraparnī and Vegavatī accord Brahmaloka. There are holy centres on their banks bestowing heaven on the worshipper.

369In between these rivers there are meritorious holy centres. Intelligent men residing there will reap the respective fruits thereof.

370Only by good conduct, good predilections and good concepts as well as by being sympathetic can the devotee derive the benefit, not otherwise.

371Meritorious actions performed in a holy centre flourish in many ways. Sinful acts committed in a holy centre, though slight, become manifold.

372If the sin committed in a holy centre is only for livelihood, the merit will destroy that sin. Merit accords prosperity and quells physical, verbal and mental sins. O brahmins, the mental sin is adamantine in sticking to the sinner and it continues for many Kalpas.

373The mental sin can be wiped off only by meditation and not otherwise. The verbal sin is wiped off by Japas and the physical sin by forcefully causing the emaciation of the body. Sins committed by means of wealth can be wiped off by making charitable gifts and not otherwise, though crores of Kalpas (Aeons) may elapse. In some places the increasing sin destroys the merit.

374Both Merit and Demerit have three aspects:—the seed stage, flourishing stage and the enjoyment stage. If they are in the seed stage they can be quelled by perfect knowledge. If they are in the flourishing stage they can be quelled in the manner described before. If they are in the enjoyment stage they get destroyed only by enjoying and experiencing their fruits and not otherwise though one might have performed crores of meritorious deeds. If the seed or the flourishing seedlings are destroyed what remains must be experienced and wiped off. If one regularly performs worship of gods, makes gifts to brahmins and performs sufficient penance, the enjoyment becomes bearable. Hence those who wish for happiness must refrain from committing sins.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 13 — Description of good conduct (sadācāra)

375Kindly tell us the mode of good conduct (sadācāra) whereby the sensible man quickly attains higher worlds. Please tell us about virtue and evil that cause attainment of heaven or hell.
*Sūta said:—*

376A brahmin endowed with strict adherence to good conduct is perfectly wise. A brahmin learned in Vedas and of good conduct is called a Vipra. A brahmin endowed with only one of these two is a mere Dvija.

377A brahmin following some of the prescribed rules of conduct and with a smattering of the Vedas is a Kṣatriya brahmin, at best a royal servant. Very careless in following the rules of conduct the brahmin is really a Vaiśya brahmin. One engaged in agriculture and trading activities is also likewise.

378A brahmin ploughing the field himself is a Śūdra brahmin. One of envious and spiteful temperament is a degraded Dvija.

379A Kṣatriya who rules over a kingdom is a “King”; others are mere Kṣatriyas. A merchant dealing in grains etc. is a Vaiśya and others of his caste are mere “Vaṇiks”

380A person rendering service to Brahmins, Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas is called a Śūdra. A working agriculturist is a Vṛṣala and the others are Dasyus.

381It is the duty of everyone of the four castes to get up early in the morning and sit facing the east and meditate on gods. He shall then think about the various acts of virtue, of matters regarding monetary dealings, the problems connected with them, the sources of income and the items of expenditure.

382The direction in which one casts one’s first glance on waking up indicates the good or bad that is likely to attend one on that day—the eight effects in order are—longevity, hatred, death, sin, fortune, sickness, nourishment and strength.

383The last yāma (3 hours) of the night is called Uṣā and the latter half of it is sandhi (period of conjunction). A brahmin shall get up at that hour and answer the calls of nature.

384It must be in a place far off from the house. It must be a covered place. He shall sit facing the north. If it is not possible due to any obstacle he can sit facing other directions.

385He must never sit in front of water, fire, a brahmin or the idol of any god. He must screen the penis with the left hand and the mouth with the right.

386After evacuating the bowels, the faeces should not be looked at. Water drawn out in a vessel should be used for cleaning (i.e. no one should sit inside the tank or river-water for cleaning purpose).

387Any way no one shall enter the holy tanks and rivers dedicated to deities, manes etc. and frequented by the sages. The rectum must be cleaned with mud seven, five or three times.

388The penis must be cleaned with mud as large as a cucumber fruit and the quantity of mud for the purification of the rectum shall be Prasṛti (half a handful). After the purification of the excretory organs, hands and feet must be washed and gargling shall be done for eight times.

389For gargling, the water can be taken in any vessel or a wooden cup; but water shall be spit outside (not in the river or tank). Washing of the teeth with any leaf or twig must be without using the index finger and outside the water.

390After making obeisance to the gods of water, the twice-born shall perform the ablution with mantras. Sick or weak persons shall take bath upto the neck or hips.

391Sprinkling water upto the knees he shall perform the Mantrasnāna. He shall propitiate deities etc. sensibly with the water from the holy tank or river.

392A washed dry cloth should be taken and worn in the form of paūcakaccha (wearing of the lower garment in a special way). In all sacred rites the upper cloth should also be used.

393While taking bath in the holy river or tank, the cloth worn shall not be rinsed or beaten. The sensible man shall take it to a separate tank or well or to the house itself and beat it on a rock or on a plank to the gratification of the manes, O brahmins.

394The Tripuṇḍraka shall be drawn on the forehead with the Jābālaka mantra. If anyone enters water otherwise, he will surely go to hell. According to scholarly authorities the mantrasnāna is as follows: Repeating the mantra “Āpo hi ṣṭhā” etc. water shall be sprinkled over the head for suppressing sins. Repeating the mantra “Yasya Kṣayāya” etc. water shall be sprinkled over the joints in the legs. The order is as follows:—feet, head, chest; head, chest, feet and chest, feet, head for sprinkling with water thrice.

395It is enough if one performs mantra snāna when one is slightly indisposed, or when there is danger from the king or when there is civil commotion, or when there is no other way or when one is about to undertake a journey.

396He shall drink by way of Ācamana reciting the mantras from Sūryānuvāka in the morning or from Agni-Anuvāka in the evening and perform the ceremonial sprinkling in the middle.

397O brahmins, at the end of the Japa of Gāyatrī-mantra Arghya shall be offered thrice to the sun towards east and once also thereafter.

3982 7. The offering of Arghya in the morning is by lifting both the hands high up; that in the midday by letting off the water through the fingers and that in the evening by letting the water over the ground facing the west.

399In the midday the sun is to be viewed through the fingers reciting the mantra prescribed for that. The circumambulation of oneself is performed (in the prescribed manner) and the pure Ācamana (without mantras) is performed.

400Sandhyā prayer performed before the prescribed time is ineffective. Hence Sandhyā shall be performed at the prescribed time. The expiatory rite for the omission of Sandhyā prayer for a day is the repetition of Gāyatrī a hundred times more than the usual number of times for ten days. If the omission is for ten days or more, Gāyatrī must be repeated for a hundred thousand times as atonement.

401If one omits Sandhyā for a month one has to be re-invested with the sacred thread. For the sake of prosperity deities shall be propitiated such as Īśa, Gaurī, Guha. Viṣṇu. Brahmā, Candra (the moon) and Yama. Thereafter the entire rite shall be dedicated to the supreme Brahman and pure Ācamana shall be performed.

402Towards the right of the holy water, in a splendid prayer hall, temple or a common Maṭha, or in a stipulated place in one’s own house, one shall sit firmly with the mind in concentration and perform the Gāyatrī Japa after due obeisance to all gods. He shall not omit the practice of the Praṇava mantra.

403While practising the Praṇava he shall realise fully the identity of Jīva (the individual soul) with the supreme Brahman. The full implication of the Gāyatrī must be borne in the mind when the Japa is performed. “We pray to Brahmā, the creator of the three worlds, to Acyuta the sustainer and Rudra the Annihilator. We meditate on the Self-luminary that prompts us in the activities of virtue and wisdom bestowing enjoyment and salvation, the Self-luminary that is the driving force behind the sense-organs, mind, intellect and acts of volition.” The devotee who dwells thus on the meaning constantly attains the Brahman.

404Or if incompetent to dwell on the meaning let him at least continue the recitation of the mere mantra to keep his Brahminhood in tact. An excellent brahmin must repeat the mantra a thousand times in the morning every day.

405Others shall repeat as many times as they can. In the midday Gāyatrī shall be repeated a hundred times; in the evening at least twenty times along with Śikhāṣṭaka [A set of eight as the tuft i.e. eight times more than stipulated.]

406He shall meditate on Vidyeśa, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Īśa, Jīvātman and Parameśvara stationed in the twelve esoteric centre of the body from Mūlādhāra (basic support) to the Brahmarandhra (the mystical aperture at the crown of the head), as identical with Brahman with the conception of Soham (I am He) and continue the Japa. He shall then meditate on them as stationed outside the body as well.

407From Mahat tattva (the cosmic principle) there are a thousand extraneous bodies each of which is to be passed by each mantra slowly and the Jīva must be unified with the Supreme. This is the principle on which the Japa is based. This Japa for the sake of the extraneous bodies is for two thousand times with the Śikhāṣṭaka.

408This is the tradition regarding the Japas. Repetition for a thousand times accords Brahmahood and that for a hundred times accords the region of Indra.

409Repetition for less number of times may guard the soul to a certain extent and bring about rebirth in the family of a brahmin. After the worship of the sun, the brahmin shall practise thus every day.

410A brahmin who has completed one million two hundred thousand repetitions becomes a full-fledged brahmin. A brahmin who has not completed at least a hundred thousand repetitions of Gāyatrī is not authorised in Vedic rites.

411Till he completes his seventieth year he shall follow these rules. Afterwards he can take to renunciation. After renunciation he shall repeat the Praṇava twelve thousand times in the morning every day.

412Omissions and deficiencies of one day must be made good the next day. If the omission is continued for a month, the atonement is repetition for one hundred and fifty thousand times.

413If the omission extends beyond this, he shall take the order of Sanyāsa afresh. Then only can the defect be fully effaced. Otherwise he is sure to fall into Raurava, the terrible hell.

414Only the person who has a cherished desire shall endeavour for virtue and wealth and not others. A brahmin shall seek salvation and practise the ways of realising Brahman for ever.

415From virtue wealth is derived and from wealth enjoyment. Vairāgya (non-attachment) is the outcome of enjoyment. That is to say, when one fully enjoys the pleasures by means of wealth acquired by virtuous means one comes to the stage of Vairāgya (Detached State).

416If the enjoyment is through the wealth acquired by other means, the result is the increase of passion alone. Dharma is twofold: one through the sacrificial offering and the other through the body by performing ceremonial ablutions in a sacred river etc. One can earn wealth through virtue and divine form through penance.

417A person freed from desire gains purity and by purity he acquires knowledge. There is no doubt about it. In the ages of Kṛtā, Tretā and Dvāpara penance was recommended for attaining Dharma; but in the age of Kali it is the sacrificial offering that secures Dharma for us.

418In the Kṛta age knowledge was acquired through meditation; in the Tretā through penance; in the Dvāpara through sacrifice and now in the Kali age it is through the worship of idols.

419The fruit is in accordance with the nature of merit and sin. Deficiency, increase, decrease etc are due to the difference in the articles employed and the part of the body and items of rites.

420Evil is of violent character and virtue is of pleasant nature. A person becomes miserable due to evil and secures happiness on account of virtue.

421It must be known that bad conduct leads to misery and good conduct to happiness. Hence it is the duty of everyone to acquire virtue for the sake of worldly enjoyment as well as salvation.

422If any one regularly offers sufficient material means to a brahmin with four members in his family, for a hundred years he will remain in Brahmaloka.

423The rite of Cāndrāyaṇa performed a thousand times yields Brahmaloka. It is the duty of a Kṣatriya to establish and sustain a thousand families.

424It yields Indraloka to him. If he maintains ten thousand families he attains Brahmaloka. According to scholars in the Vedas, a man attains the region of that deity in meditation of whom he makes charitable gifts. A man devoid of wealth shall endeavour to accumulate penance and austerities. Everlasting happiness is achieved by pilgrimages to holy centres and penances. Now I shall expound the mode of acquiring wealth through pure and lawful means.

425A brahmin shall earn wealth without cringing or exerting himself too much. He can accept monetary gifts and fees for presiding over sacrifices duly performed.

426A Kṣatriya shall earn wealth by valorous exploits and a Vaiśya by means of agriculture and cattle-breading. The charitable gifts of wealth acquired by lawful means alone, are attended with good results.

427Salvation is achieved by the acquisition of Perfect knowledge by every one with the blessings of the preceptor. Salvation is realisation of one’s own real form and the perfect bliss.

428O brahmins, men realise all these things only if they cultivate the association of good people. A householder shall make charitable gifts of everything like money, grain etc.

429A person who desires permanent welfare for himself shall give to Brahmins fruit, grain or other articles especially when the need for the same arises.

430Water shall always be given to the thirsty. Food shall be given to the hungry and the sick. Gift of food is of four types—field, unhusked grain (or seed), uncooked food and cooked food.

431A giver of food receives half the merit of the receiver which he accumulates till the time that food is digested or as long as the glory of lord Śiva reaches his ears.

432The receiver of a gift must expiate for his sin by means of austerities or by making gifts to others. Otherwise he will fall into the Raurava hell.

433Everyone shall set apart a third of his wealth for Dharma, another third for Vṛddhi (flourishing) and the rest for his Bhoga (enjoyment). With the part intended for Dharma he shall perform the three rites of virtue viz. Nitya (daily prayers etc.), Naimittika (casual acts of piety) and Kāmya (specific rites for the fulfilment of desires). By means of the second part he shall increase his wealth. By utilising the third part he shall enjoy with restraint in pure and wholesome ways.

434One tenth of the wealth acquired by agricultural operations must first be given in charity (before making the three-fold divisions) in order to wipe off the sin. He can utilise the rest as mentioned before. Otherwise he shall fall into Raurava.

435Or he is sure to be evil-minded hastening towards his own certain ruin. Sensible persons acquiring much wealth by way of usury or trading activities must likewise give away a sixth of that wealth in charity (before making the threefold divisions).

436Excellent brahmins, accepting monetary gifts from decent people, shall give away a fourth of that wealth in charity. They shall likewise give away half in charity in case of an unexpected windfall.

437If a brahmin accepts a monetary gift from an indecent fellow he shall give away the entire amount in charity. A defiled gift shall be thrown into the sea. It is more creditable if one invites persons and makes gifts to them. One’s own enjoyment gains by it.

438A man must give others what they beg of him according to his ability. If a thing requested for is not given he will be indebted to that extent even in his next birth.

439A sensible person shall not proclaim others’ faults. O brahmin, whatever is seen or heard should not be spitefully repeated.

440An intelligent man shall not speak words wounding the hearts of others. For achieving prosperity he shall perform sacred rites in the fire at dawn and at dusk.

441Persons unable to perform the same, both the times, shall do so once, worshipping the sun and the fire duly. Raw rice, other food grains, ghee, fruits, bulbous roots, cooked food soaked in ghee for sacrificial rites—all these things shall be duly used as prescribed in the sacred texts. Sthālīpāka (offerings of cooked food in the vessel itself) shall be performed at the stipulated time in the manner laid down. If there is no Havya (cooked rice offering) the main sacrifice alone shall be performed.

442Thus the daily rites have been narrated. These shall be performed always; or repeated muttering of mantra alone or the worship of the sun shall be performed.

443Those who seek welfare of the soul shall do like this. A person who seeks wealth also shall do likewise. All persons devoted to Brahmayajña, worship of gods, worship of fire, reverence to preceptors and gratification of brahmins deserve to attain heaven.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 14 — Description of Fire-sacrifice (agniyajña), etc.

444O lord, please tell us in order in detail all these rites viz. the fire sacrifice, the sacrifice to gods, Brahmayajña, the worship of the preceptor and the gratification of brahmins.
*Sūta said:—*

445The offering made into the fire is called fire-sacrifice (Agniyajña). In the case of persons in the Brahmacarya Āśrama (i.e Religious Students) it is called samidādhāna (collection of sacrificial twigs). O brahmins, until the rite of Aupāsana (fire sacrifice of the householder) all the persons in the first Āśrama perform their Vratas and special sacrifices in the fire from sacrificial twigs.

446O brahmins, in the case of ascetics and forest-dwellers who have consigned the sacred fire to the Ātman, taking a restricted quantity of wholesome food is itself the sacrificial offering.

447Householders who have started their Aupāsana rite shall maintain the rite in the sacrificial fire kept in a vessel or pit always.

448The sacrificial fire shall be maintained either in the Ātman or in the Araṇī (the sacrificial churning twig from which fire is kindled) lest the fire should be extinguished by royal or divine intercession.

449O brahmins, the offering in the fire in the evening for the fire-god is the bestower of prosperity. The offering in the morning for the sun-god is conducive to longevity.

450This is called Agniyajña in as much as it enters the sun during the day. The different sacrifices Sthālīpāka etc. for the propitiation of Indra and other gods by offerings in the fire are called Devayajña. The rites of Caula (ceremony of tonsure) etc. are performed in the ordinary fire.

451The regular study of the Vedas is called Brahmayajña. A brahmin shall perform this constantly for the propitiation of gods.

452This is to be practised by all and hence no special rules are prescribed here. Now attend to the explanation of certain Devayajñas without fire.

453At the beginning of the first creation, the omniscient, merciful lord Mahādeva created the different week days for the benefit of the entire world.

454Lord Mahādeva, the global physician, the omniscient, the panacea of all panaceas, made the first day his own day that bestows good health.

455Next he created the day of his Māyā (Illusion) the bestower of prosperity. Afterwards when the birth of Kumāra was attended with some mishaps he created the day for the sake of surmounting mishaps and idleness. With a desire to bless the worlds and for their nurture and protection he created the next day dedicated to Viṣṇu, the protector of the worlds. The next day created by the lord is for the sake of the longevity of the worlds dedicated to the creator of the three worlds, Brahmā, called also Parameṣṭhin, who is the bestower of longevity too. Hence this day too bestows longevity.

456The last two days of the week created by the lord are those of Indra and Yama. In the beginning when the lord created Puṇya and Pāpa (Virtue and Sin) for making the three worlds flourish, these deities who preside over them were assigned these two days.

457The last two days are the bestowers of worldly enjoyments and removers of premature death respectively. The lord made the sun etc. who are His own manifestations and are firmly established in the solar cycle (Jyotiścakra the lords of the different days. Their worship in their respective days accords the respective benefits viz:—health, riches, removal of sickness, nourishment, longevity. enjoyment of pleasures and prevention of death respectively. It is said that the respective merits of the different days are secured through the gratification of the gods. Śiva is the ultimate bestower of the fruits accruing from the worship of other gods as well.

458The worship for the propitiation of the deities is fivefold. 1. the repeated recitation of the respective mantras 2. sacrifice 3. charitable gift 4. austerities and 5. propitiation on the altar, idol, fire or a brahmin. The sixteen forms of service and homage shall be duly observed.

459Of the fivefold forms of worship the latter are more efficacious than the former. In the absence of the earlier ones the latter ones can be observed. In the ailments of the eyes or head or for quelling leprosy, the sun shall be worshipped and the brahmins fed for a day, a month, a year or three years.

460If the action meritorious or otherwise that has begun to fructify is sufficiently strong, the ailment, old age etc. are alleviated. The repetition of the mantras of the favourite deity accords the respective benefits of the day of the week. The first day of the week dedicated to the sun has the special merit of the removal of sin, especially for brahmins.

461For the sake of riches, the intelligent devotee shall worship Lakṣmī etc. on Monday with cooked rice soaked in ghee and shall feed brahmin couples.

462For alleviating ailments the devotee shall worship Kāli and others on Tuesday. He shall feed brahmins with an Āḍhaka (a measure) of cooked rice, the pulse, black gram and green gram.

463The scholarly devotee shall worship Viṣṇu with curd-rice on Wednesday. Sons, friends, womenfolk etc. will always be well-nourished for ever.

464A person who seeks longevity shall worship the deities for their gratification, with sacred thread, cloth, milk and ghee on Thursday.

465On Friday, for the sake of enjoyment of worldly pleasures, the devotee shall worship devas with concentration. Brahmins should be propitiated with the cooked food consisting of six flavours.

466Good cloth should be presented to women to gladden them. The wise devotee shall worship Rudra and others on Saturday that wards off premature death, by performing Homa with gingelly seeds. He shall make gifts to the brahmins and feed them with cooked rice and gingelly seeds. Thus worshipping the deities he shall derive the fruit of good health etc.

467In the daily or special sacrifices of the deities, ceremonial ablutions, charitable gifts, repeated muttering of mantras, sacrifices, propitiation of the brahmins, in the worship of the different devas in view of special dates or special conjunction of the planets, or in the different days of the week it is the omniscient lord of the universe who bestows health and other benefits by assuming the different forms. He bestows the same according to the time, place and the deserts of the recipient.

468The articles for worship shall be in accordance with one’s faith or local conventions. The lord bestows health etc. in accordance with the comparative quality of the same.

469In the beginning of the period of auspiciousness, the end of the period of inauspiciousness, on birth days (according to the stars) etc. the householder shall worship the planets, Sun etc. in his own house for his good health etc.

470Hence the worship of gods bestows all desired fruits. The worship conducted by brahmins must be along with mantras and by means of gesticulations in the case of others.

471The worship shall be carried out by men seeking good benefits in all the seven days in accordance with their capacity.

472Indigent men shall worship devas with austerities and rich men by spending money. Again and again they shall do virtuous actions with sufficient faith.

473After enjoying the pleasures in heaven they are reborn again in the world. For better enjoyment the rich shall always plant trees for shade, dig tanks etc, install deities, and carry on virtuous activities. After the lapse of some time, when the virtue becomes ripe he shall achieve perfect knowledge. O brahmins, he who hears this chapter, or reads it or he who facilitates the hearing of the same shall derive the fruit of Devayajña.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 15 — Qualification, time and place for devayajña, etc.

474O Sūta, foremost among those who know everything, please expound to us the place etc.
*Sūta said:—*

475The pure house accords normal benefit in the rites of Devayajña etc.

476The cowshed is of ten times more benefit than that. The bank of a tank is of ten times more benefit than that and the root of Tulasi plant or of Bilva or Aśvattha trees is again of ten times more benefit than that.

477Similarly a temple, the bank of a holy tank, the bank of an ordinary river, the bank of a holy river and the banks of the seven holy Gaṅgās are each of ten times more benefit than the previous. The seven holy Gaṅgās are Gaṅgā, Godāvarī, Kāverī, Tāmraparṇikā, Sindhu, Sarayū and Revā. The shores of the sea are of ten times more benefit than the previous. The summit of a mountain is of ten times more benefit than the shores of the sea.

478The place where the mind is quite at home is the most excellent of all places. Yajña, Dāna etc. accord full benefit in the Kṛta age. In the Tretā age they yield three-fourths of the benefit. In the age of Dvāpara the benefit derived is half. In the age of Kali only one fourth of the benefit is obtained. When half of the Kali age passes on, the benefit is only three-fourths of this one-fourth.

479A holy day accords a normal benefit to a pure-souled devotee. O Scholars, the period of transit of the sun from one Zodiac to another yields ten times more benefit than that.

480The period of equinoxes, the period of tropical transit, the period of transit to the capricornus, and the time of lunar eclipse are each of ten times more benefit than the previous one.

481The auspicious hour of complete Solar eclipse is of still more benefit, than the previous. Since the sun of cosmic form is infested with poison then, there is the likelihood of ailments spreading.

482Hence for the alleviation of the serious effects of poison, the devotee shall observe ceremonial ablutions, offer gifts and mutter prayers. That period is specially holy inasmuch as it is intended for the alleviation of the after-effects of poison.

483The birth-star, and the concluding period of holy rites are of the same efficacy as the period of Solar eclipse. The time spent in the company of noble holy men is of the efficacy of crores of solar eclipses.

484Persons of unflinching devotion to austerities and perfect knowledge, yogins and ascetics deserve holy worship since they quell others’ sins.

485A brahmin who has repeated the Gāyatrī mantra two million four hundred thousand times also deserves the same and accords full benefit and wordly enjoyments.

486The word Pātra (one who deserves) means one who protects the giver from downfall.

487The word Gāyatrī means that which saves the reciter from downfall. Only a person of purified soul can save others, just as only a rich man can donate anything to others. A man of no means cannot give anything to others in this world.

488Only he who has purified himself by means of Gāyatrī Japa can be called a pure brahmin. He alone deserves the position of presiding over all holy rites, Dāna Japa, Homa, Pūjā etc. He alone can save others. Any hungry man or woman deserves charitable gifts of cooked food.

489An excellent brahmin must be invited on an auspicious occasion and given sufficient sums of money with piety and pleasing words. They accord all desired results. A charitable gift given to a needy person yields the utmost benefit. If it is given after entreaties it yields only half the benefit.

490Monetary gifts to servants accord only one-fourth benefit. O excellent brahmins, charitable gifts to an indigent person, only because he is born a brahmin, accord worldly enjoyment for ten years. Gifts to a brahmin Vedic scholar accord heavenly enjoyment for ten years.

491Gifts to a brahmin who regularly repeats Gāyatrī mantra, accord Satyaloka for ten years. Gifts to a brahmin devotee of Viṣṇu accord Vaikuṇṭha Loka.

492Gifts to a brahmin devotee of Śiva accord Kailāsa. All kinds of gifts accord enjoyments in the different Lokas.

493A person who gives cooked food attended with the ten ancillary services, on a Sunday, attains good health for ten years even in the next birth. The ten ancillary services are—Honouring, inviting, providing oil bath, washing and serving the feet, bestowing cloth, scents etc, serving side dishes of six tastes, pancakes prepared in ghee and sweet juices, betel leaves, monetary gifts, formal farewell and following a few steps—This is called Daśāṅga Annadāna,

494A man who renders ten sorts of ancillary services to ten brahmins on Sunday attains good health for a hundred years. If he gives the same on Monday or any other day, he attains the benefit as stipulated for that day. The benefit of food-gifts is secured in this world itself either in this birth or in the next.

495If in this manner he gives food on all the seven days to ten brahmins he secures good health and all other benefits for a hundred years.

496Similarly he who gives cooked rice in this manner to hundred brahmins on Sunday secures good health in Śivaloka for a thousand years.

497If he gives the same for a thousand brahmins he secures the benefit for ten thousand years. Similarly the benefit accrued for gifts on Monday and other days can be understood by a thoughtful man.

498By giving food to a thousand brahmins whose minds have been purified by Gāyatrī, on Sunday, the devotee attains good health and other benefits in Satyaloka.

499By giving food to ten thousand persons he secures the benefits in Viṣṇuloka. By giving it to a hundred thousand persons he derives benefits in Rudraloka.

500Those who seek learning must make gifts to children considering them on a par with Brahmā. Those who seek sons and other ends must make gifts to young men considering them on a par with Viṣṇu.

501Those who seek knowledge must make gifts to old men considering them on a par with Rudra. Those who seek intellect must make gifts to young maidens considering them on a par with Bhāratī (Goddess of Speech).

502Excellent men seeking enjoyments must make gifts to youthful maidens considering them on a par with Lakṣmī (Goddess of Wealth). Those who seek purity of Ātman must make gifts to old women considering them on a par with) Pārvatī.

503That which is acquired by gleaning more than one ear of corn at a time or gleaning corns one by one, by fees received from disciple is called Śuddhadravya (clean wealth). This wealth yields complete benefit.

504Wealth acquired by acceptance of monetary gifts is called middlesome wealth. Wealth acquired by agricultural or trading activities is called lowliest wealth.

505Wealth acquired by Kṣatriyas using their valour or Vaiśyas by trading activities is called excellent. So also the wealth acquired by the Śūdras by salaries for service.

506Patrimony or sum received from husbands forms the wealth of virtuous women. There are twelve things to be given in the twelve months beginning with Caitra or all together on an auspicious occasion for the flourishing of what is cherished. They are:—(1) cow, (2) plots of land, (3) gingelly seeds, (4) gold, (5) ghee, (6) cloth, (7) food-grains, (8) jaggery, (9) silver, (10) salt, (11) ash gourd and (12) a virgin. Gift of cows, milk-products, cow-dung (in the form of manure etc.) ward off the sins accruing from wealth and grain while sins connected with water, oil etc. are warded off by cow’s urine.

507The three kinds of sins—physical etc. are warded off by milk, curd and ghee. Their nourishment can be understood by scholars.

508Gift of plots of land is conducive to stability here and hereafter, O brahmins. Gift of gingelly seeds is conducive to strength and to the conquest of premature death.

509Gift of gold increases the power of the gastric fire and is conducive to virility. Gift of ghee is nourishing and that of cloth is conducive to long life.

510Gift of food-grains is conducive to the increase of food production. Gift of jaggery yields sweet food. Gift of silver is conducive to the increase in the quantity of semen and that of salt is conducive to the happy admixture of the six tastes.

511The gift of pumpkin gourd is conducive to nourishment. All kinds of gifts increase everything and secure all kinds of enjoyment here and hereafter, O brahmins.

512Gift of a virgin is conducive to worldly enjoyment throughout life. Sensible persons shall make gifts of fruits according to the season such as the fruits of jack, mango, wood apple trees, plantains, fruits from hedges, pulses of black gram, green gram, vegetables, chillies, mustards, their plants etc.

513Sensible men shall gratify the sense-organs of hearing etc. of other people for the gratification through sound etc. It gratifies the quarters too.

514Theism is that feeling in which one fully realises that all actions are fruitful. It is necessary that Vedas and sacred texts should be learnt direct from preceptors.

515Devotion to God out of fear for kinsmen or royal punishment is of inferior sort. An indigent person bereft of all means of livelihoods shall worship verbally or by means of physical activities.

516Verbal worship means recital of mantras, hymns and Japas. Worship of physical activities means pilgrimages, observance of fast and other rites.

517Whatever one does, whether it is great or small, whatever be the means employed,—if that is dedicated to deities it becomes conducive to enjoyment.

518The two—practice of austerities and making charitable gifts—must be carried out always. Asylum should be given according to the caste of the person concerned. It is conducive to the satisfaction of the Devas and worldly enjoyments as well. Such a devotee shall always attain noble birth and enjoyments here and hereafter. If he performs the sacred rites with dedication to God, he shall attain salvation. He who reads or hears this chapter becomes righteous and endowed with knowledge.
*The sages said:*

Chapter 16 — Different modes of worship of clay idols and their results

519O excellent one, please explain the rules of the worship of clay idols by following which all desired results will be achieved.
*Sūta said:—*

520You have requested for a very good thing. It bestows all wealth always. It suppresses misery instantaneously. I shall explain it. Please listen.

521It wards off premature and foul death. Even a timely death it prevents. O brahmins, it bestows womenfolk, sons, wealth, grains etc. The worship of idols made of clay etc. is conducive to the attainment of all cherished desires in the world. From it the devotee derives food and other edible things, cloth etc.

522Both men and women are authorized in this. The clay should be brought from the beds of rivers, lakes or wells.

523It should be washed well and pasted with scented powder and milk. The idol should be made with the hands on a raised platform.

524All the limbs, joints etc. should be perfectly shaped with the respective weapons of the deity concerned. It should be seated on Padma Āsana (the lotus pose) and worshipped respectfully.

525The five deities Gaṇeśa, Sun, Viṣṇu, Pārvatī and Śiva shall be usually worshipped in their images. But a brahmin shall always worship the phallic emblem of Śiva.

526In order to derive the full benefit of worship, the sixteen forms of service shall be observed. The sprinkling of water over the idol shall be performed with flowers. The pouring of water shall be performed with mantras.

527The food offering shall consist of cooked rice of Śāli variety. In the worship conducted in the house, 12 handfuls of rice (= Kudava) shall be used. In the worship in a temple constructed by men, a prastha (a particular measure) of cooked rice shall be used. In a divine temple three Prasthas of cooked rice shall be used. In the worship of self-risen image five prasthas of cooked rice shall be used. If thus used it gives complete benefit. By using twice or thrice this quantity the benefit shall be greater.

528By performing this worship a thousand times, a brahmin shall attain Satyaloka. A vessel made of wood or iron twelve aṅgulas in width, 24 aṅgulas in length and sixteen aṅgulas in height is called Śiva. An eighth part of it is called a Prastha and it is equal to four Kuḍavas. If ten, hundred or thousand prasthas of water, oil, incense etc. are used in temples of human construction, of saintly worship or of self-risen idol, the worship is called Mahāpūjā.

529The ceremonial bath is conducive to the purity of the soul; the application of scented paste yields virtue. The food offering is conducive to longevity and gratification and the incense yields wealth.

530The lighting of the lamp is conducive to knowledge and the betel leaves are conducive to enjoyment. Hence in all worships these six items are scrupulously observed.

531Obeisance to the deity and repeated recitation of mantras accord all cherished desires. They must be observed at the end of the worship by men who seek both worldly enjoyment and salvation.

532At first all items shall be gone through mentally and then item by item every rite shall be performed. By the worship of deities, the devotee attains the different regions.

533In the subsidiary worlds also there is an ample scope for enjoyment. O brahmins, I shall narrate the special types of worship to which please listen with faith.

534By the worship of Gaṇeśa the devotee shall attain his wish in this world itself. The days of special worship of Gaṇeśa are Fridays, the fourth day of the bright half of the lunar months of Śrāvaṇa and Bhādrapada, and the Śatabhiṣak star of the month of Dhanus. He shall be worshipped duly on these days. Or the devotee shall worship continuously for hundred or thousand days.

535As a result of the faith in the deity and in the fire, the worship yields sons or the different wishes to the devotees. It quells all sins and the various hardships.

536The worship of Śiva and others on their respective days of the week is conducive to the purity of soul. In regard to Kāmya rites, the basis is either the Tithi or the star or the particular combinations of planetary positions.

537The day of the week is the basis for the worship of Brahman and others. There is no increase or decrease with respect to the days of the week as in regard to the Tithi, star etc. A day is calculated from sunrise to sunrise.

538The worship of the deities on the respective Tithis etc. is conducive to full enjoyment for the devotees. In regard to rites of the manes, the earlier part must be in contact with the night previous. In the worship of deities the latter part must be in conjunction with the day. If the Tithi extends to mid-day, that part of it which falls at sunrise shall be taken for the worship of the deities, so also in regard to the stars. Hence a devotee shall consider all these aspects and proceed with the worship, repeated recitation of the mantras etc.

539The word Pūjā is thus derived: Pūḥ means ‘the achievement of the fruits of enjoyment.’ By the rite one achieves the fruits. Jāyate means “is born.” Good ideas, knowledge etc. also are included in this. The word Pūjā is used in this sense amongst the people as well as in the sacred texts.

540The daily and occasional rites yield their benefits in due course but the fruits of Kāmya rites are instantaneous. The necessary rites are performed everyday. The occasional rites are performed in particular months, fortnights, years or on special occasions. In the Kāmya rites one derives the fruits after the sin has been duly quelled. Mahāgaṇapati Pūjā shall be performed on the Caturthī day of the dark half of the lunar month.

541That rite wipes off the sin of the whole fortnight and yields enjoyment for full fortnight. The worship performed on the Caturthī day of the lunar month of Cakra accords benefit for a month.

542The worship performed in the months of Siṃha and Bhādrapada accords enjoyment of worldly pleasures for a year. The worship of the sun shall be performed on Sundays, or Saptamī (seventh) day or in the star Hasta of the month of Śrāvaṇa or on the Saptamī in the bright half of the month of Māgha. The worship of Viṣṇu is conducive to the attainment of all desires and wealth if performed on Wednesdays, Dvādaśī (12th) day or in the star of Śravaṇa in the months of Jyeṣṭha and Bhādrapada. The same worship in the month of Śrāvaṇa yields all desired wishes and good health.

543Propitiation of Viṣṇu on the Dvādaśī day yields the same benefit as is derived from the gift of the twelve things with ancillary rites.

544The devotee shall worship twelve brahmins on the Dvādaśī day assigning them the twelve names of Viṣṇu with all the sixteen forms of service. He shall gratify the deity thereby.

545Similarly twelve brahmins shall he worshipped after assigning them the twelve names of any deity to gratify that deity.

546A person who seeks prosperity shall worship Pārvatī who bestows all worldly pleasures on Mondays, Navamī (ninth) day, and in the star of Mṛgaśiras in the month of Karkaṭaka.

547The Navamī in the bright half of the month of Āśvayuj accords all desired benefits. The worship of Śiva shall be performed on Sundays, Caturdaśī (fourteenth) day of the dark half of the month of Māgha on the Ārdrā star and on the Mahārdrā day. It accords all cherished desires.

548The worship is conducive to longevity, prevents premature death and accords the achievement of everything. The worship of the different manifestations of Śiva with all sixteen forms of service and homage on the Mahārdrā day in the month of Jyeṣṭha, on caturdaśī day or on the Ārdrā day in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa is on a par with Śiva’s worship and yields worldly enjoyment and salvation. The worship of the first deity of the week days in the month of Kārtika is specially recommended.

54946 47. When the month of Kārtika has arrived, the sensible man shall worship all the deities by giving gifts and observing austerities, homas, Japas, restraints and the sixteen forms of service. The idol shall be worshipped with mantras. Brahmins shall be fed. The devotee shall be freed of desires and distresses.

550The worship of deities in the month of Kārtika yields all worldly pleasures, dispels all ailments and removes the adverse effects of spirits and evil planets.

551The worship of the sun on Sundays in the month of Kārtika together with the gifts of gingelly seeds and cotton alleviates leprosy etc.

552By making gifts of Harītakī (one of the myrobalans), chillies, cloth, milk etc. and by installing Brahman, the alleviation of consumption is brought about.

553By making gifts of lamps and mustard seeds epileptic fits are alleviated. The worship of Śiva on Mondays in the month of Kārtika suppresses excessive poverty and increases prosperity. The worship of Skanda on Tuesdays in the month of Kārtika, and making gifts of houses, fields, domestic articles and utensils, lamps, bells etc. the devotee gains eloquence without delay.

554The worship of Viṣṇu on Wednesdays in the month of Kārtika together with the gift of cooked rice with curds yields good progeny.

555The worship of Brahman on Thursdays in the month of Kārtika and the gift of honey, gold and ghee affords the increase of worldly pleasures.

556The worship of the elephant-faced Gaṇeśa together with the gifts of scented flowers affords the enjoyment of worldly pleasures.

557Even a barren woman gets a good son making gifts of gold, silver etc. The worship of the guardians of the quarters, the elephants of the quarters, the serpents, the guardians of dams, the three-eyed Rudra and Viṣṇu, the remover of sins, bestows perfect knowledge. The worship of Brahman, Dhanvantari and of the twin deities—Aśvins alleviates ailments, prevents foul death and suppresses all sickness instantaneously.

558Gifts of salt, iron, oil, pulses, Trikaṭuka, fruits, scents, drinking water etc., liquids in prastha measures and solids in pala weights enable the devotee to attain heaven. The worship of Śiva and others early in the morning in the month of Dhanus enables the devotees to achieve everything gradually. The offering of eatables shall preferably be ghee-soaked rice of the Śālī variety and well-cooked.

559The offering of various kinds of cooked rice is specially recommended in the month of Dhanus. The person who gives cooked food in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa shall attain all desired benefits.

560The giver of cooked food in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa shall attain destruction of sins, achievement of the desired objects, good health, virtue, good comprehension of the Vedic passages, good practices, great enjoyment here and hereafter, the permanent unification with the Godhead and the realisation of the perfect knowledge of the Vedanta.

561A person who desires enjoyment of worldly pleasures shall worship the deities early in the morning throughout the month of Mārgaśīrṣa or at least for three days. No one shall be without sacred rites in the month of Dhanus.

562Rites in Dhanurmāsa (month of Dhanus) prescribed for the morning can be performed upto the Sangava time (3 muhūrtas from sunrise). A brahmin shall observe fast in the month of Dhanus and restrain all his senses. Till midday he shall repeat the Gāyatrī mantra. Till the time of going to bed, he shall repeat the mantras such as the five-syllabled one etc. After acquiring perfect knowledge he shall attain salvation after death. Other men and women shall repeat the five-syllabled mantra alone throughout and take three baths every day. They will attain perfect knowledge. They shall secure the annihilation of the great sins by repeating their favourite mantras.

563The great offering of eatables shall be made to Śiva especially in the month of Dhanus. The constituent parts of the great offering are as follows:—

564Rice of the Śālī variety a Bhāra by weight; pepper measuring a prastha; countable articles twelve in number; honey and ghee a kuḍava each; a droṇa measure of green gram; twelve varieties of side dishes; cake fried in ghee, sweets made of Śālika rice; curd and milk twelve prasthas each; twelve coconuts; twelve betel nuts, thirty-six clove leaves; camphor powder; five saugandika flowers; betal leaves.

565This great offering of eatables made to the deities shall be distributed among devotees m the order of their castes.

566A devotee who makes the offering of cooked rice becomes the Lord of a kingdom in the world. But by making gift of great offering of eatables, a man attains heaven.

567O excellent brahmins, by offering this a thousand times the devotee attains Satyaloka and lives the full span of life therein.

568By offering this twenty-thousand times, he attains still higher world and is not born again.

569Twenty-six thousand great offerings constitute life-time offering. Making gift of this is called great accomplishment. A devotee who makes this is not born again.

570In the month of Kārttika, on an auspicious day, life-time offering shall be made. It shall be done at the time of the transit of the sun, on birthdays (based on star), on full-moon days, annual birthdays etc. In other months when the natal star comes in conjunction with the planets, this can be performed.

571Even if the conjunction is only partial the offering shall be made. One gets the benefit of dedicating oneself by that.

572Śiva is delighted by the dedication of selves and bestows the salvation of complete identity. This life-time offering shall be made only to Śiva.

573Śiva exemplifies birth in as much as He has the form of both Yoni (vaginal passage) and Liṅga (Penis). Hence in order to ward off births the Janmapūjā is of Śiva alone.

574The entire universe consisting of the movable and the immovable is of the nature of Bindu (dot) and Nāda (sound). Bindu is Śakti (Power) and Śiva is Nāda. Hence the universe is pervaded by Śiva and Śakti.

575Bindu is the support of Nāda. The universe has the support of Bindu. Both Bindu and Nāda together support the entire universe.

576The unification of the Bindu and the Nāda is called Sakalīkaraṇa and the universe takes its birth as a result of this Sakalīkaraṇa.

577The Phallic emblem is the fusion of Bindu and Nāda and is the cause of the universe. Bindu is the goddess and Śiva is the Nāda and the fusion of the two is the phallic emblem of Śiva.

578Hence to ward off future births, the devotee shall worship the phallic emblem of Śiva. Goddess of the form of Bindu is the mother and Śiva of the form of Nāda is the father.

579Great bliss is the result of the worship of the parents. The devotee shall worship the phallic emblem for the acquisition of the Great Bliss.

580That goddess is the mother of the universe and that Śiva is the father of the universe. Sympathy towards the son who renders service naturally increases in the minds of the parents.

581O foremost among sages, ordinary parents bestow hidden treasures to the son who renders special service. Hence a devotee shall worship the phallic emblem in the manner of mother and father for the acquisition of the hidden great bliss. Bharga is Puruṣa (Cosmic man or Being) and Bhargā is Prakṛti (Cosmic Nature).

582Puruṣa is of hidden latent conception and Prakṛti is of manifest inner conception.

583Since it is the father who conceives first, the Puruṣa has the primordial conception. The unification of Puruṣa and Prakṛti is the first birth.

584Its manifestation in the Prakṛti is called the second birth. The creature, dead even as it is born, takes up its birth from the Puruṣa.

585Certainly the birth is induced by the Māyā as an extraneous source. The word Jīva (the individual soul) means that which gets decayed even from the time of birth.

586Another meaning of the word Jīva is that which is born enmeshed and entwined. Hence the devotee shall worship the primordial phallic image for unravelling the knots and nooses of the birth.

587The world bhaga means the primordial nature because it increases and flourishes. The Śabdamātrā etc. (the cosmic sound principle i.e. all objects of enjoyment) evolved out of Prakṛti, being enjoyed by the sense organs; the word Bhoga comes to mean that which gives Bhaga. The principal Bhaga is of course the Prakṛti and Bhagavān is Lord Śiva Himself.

588The lord alone is the bestower of enjoyment (Bhoga) and not anyone else. The Lord who is the master of Bhaga is called Bharga by wise men.

589The phallus is united with vagina and vagina is united with phallus. For the sake of perpetual enjoyment here and hereafter the devotee shall worship the phallic emblem which is lord Śiva Himself. He is the sun giving birth and sustenance to the worlds. His symbol is justified in the coming into existence of things.

590Persons should worship Śiva, the cause of birth, in his phallic form. That which makes the Puruṣa known, is called Liṅga, the symbol. The unification and fusion of the symbols of Śiva and Śakti is thus called Liṅga.

591The lord delighted at the worship of His symbol wards off the function of the symbol. That function being birth etc, birth etc. cease.

592Hence the devotee shall worship the phallic emblem with the sixteen forms of service and homage to acquire the benefit from Prakṛti and Puruṣa through means inherent or extraneous.

593The worship thus performed on Sundays wards off births. The devotee shall worship the great phallic emblem on Sundays with the syllable Om.

594The ceremonial ablution of the phallic emblem with Pañcagavya on Sundays is specially recommended. Pañcagavya is the compound of cow’s urine, dung, milk, curd and ghee. Milk, curd and ghee can severally be used with honey and molasses. The offering of rice cooked in cow’s milk must be made with the syllable Om.

595The syllable Om (a + u + m) is Dhvani Liṅga The svayambhū liṅga is Nāda Liṅga; the Yantra (diagrammatic contrivance) is Binduliṅga. “M” syllable is the installed (Pratiṣṭhita) liṅga. “U” syllable is mobile (Cara) Liṅga and the “A” syllable is a Liṅga of huge form (Guruvigraha). A person who worships the liṅgas perpetually becomes liberated soul undoubtedly.

596A devout worship of Śiva liberates man from the bondage of births. A fourth benefit is achieved by wearing Rudrākṣa beads sacred to Śiva and a moiety is achieved by smearing the holy ashes over the forehead. Three-fourths can be achieved by the recital of mantras and a man be comes full-fledged devotee by means of worship. A man who worships both the phallic emblem of Śiva and the devotees of Śiva attains salvation.

597O brahmins, stable devotion can be found firmly established and flourishing only in that person who reads this chapter or listens to it attentively.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 17 — The glorification of the syllable Om and the five-syllabled mantra

598O lord, tell us the greatness of the syllable Om and that of the six liṅgas, O great sage. Also please tell us the worship of the devotees of Śiva in order.
*Sūta said:—*

599All of you, sages, have now requested for a good thing. Only Śiva can explain this properly. No one else.

600Still I shall explain the same with Śiva’s grace. May Śiva increasingly guard us, you and every one else.

601The syllable Om means an excellent boat to cross the ocean of worldly existence. [Pra=of the Prakṛti i.e. the world evolved out of it. Navam—Nāvāṃ Varam—an excellent boat]

602Or Praṇava may mean: “there is no world for you” or it may mean “That which leads to salvation”.

603Or it may mean “that which leads to new knowledge.” After annihilating all actions it gives the persons who repeat the mantra or worship, a fresh knowledge of the pure soul. This Praṇava is two-fold (1) the subtle (2) the gross.

604The subtle one is of a single syllable where the constituent five syllables are not differentiated clearly. The gross one is of five syllables where all the constituent syllables are manifest.

605The subtle one is for the liberated living soul (jīvanmukta). The need for the contemplation of the meaning through the mantra is only upto the destruction of the physical body.

606When the body is destroyed he completely merges in Śiva undoubtedly. The mere repeater of the mantra attains the yogic communion with Śiva certainly.

607A person who repeats the mantra thirty-six crores of times certainly attains the yogic communion. The subtle Praṇava is again two-fold—the short, and the long.

608The long one is present in the heart of the Yogins alone—separately in the form of “A” syllable, “U” syllable, “M” syllable, Bindu and Nāda. It is endowed with all the digits of the time sound. Śiva, Śakti and their union are indicated by “M” syllable ramified into three and this is called the short subtle Praṇava. The short Praṇava shall be recited and repeated by those who desire their all sins annihilated.

609The five elements ether, air, fire, water and earth and their five subtle causes sound, touch, form, taste, and smell together activised in relation to achievement of desires are called Pravṛttas. The short subtle Praṇava is for those who desire the continuation of mundane existence and the long one is for those who are averse to the same. The Praṇava is to be used in the beginning of the Vyāhṛtis, mantras, in the beginning of the Vedas, and during the prayer at dawn and at dusk along with Bindu and Nāda. If the devotee repeats it nine crores of times he becomes pure.

610A further repetition for nine crores of times enables him to win over the Earth element. A further repetition for nine crores of times enables him to win over the water element.

611Similarly for each repetition of nine crores of times he is able to win over the elements of fire, wind and the ether.

612The attributes of “smell” etc. are to be similarly won over by successive repetitions of nine crores of times. The egotism is to be won over by another repetition of nine crores of times.

613By repeating it daily for a thousand times the devotee becomes perpetually pure. O brahmins, thereafter the repetition of the mantra is conducive to the achievement of desires.

614A devotee who thus completes one hundered and eight crores of Japas of Praṇava (Om) and is thus fully enlightened shall master Śuddhayoga.

615A person who has thus mastered Śuddhayoga becomes certainly a liberated living soul. A Mahāyogin who performs Japas and meditations perpetually of Śiva in the form of Praṇava and maintains mystic trance, certainly becomes Śiva Himself. He must perform Japas after duly performing the Aṅganyāsa (ritualistic placing of the finger over the different parts of the body as prescribed) and invoke the sages concerned, the deities presiding over and the name of the metre in which the verse is composed.

616The devotee who practises the Japa of Praṇava (Om) with due ritualistic placings of fingers on the parts of his body becomes a sage. He shall attain all the benefits of the ritualistic Nyāsa such as the blessings of ten mothers and the (attainment of) six pathways.

617As for those who are devoted to activities and those who both refrain from and indulge in activities, the gross Praṇava is recommended. Śivayogins are of three types being devoted to rites, austerities and Japas. The Kriyāyogin is the one who engages himself in sacred rites and worship spending money, using limbs of the body and uttering words Namaḥ (obeisance) etc. Tapoyogin is the one who desists from injuring others, restains all external sense organs, takes limited quantities of food and performs worships. Japayogin is the one who is quiet, performs Japa always, is free from all sorts of desires and maintains all these observances mentioned before.

618A pure man shall obtain liberation only step by step, beginning with Sālokya as a result of being purified by the worship of Śivayogins with sixteen services and homage.

619O brahmins, I shall now explain Japayoga, please listen. Even the person practising austerities shall perform Japas to purify himself.

620O brahmins, the five-syllabled mantra of Śiva is the gross Praṇava. The name Śiva is used in the dative case with Namaḥ prefixed. (Namaḥ Śivāya—Homage to Śiva) It implies the five principles.

621The Japa of the five-syllabled mantra shall always be performed along with Praṇava. A man can achieve everything by means of the Japa of the five-syllabled mantra.

622O brahmins, the devotee shall take instruction from his preceptor, sit comfortably on the ground cleaned well, and start the Japa. The practice shall start on the Caturdaśī day of the bright half and concluded on the Caturdaśī day of the dark half.

623The months of Māgha and Bhādrapada are the most auspicious of all occasions. During the days of Japa be shall take only a single meal during the day in limited quantities. He shall abstain from useless talk and curb all his sense organs. He shall uninterruptedly render service to his parents and the king, or any master whom he serves. By performing the Japa a thousand times, he shall be free from indebtedness, otherwise not.

624The five-syllabled mantra shall be repeated five hundred thousand times, all the time remembering the various aspects of Lord Śiva who is seated in the lotus pose. He is the bestower of all auspiciousness. He has the crescent moon for his coronet. He has given shelter to Gaṅgā in His matted hair. With Śakti seated on His left thigh, He shines with His great concourse of attendants around Him. He bears the moon (on his forehead). He shows the gestures of bestowing boons and offering freedom from fear. He is the cause of perpetual blessing. He is Sadāśiva. He shall be mentally worshipped at first or as stationed in the heart or in the solar zone. While performing the Japa of the five-syllabled mantra he shall sit facing the east. All his actions shall be pure. In the morning of the Caturdaśī day of the dark half, after finishing the daily rites he shall sit in a clean beautiful place. He shall control his mind and senses. He shall repeat the five-syllabled mantra twelve thousand times in this way.

625For the sake of the worship he shall invite five great devotees of Śiva along with their wives. One of those shall be an excellent preceptor who shall be assigned the Sāmba form, another will represent Īśāna, the third will represent the Aghora aspect of Śiva, the fourth will represent the Vāma aspect of Śiva and the fifth will represent “Sadyojāta” aspect of Śiva.

626All the articles for the worship shall be ready and the worship shall start. When it is performed duly, the sacrifice shall follow. All the rites from the beginning to the end shall be performed according to the rules laid down in the scriptural code which the devotee follows. The ghee used shall be the one prepared from the milk of a tawny cow. He shall make ten, hundred or a thousand offerings or he shall bid the devotees of Śiva make the offerings. In that case the offerings are one hundred and eight in number.

627At the end of the sacrifice monetary gifts shall be given: the preceptor shall be given two cows (or a cow and a bull) as extra. The five devotees shall be duly worshipped; the householder shall take bath with the water wherewith the feet of the devotees shall be washed. He shall thereby reap the benefit of taking bath in 36 crores of holy rivers and tanks.

628He shall make gifts of cooked rice and ten ancillary constituents with great piety. The preceptor’s wife must be considered as the great goddess (Parā.) The wives of the other devotees Īśāna and the rest shall be duly worshipped and honoured. They shall be presented with the beads sacred to Śiva, garments, and sumptuously fed with milk pudding, pulse, pies, sweet pies etc. after the oblations are duly given. The Japa is then concluded with due prayers to the lord of gods.

629After the performance of Puraścaraṇa (repetition of the mantra followed by sacrifice), the householder becomes endowed with the efficacy of the mantra. If he completes another five hundred thousand Japas, all the sins will be wiped off.

630For every set of five hundred thousand Japas the householder shall be blessed with the riches and prosperity of the different Lokas beginning with Atala and ending with Satyaloka in order.

631If the householder dies in the middle, he shall be reborn in the world after due enjoyment of pleasures in the other worlds. He shall then continue the Japa and derive the benefit of being near to Brahman.

632After a repetition of five hundred thousand further Japas he derives the benefit of assimilation to Brahman. If ten million Japas are completed in all he shall become identical with Brahman.

633Thus attaining the absorption into Kāryabrahman (the action Brahman) he gains all such enjoyments as can be wished for till the time of final dissolution.

634In the Next Kalpa he will be born as Brahma’s son. Becoming illuminated with the penance he shall be ultimately liberated.

635Fourteen worlds beginning with Pātāla and ending with Satya are evolved out of the five elements, such as the Earth etc. These are called Brahmā’s worlds.

636There are fourteen Viṣṇu worlds beyond Satya world and ending with Kṣamā. In the Kṣamā world the action—Viṣṇu is stationed in the excellent city of Vaikuṇṭha in the company of action-Lakṣmī protecting the great recipients of enjoyment. Beyond that and ending with Śuciloka there are twenty-eight worlds.

637In the pure world of Kailāsa, Rudra, the annihilator of the living beings, is stationed. Beyond that are the fifty-six worlds ending with Ahiṃsā region.

638The action-lord who has screened everything is stationed in the city of Jñānakailāsa in the Ahiṃsā region.

639At the end of the same is the wheel of Time and beyond the ken of Time there is the space called Kālātīta. There Kāla (God of death and Time) backed by Śiva and in the name of Cakreśvara, unites every one with Time. In his activity he occupies Dharma in the form of a buffalo whose four legs are untruth, untidiness, violence and ruthlessness. He can assume any form he wishes. He assumes the form of a great buffalo, is rich in Atheism, has evil association and utters sounds other than those of the Vedas. He has an active association with Anger. He is black in colour. He is called great lord (Maheśvara) to that extent. The ability to vanish is up to that extent.

640Beneath that is the Karmabhoga enjoyment as a result of activity. Beyond that point is Jñānabhoga (enjoyment due to knowledge). Beneath that point is Karmamāyā and beyond that point is Jñānamāyā.

641Explanation of Karmamāyā—Mā means Lakṣmī i.e. Karmabhoga. Attainment of the same is Māyā. The word Mā is then interpreted as Jñānabhoga. Attainment of the same is Māyā.

642Beyond that point is Nityabhoga (perpetual enjoyment). Beneath that point is Naśvarabhoga (evanescent enjoyment). Beneath that is evanescence and beyond that there is freedom.

643The bondage of nooses is only beneath that point. There is no bondage beyond that. Those who perform actions with desire alone, hover beneath that point.

644The enjoyment of rites performed with no desire is said to be beyond that point. Those who are devoted to the worship of womb, hover beneath that.

645The worshippers of the phallic emblem who are unaffected by desire can go beyond that. Worshippers of deities other than Śiva, hover beneath that.

646Those who are devoted to Śiva alone can go beyond that. Crores of Jīvas live beneath that point. There is a great fort-wall as it were above the same.

647Persons bound by worldly existence remain beneath that point and those who are liberated go beyond that. Those who worship the natural substances hover beneath that.

648Those who worship the entity of Puruṣa go beyond that point. Śaktiliṅga is beneath that point but Śivaliṅga is beyond.

649The unmanifest liṅga is beneath that point but the manifest one is beyond. The conceived liṅga is beneath and the unconceived one is beyond.

650The external liṅga is beneath that point and the internal one is beyond. The Śaktilokas numbering hundred and twelve are beneath that point.

651The Bindurūpa is beneath that point and Nādarūpa is beyond. The Karmaloka is beneath that point and Jñānaloka is beyond that.

652Obeisance which is beyond that point quells pride and egotism. The word Jan means evanescence, Na is a negative particle. The word Jñāna, therefore, means that which wards off evanescence. Those who worship elements hover beneath that point.

653And those who worship spiritual things go beyond that point. The Vedibhāga (the portion of the Altar) in that great world of Ātmaliṅga is only up to that point. The eight fixation of Prakṛti etc. is also at the extremity of the Vedi. Such is the customary and the scriptural procedure.

654Those who are endowed with the virtue of truthfulness etc. and those who are devoted to the worship of Śiva cross Kālacakra who is seated on Adharmamahiṣa (The buffalo of evils).

655Beyond that stands, ahead of Śivaloka, the bull of Virtue in the form of celibacy. It has the legs of Truthfulness etc.

656The bull of Dharma has forbearance for its horns, restraint for its ears, faith for its eyes, sighs for its intellect and mind. It is embellished by the sound of Vedic chants.

657The bulls of sacred rites etc. are to be understood as stationed in the causes. Kālātīta (i.e Maheśvara) presides over the bull of sacred rites.

658The span of life of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśa is a day. Beyond that, there is neither day nor night, neither birth nor death.

659The worlds ending with Kāraṇasatya, of the Kāraṇabrahmā (Brahmā the cause) evolved out of the subtle elements, Smell etc. are stationed beyond it. In all these fourteen worlds, the subtle smell etc. give the due form. The fourteen worlds of Kāraṇaviṣṇu are stationed there.

660The lokas of Kāraṇarudra are twenty-eight in number. The lokas of Kāraṇa-īśa numbering fifty-six are beyond that.

661The Brahmacaryaloka accepted by Śiva is beyond that. There in the Jñānakailāsa that has five coverings, the primary phallic from of Śiva is stationed in the company of primary energy of Śiva. It has five zones and five Brahmakalās.

662This is called the abode of Śiva, Śivālaya, the supreme Ātman. There alone stays Parameśvara in the company of Parāśakti.

663He is skilled in the performance of the five functions of creation, maintenance evanescence and blessing. His body is Existence, Knowledge and Bliss.

664He is always in meditation. He is ever bent on blessing. He is seated in the pose of trance. He shines resting in his own self

665His vision is possible gradually through sacred rites, meditation etc. By performing the daily rites and worships, the mind is diverted towards the sacred rites of Śiva the performance whereof gives the sight of Śiva. Those who come within His vision are certainly liberated.

666The liberation is in the form of realising the nature of Ātman. It is a relaxation and resting in one’s own soul. It is based on sacred rites, penance, Japa, knowledge, meditation and virtue.

667Relaxation is assured at the vision of Śiva. Śiva, the merciful, removes ignorance even as the sun removes all impurities and darkness by means of its rays. When ignorance is dispelled, the knowledge of Śiva begins to function.

668On acquiring the knowledge of Śiva a person achieves relaxation. He becomes gratified at the acquisition of relaxation.

669Again by means of ten million Japas he acquires Brahmā’s region. A further ten million Japas enable him to achieve Viṣṇu’s region. By a further ten million japas he attains Rudra’s region and by a further ten million japas Īśvara’s region is attained.

670Again by a similar japa performed with concentration he attains Kālacakra, the first in the Śivaloka.

671The Kālacakra consists of five wheels, one being over the other. Sight and delusion (Drṣṭi and Moha) constitute the Brahmacakra; Enjoyment and delusion (Bhoga and Moha) constitute the Viṣṇu Chakra. Anger and delusion (Kopa and Moha) constitute the Raudra Cakra, Revolution (Bhramaṇa) is Īśvaracakra. Knowledge and illusion (Jñāna and Moha) constitute the Śivacakra. Thus scholars have explained the five cakras.

672Then by ten crores of Japas he achieves the region of Kāraṇa Brahman. Again by ten crores he attains the prosperity of that region.

673Thus, gradually, attaining the region of Viṣṇu and those of other Gods as well as the prosperities of those regions, completing assiduously the repetitions to the tune of hundred and five crores of times, he attains Śivaloka outside the fifth sheath.

674There is a Silver platform there, an excellent river bed, and a bull in the form of penance.

675The fifth sheath is the excellent station of Sadyo-Jāta (a form of Śiva). The fourth is the station of Vāmadeva.

676The third is the abode of Aghora. The second is the abode of Sāmba Puruṣa.

677The first is the abode of Īśāna. The fifth is the place of Dhyāna Dharma (virtue of meditation).

678The abode of Balinātha is the bestower of the full Amṛta (deathlessness, nectar). Thereafter is the fourth Maṇḍapa with the idol of Candraśekhara (a form of Śiva).

679The abode of Somaskanda is the third maṇḍapa. The faithfuls say that the second Maṇḍapa is the Nṛtya-Maṇḍapa.

680The first Maṇḍapa is the abode of Mūlamāyā (primary delusion) and is very auspicious and stationed there itself. Beyond that is the sanctum sanctorum, the auspicious place of the phallic form of Śiva.

681No one can realise the flourishing power of Śiva stationed at the back of Nandi. Nandīśvara sits outside and repeats the five-syllabled mantra.

682This knowledge has come down from the preceptors. I got it from Nandīśa. Beyond this, it must be inferred from it and it is actually experienced only by Śiva.

683The full grandeur and greatness of Śivaloka can be known by any one only out of the grace of Śiva and not otherwise, so say the faithfuls.

684It is thus that Brahmins of controlled sense-organs become liberated gradually. I shall tell you the process in some other cases. Please listen attentively.

685Brahmin women must take instruction from a preceptor and perform the Japa with Namaḥ at the end. They shall repeat the five-syllabled mantra five hundred thousand times for their longevity. That is the rule. Again they must repeat it five hundred thousand times to wipe off womanhood. Becoming a man first, the liberation will be acquired gradually.

686A Kṣatriya must repeat the mantra five hundred thousand times to remove Kṣatratva. A further repetition of five hundred thousand times enables him to become a brahmin.

687After the mantrasiddhi he shall gradually become liberated. A Vaiśya dispels the Vaiśyatva by five hundred thousand japas.

688Then he becomes a mantra-Kṣatriya by repeating it five hundred thousand times. He then dispels the Kṣatratva by five hundred thousand japas.

689He then becomes a mantrabrahmin by repeating the mantra five hundred thousand times. A Śūdra, repeating the mantra with Namaḥ at the end, for two million five hundred thousand times becomes a mantrabrahmin and so pure enough for liberation. If one is sick, whether man or woman, of brahmin caste or otherwise, one must repeat it always with Namaḥ in the beginning or at the end. As for the women, the preceptor shall instruct them in proper order.

690At the end of every five hundred thousand Japas, the aspirant shall perform Mahābhiṣeka and Naivedya. He shall worship devotees of Śiva for gratifying Śiva.

691Śiva becomes delighted at the worship of the devotee. There is no difference between Śiva and the devotee of Śiva. He is Śiva Himself.

692The mantra is of the nature of Śiva. By holding the mantra the physical body of the devotee becomes identified with Śiva.

693Devotees of Śiva know all the rites, nay all the Vedic rites. The more an aspirant repeats the mantra of Śiva, the greater is the presence of Śiva in his body. For the woman devotee of Śiva, the symbol of the goddess shall be the form for concentration.

694The presence of the goddess continues to be felt as long as the mantra continues to be repeated. An intelligent man who continues to worship Śiva becomes worthy of the name and form.

695Even when the aspirant has become Śiva he shall worship the Parā. He shall worship Śakti, the embodied and the phallic form of Śiva after faultlessly making images of the same.

696He shall consider the phallic form as Śiva and himself as Śakti or he shall consider Śaktiliṅga as the goddess and himself as Śiva or he shall consider Śivaliṅga in the form of Nāda and Śakti in the form of Bindu and give the primary or secondary character to either or consider both united together. Whatever be the form of Upāsti, he shall worship both Śiva and Śakti. He becomes Śiva in virtue of his basic realisation. With the sixteen forms of service and homage, he shall worship devotees of Śiva who are verily the mantra of Śiva personified or identical with Śiva. He will thereby achieve whatever he desires. Śiva being highly pleased with him yields to his gratification. Without being undeceptive in regard to money, body, mantra or the conception he shall gratify five, ten or hundred couples of Śiva’s devotees by feeding them and rendering them other services, in the company of his wife.

697He will assume the form of Śiva and Śakti and will not be born again. Just below the umbilicus is the part of Brahmā, till the armpit is the part of Viṣṇu and the face is the phallus in the body of a devotee of Śiva. If any one dies, the householder shall worship the primordial father Śiva, the primordial mother Śivā and the devotees of Śiva. Thereby, whether the dead body is properly cremated or not, the dead man shall go to the world of the manes and gradually attain salvation. A person endowed with Tapas is far better than ten persons endowed with rites.

698A person endowed with Japa is superior to a hundred persons endowed with Tapas. A person endowed with the knowledge of Śiva is superior to a thousand persons endowed with Japas. A person endowed with meditation is superior to a hundred thousand persons who have the knowledge of Śiva. A person endowed with the power of trance is superior to a crore of meditating persons. Since the latter are superior to the former they shall be selected for worship. Even sensible persons cannot fully comprehend the excellence of benefit. An ordinary man cannot understand the greatness of the devotee of Śiva. The worship of the devotee of Śiva is on a par with the worship of Śiva and Śakti. He who worships any of these piously becomes Śiva and attains Śiva. He who reads this significant chapter, that agrees with the Vedic injunctions, becomes a brahmin endowed with the knowledge of Śiva and rejoices in the company of Śiva. O scholarly lords of sages, a person who knows special things must narrate them to the devotees of Śiva. By Śiva’s grace he will be blessed.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 19 — The worship of Śiva’s Earthen phallic image (pārthiva-liṅga)

699O Sūta, Sūta, be long-lived. Thou art a blessed devotee of Śiva. The greatness of Siva’s phallic image in according excellent benefit has been well explained by you.

700Now speak about the greatness of Earthen phallic image of Śiva which is far superior to all others.
*Sūta said:—*

701O sages, please listen all of you with great devotion and respect. Now I am going to speak on the greatness of earthly phallic image of Siva.

702The Earthly phallic image of Śiva is the most excellent of all such images of Śiva. Many brahmins have achieved great things by worshipping it.

703O brahmins, Hari, Brahmā, Prajāpati and other sages have attained all they desired by worshipping this Earthly phallic image.

704Devas, Asuras, men, Gandharvas, serpents, Rākṣasas and many others have attained greatness after worshipping it.

705The phallic emblem of Śiva made of precious gems was considered the best in the Kṛta age; of pure gold in the Dvāpara; of mercury in the Tretā and of earth in the Kali age.

706Among the eight cosmic bodies of Śiva, the Earthen body is the best. Since it is not worshipped by any one else O Brāhmaṇas! it yields great benefit.

707Just as Śiva is the oldest and the most excellent of all deities, so also his earthly phallic image is the most excellent of all.

708Just as the celestial river Gaṅgā is the oldest and the most excellent of all rivers, so also is the earthen phallic image of Śiva the most excellent of all.

709Just as the Praṇava is considered the greatest of all mantras, so also the earthen phallic image of Śiva that is worthy to be worshipped, is the most excellent of all.

710Just as the brahmin is spoken of as the most excellent of all Varṇas so also is the earthen phallic image of Śiva the most excellent of all other phallic images.

711Just as Kāśī is considered the most excellent of all holy cities, so also the earthly phallic image of Śiva is spoken of as the most excellent of all other phallic images.

712Just as the rite of Śivarātri is the greatest of all sacred rites so also the earthly phallic image of Śiva is the most excellent of all other phallic images.

713Just as Śiva’s energy is considered the greatest of all goddesses so also the earthen phallic emblem of Śiva is spoken of as the most excellent of all.

714Discarding the worship of the earthen phallic image if any one were to worship another deity, that worship becomes fruitless. Ceremonial ablutions, charitable gifts etc. are of no avail.

715The propitiation of the earthen phallic image is sanctifying, bestower of bliss, longevity, satiety, nourishment and fortune. It must be observed by all good aspirants.

716A devotee endowed with unflinching faith shall worship the earthen phallic image with such modes of service as are easily available. It accords the achievement of all desired objects.

717He who worships the earthen phallic image after constructing an auspicious altar becomes affluent and glorious here itself and becomes Rudra in the end.

718He who worships the earthen phallic image in the three junctures of the threefold division of the day every day gains the bliss for twenty-one future births.

719He is honoured in Rudraloka with this body alone. His body dispels the sins of every man by mere sight or touch.

720He is a living liberated soul, he is wise, he is Śiva, there is no doubt. A mere sight of him accords enjoyment of worldly pleasures and salvation.

721He who worships the earthen phallic emblem of Śiva every day stays in Śivaloka for so many years of Śiva, as he had been visiting Śiva’s temple in his life. If he had any wish he would be reborn in the land of Bharata as a sovereign monarch.

722If a man without any desire worships every day the excellent earthen phallic image, he shall stay in Śiva’s region for ever. He shall attain the Sāyujya type of salvation.

723If a brahmin does not worship the earthen phallic image he shall fall in the terrible hell with a terrible trident pierced through his body.

724By any means the phallic image shall be made beautiful. The Pañcasatra rite shall be performed with the earthen phallic image.

725The earthen phallic image shall be made as a single whole. Making it piecemeal i.e if the image is made joining two or more pieces, he will never derive the merit of worship.

726Whether it is made of gems, gold, mercury, crystals or Pusparāga it shall be a single whole.

727All mobile phallic emblems shall be a single whole. Stationary phallic images shall be made of two pieces. This is the rule about broken and unbroken phallic images both immobile or mobile.

728The pedestal is the great Māyā; the phallic image is lord Śiva. Hence in immobile image two-piece construction is recommended.

729This has been mentioned by those who know the principles of Śaiva cult that a stationary phallic image shall be made of two pieces.

730Only those who are deluded by ignorance make the mobile phallic image of two pieces. The sages who know the Śaiva cult; and are well versed in Śaiva Sacred texts do not enjoin that.

731Those who make a stationary phallic image as a single whole and a mobile one pieced are fools. They never reap the benefit of worship.

732Hence, one shall make with very great pleasure the mobile one as a single whole and the stationary one as two-pieced according to rules laid down in the sacred texts.

733The worship of an unbroken mobile image yields full benefit while the worship of two-pieced mobile image brings about great harm.

734This has been stated by those who know the lore that the worship of a stationary image of a single piece not only withholds the cherished desire but is also full of hazards.

Chapter 20 — Worshipping an earthen phallic image by chanting Vedic mantras

735Summary: The mode of worshipping an earthen phallic image by chanting Vedic mantras.
*Sūta said:—*

736Now, the mode of worshipping an earthen phallic image according to the Vedic rites is being explained. It yields worldly pleasures and salvation to the Vedic worshippers.

737The devotee shall take bath in accordance with the rules prescribed in the sacred code. He shall duly perform his Sandhyā prayers. After performing the Brahma Yajña, one of the five daily sacrifices, he shall perform Tarpaṇa (a rite of offering water oblation to the manes).

738After finishing the daily rites he shall apply ashes and wear Rudrākṣa, all along remembering Lord Śiva. With great devotion he shall then worship the excellent earthen phallic image according to Vedic injunctions in order to realise the full benefit.

739The worship of the earthen phallic image shall be performed on the bank of a river or a tank or on the top of a mountain or in a forest, or in a Śiva temple. It must be in a clean place.

740O brahmins, he shall bring clay from a clean place and carefully make the phallic image.

741White clay is to be used by a brahmin; red clay by a Kṣatriya; yellow clay by a Vaiśya and black clay by a Sūdra. Anything available shall be used if the specified clay is not found.

742After taking the clay he shall place it in an auspicious place for making the image.

743After washing the clay clean with water and kneading it slowly he shall prepare a good earthen phallic image according to the Vedic direction.

744Then he shall worship it with devotion for the sake of enjoying worldly pleasures here and salvation hereafter.

745The material of worship shall be sprinkled with water, chanting the formula “Namaḥ Śivāy” With the mantra “Bhūrasi” etc. the achievement of the sanctity of a holy centre (Kṣetra Siddhi) shall be effected.

746Water shall be sanctified with the mantra “Āposmān” etc. The rite of “Phāṭikābandha” shall be performed with “Namaste Rudra” mantra

747The purity of the place of worship shall be heightened with the mantra “Śambhavāya” etc. The sprinkling of water over Pañcāmṛta shall be performed with the word Namaḥ prefixed.

748The excellent installation of the phallic image of Śiva shall be made devoutly with the mantra “Namaḥ Nīla-grīvāya” (obeisance to the blue-necked).

749The worshipper following the Vedic path shall make devoutly the offer of a beautiful seat with the mantra “Etatte rudrāya” etc.

750The invocation (Āvāhana) shall be performed with the mantra “Mā no mahāntam” etc. The seating (Upaveśana) shall be performed with the mantra “Yā te rudreṇa”.

751With the mantra “Yāmiṣum” etc. the Nyāsa (ritualistic touching of the body in various parts) shall be performed. The offering of fragrance shall be performed endearingly with the mantra ‘Adhyavocat’ etc.

752The Nyāsa of the deity shall be performed with the mantra “Asau Jīva” etc. The rite of approaching the deity (upasarpaṇa) shall be performed with the mantra “Asau Yovasarpati” etc.

753The water used for washing the feet (Pādya) shall be offered with the mantra. “Namostu Nīlagrīvāya” (obeisance to the blue-necked). The water for the respectful reception (Arghya) shall be offered with the Rudragāyatrī mantra and the sipping water (Ācamana) with the Tryambaka mantra.

754The ceremonial ablution with milk shall be performed with the mantra “Payaḥ Pṛthivyām” etc. The ceremonial ablution with curd shall be performed with the mantra “Dadhi Krāvṇaḥ” etc.

755The ceremonial ablution with ghee shall be performed with the mantra “Ghṛtam Ghṛtayāvā” etc. The ceremonial ablution with honey and Sugar candy shall be performed with three hymns beginning with “Madhuvātā”, Madhu Naktam, Madhumānnaḥ”. Thus the Pañcāmṛta ablution is explained. Or the ablution with Pañcāmṛta can be performed with the Pādya mantra Namostu Nīlagrīvāya.

756The tying of the waistband (Kaṭibandhana) shall be performed devoutly with the mantra “Mā nastoke” etc. The piece of cloth to be worn on the upper part of the body shall be offered with the mantra “Namo Dhṛṣṇave” etc.

757The pious follower of Vedic rites shall make an offering of cloth (vastrasamarpaṇa) duly to Śiva with the four hymns beginning with “Yā te heti” etc.

758The intelligent devotee shall offer scents devoutly with the mantra “Namaḥ Śvabhyaḥ” etc. He shall offer Akṣatas (raw rice grains) with the mantra “Namastakṣabhyaḥ” etc.

759Flower offerings shall be made with the mantra “Namaḥ Pāryāya” etc. Bilva leaves shall be offered with the mantra “Namaḥ Parṇāya” etc.

760The incense shall be offered with the mantra “Namaḥ Kapardine ca” etc. in accordance with the rules. The lamp shall be offered in the prescribed manner with the mantra “Namaḥ Āśave” etc.

761The excellent Naivedya shall be offered with the mantra “Namo Jyeṣṭhāya” etc. Ācamana shall be offered again with the mantra “Tryambakam” etc.

762Fruit shall be offered with the mantra “Imā Rudrāya”. Everything shall be dedicated to Śiva with the mantra “Namo Vrajyāya” etc.

763We shall make an offering of eleven raw rice grains to the eleven Rudras with the two mantras”Mā No Mahāntam” etc. and “Mā Nastoke” etc.

764The scholarly devotee shall offer sacrificial fee (Dakṣiṇā) with the three mantras beginning with “Hiraṇya-garbha” etc. and shall perform ablution (Abhiṣeka) with the mantra “Devasya tvā” etc.

765The rite of waving lights Nīrājana for Śiva shall be performed with the mantra for the lamp (Namaḥ Āśave). Puṣpāñjali (offering of handful of flowers) shall be performed with devotion with the hymn Imā rudrāya” etc.

766The wise devotee shall then perform the Pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation) with the mantra “Mā No Mahāntam” and the intelligent one shall perform Sāṣṭāṅga (eight limbs touching the ground) prostration with the mantra “Mā Nastoke” etc.

767He shall show the “Śiva Mudrā” with the mantra “Eṣa te”; the Abhayamudrā with the mantra “Yato Yataḥ” etc. and the Jñāna Mudrā with the Tryambakamantra.

768The Mahāmudrā shall be shown with the mantra “Namaḥ Senā-” etc. He shall then show the Dhenumudrā with the mantra “Namo Gobhyaḥ”. etc.

769After showing all these five Mudrās he shall perform the “Śiva Mantra Japa”. The devotee well versed in the Vedas shall recite the “Śatarudriya” mantra.

770Pañcāṅgapāṭha shall then be performed by the Vedic scholar. Then Visarjana (Ritualistic farewell) shall be performed with the mantra “Devā gātu” etc.

771Thus the Vedic rite of the worship of Śiva has been explained in detail. Now listen to the excellent Vedic rite in brief.

772The clay shall be brought with the mantra “Sadyo Jātam”. The sprinkling of water shall be performed with the mantra “Vāmadevāya”.

773The phallic image shall be prepared with the Aghora mantra. The Āhvāna (invocation) shall be performed with the mantra “Tatpuruṣāya”.

7744 l. The phallic image of Hara shall be fixed to the pedestal with the Īśāna mantra. The intelligent devotee shall perform all other rites in brief.

775With the five-syllabled mantra or any other mantra taught by the preceptor the intelligent devotee shall perform, as prescribed by the rule, the adoration with due observance of the sixteen Upacāras (and the following prayer).

776“We meditate upon Bhava, the destroyer of worldly existence, on the great lord, on Ugra, the annihilator of terrible sins, on Śarva the moon-crested”.

777The intelligent devotee shall perform the worship of Śiva with this mantra or with the Vedic mantra with great devotion and abandoning errors. Śiva accords benefits when with devotion he is propitiated.

778Notwithstanding the Vedic mode of worship as stated above, O brahmins, we now proceed to explain the common procedure of Śiva’s worship.

779This mode of worship of Śiva’s earthen phallic image is the muttering of the names of Śiva. O excellent sages, it yields all cherished desires. Please listen to me. I shall explain it.

780The eight names of Śiva viz:—Hara, Maheśvara, Śambhu, Śūlapāṇi, Pinākadhṛk, Śiva, Paśupati and Mahādeva shall be used respectively for the rites of bringing the clay, kneading, installation, invocation, ceremonial ablution, worship, craving the forbearance and ritualistic farewell.

781Each of the names shall be prefixed with Oṃkāra. The name shall be used in the dative case and Namaḥ shall be added to them. The rites shall be performed respectively with great devotion and joy.

782The Nyāsa rite shall be duly performed and the Aṅganyāsa of the two hands shall also be performed. The devotee shall perform meditation with the six-syllabled mantra—Om namaśśivāya.

783The devotee shall meditate on Śiva seated in the middle of his seat on the pedestal in Kailāsa, worshipped by Sananda and others. Śiva is a forest fire, as it were, for the dry wood in the form of the distress of the devotees. He is immeasurable. He is the Ornament of the universe being closely embraced by his consort, Umā.

784He shall meditate on Śiva always in the following way:—He is like a silver mountain. He wears the beautiful moon, on his forehead. His limbs are resplendent with ornaments of gems. He holds the axe, the deer, the Mudrā of boon and the Mudrā of freedom from fear in His four hands. He is joyful. He is seated in the lotus pose. The assembled Devas stand around Him and offer prayers. He wears the hide of the tiger. He is the primordial Being, the seed of the universe. He dispels all fears. He is the three-eyed lord with five faces.

785After the meditation and worship of the excellent earthly image he shall duly perform the Japa of the five-syllabled mantra taught by the preceptor.

786O foremost among brahmins, the intelligent devotee shall adore the lord of Devas with different sorts of hymns and recite the Śatarudriya mantra.

787He shall take raw rice grains and flowers by means of palms joined together in the form of a bowl and pray to Śiva by means of the following mantras.

788The hymn—“O Śiva, the merciful, I am Thine. Thy attributes are my vital breath. My mind is ever fixed in Thee. Knowing this, O lord of goblins, be pleased with me. Consciously or unconsciously, whatever I have performed by way of Japa or adoration may that O Śiva, with Thy favour, be fruitful. I am the greatest sinner and Thou art the greatest sanctifier. O Lord of Gaurī, knowing this, do thou whatever thou dost wish. O great lord, Thou art not known by Vedas, Purāṇas, systems of Philosophy or the different sages. O Sadāśiva, how can I know Thee? In whatever manner, I belong to Thee, O Śiva, by all my thoughtforms. I am to be saved by Thee. Be pleased with me O Siva”.

789After repeating the hymn, the devotee shall place the flowers and the rice-grains over the phallic image of Śiva. O sages, he shall then prostrate before Śiva with devotion (his eight limbs touching the ground).

790The intelligent devotee shall perform circumambulation in the manner prescribed. He shall pray to the lord of Devas with great faith.

791Then he shall make a full-throated sound. He shall humbly bow down his head. He shall then make a formal request and perform the rite of ritualistic farewell.

792O foremost among sages, thus have I explained to you the procedure for the worship of the phallic image that accords worldly pleasures, salvation and increases devotion to Śiva.

793Whoever reads or listens to this chapter with a pure mind shall be purified of all sins and shall attain all wishes. This excellent narration bestows longevity, health, fame, heaven and happiness by way of sons and grandsons.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 21 — Number of phallic images of Śiva used in worship

794O Sūta, O Sūta the fortunate, disciple of Vyāsa, obeisance be to Thee. Thou hast clearly explained the procedure of the worship of the earthen phallic images. Now kindly explain the number of phallic images as based on the wishes one may have. Thou art favourably disposed to the distressed and the miserable.

795O sages, you listen to the rules of procedure in the worship of earthen phallic image, by following which a man reaps full satisfaction.

796If any one worships another deity without making the earthen phallic image, his worship shall be fruitless. His restraint and charitable gifts go in vain.

797The number of earthen phallic images in regard to different desires is being stipulated which will, O foremost among sages, certainly yield the benefit.

798The first invocation, installation and worship are all separate. Only the shape of the phallic image is the same. Everything else is different.

799A person who seeks learning shall with pleasure make a thousand earthen phallic images and offer worship. Certainly he will get that benefit.

800A person desirous of wealth shall make five hundred earthen phallic images; wishing for a son—a thousand five hundred; wishing for garments—five hundred.

801A person desirous of salvation—a crore; desirous of lands—a thousand; craving for mercy—three thousand; desirous of a holy centre—two thousand.

802A person desirous of friends—three thousand; desirous of the power of controlling—eight hundred; desirous of bringing about the death of a person—seven hundred; desirous of enchanting—eight hundred.

803A person desirous of sweeping off his foes—a thousand; desirous of numbifying—a thousand; desirous of kindling hatred—five hundred.

804I 2. A person desirous of freeing himself from fetters—a thousand five hundred. If there is fear from a great king—five hundred.

805If there is danger from thieves, robbers etc.—two hundred; if there is the evil influence of Ḍākinī and other foul spirits—five hundred.

806In poverty—five thousand. If ten thousand such are made, all wishes will be fulfilled. O great sages, I shall now mention the daily procedure. Please listen.

807One such is said to remove sins. Two confer wealth. Three are mentioned as the cause for the fulfilment of all desires.

808Above this, more and more benefits accrue until the stipulated number is reached. I shall now mention another opinion coming from a different sage.

809An intelligent person can certainly remain fearless after making such ten thousand images. It removes the fear from great kings.

810A sensible man shall cause ten thousand such to be made for freedom from imprisonment. When there is the fear of the evil influence of Ḍākinī and other evil spirits he shall cause seven thousand such to be made.

811A person having no sons shall cause fifty-five thousand such to be made. One shall get daughters by causing ten thousand such to be made.

812A devotee shall achieve the prosperity and splendour of Viṣṇu and others by making ten thousand images. He shall derive unrivalled glory and wealth by making one million images.

813Surely if a man makes a crore he shall become Śiva Himself.

814The worship of earthen phallic images accords the the benefit of a crore sacrifices. It gives all worldly pleasures and salvation to those who desire them.

815He who spends his time in vain without worship of such images will incur great loss. He is no better than a wicked, evil-souled man.

816If the worship of such images is weighed against all the charitable gifts, sacred rites, holy centres, restraints and sacrifices, both will be found equal.

817In the age of Kali the worship of the phallic image is excellent as is evident from what we see in the world. There is nothing else. This is the conclusion of all sacred texts and religious cults.

818The phallic image yields worldly pleasures and salvation. It wards off different sorts of mishaps. By worshipping it, man attains identity with Śiva.

819Since the phallic image is enjoined to be worshipped even by the sages, it shall be worshipped by every one in the manner stipulated.

820Based on sizes the images are of three types—Excellent (Uttama), normal (Madhyama) and inferior (Nīca). O foremost of sages, I shall explain them, please listen.

821A phallic image, four angulas (inches) in height, with a splendid pedestal is mentioned as the most excellent by sages who are well-versed in sacred lore.

822Half of that is middling. Half of this latter is inferior. Thus I have mentioned three types of phallic images.

823He who worships many such images every day with great devotion and faith can achieve the fulfilment of any desire conceived in his heart.

824In the four Vedas, nothing else is mentioned so holy as the worship of the phallic image. This is the conclusion arrived at in all sacred lores.

825All other rites can entirely be abandoned. A really learned man shall worship only the phallic image with great devotion.

826If the phallic image is worshipped, it means that the entire universe consisting of the mobile and the immobile has been worshipped. There is no other means to save persons submerged in the ocean of worldly existence.

827Men of the world are blind due to ignorance. Their minds are sullied by worldly desires. Except for the worship of the phallic image there is no other raft to save them from destruction.

828Hari, Brahmā and other devas, sages, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas, Cāraṇas, Siddhas, Daityas, Dānavas, Śeṣa and other serpents, Garuḍa and other birds, all the Manus, Prajāpati, Kinnaras, men etc. have worshipped the wealth-yielding phallic image with great devotion and have achieved their desires surging in their heart of hearts.

829Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, Śūdras, persons born of inter-caste marriages and others shall worship the phallic icon with great devotion with the respective mantras.

830O brahmin sages, why shall I tell much? Even women and others are authorized in the worship of the phallic image.

831The twice-born can very well worship according to the Vedic rites but not so the others who are not authorized.

832Lord Śiva Himself has enjoined that the twice-born shall perform the worship according to the Vedic rites and not by any other means.

833But those Dvijas who have been cursed by Dadhīci, Gautama and others do not follow the Vedic rites faithfully.

834The man who rejects the Vedic rites and follows those laid down in Smṛtis or any other rite will not derive the conceived fruit.

835The true devotee after performing worship in the prescribed manner shall worship the eight cosmic bodies (of Śiva) consisting of the three worlds.

836The Earth, the waters, the fire, the wind, the Ether, the sun, the moon and the sacrificer—these are the eight cosmic bodies.

837Śarva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bhīma, Īśvara, Mahādeva and Paśupati are the manifestations of Śiva who shall be worshipped with these cosmic bodies respectively.

838Then he shall worship retinue of Śiva with great devotion with sandal paste, raw rice and holy leaves in the quarters beginning with North-east.

839They are Īśāna, Nandī, Caṇḍa, Mahākāla, Bhṛṅgin, Vṛṣa, Skanda, Kapardīśa, Soma and Śukra.

840Vīrabhadra in front and Kīrtimukha at the back. Then he shall worship eleven Rudras.

841Then he shall repeat the five-syllabled mantra, Śatarudriya, many Saiva hymns and read Pañcāṅga and perform circumambulation. After obeisance he shall bid farewell to the phallic image. Thus have I mentioned the worship of Śiva with due devotion.

842Divine rites shall always be performed facing the north in the night. Similarly Śiva’s worship shall always be performed facing the north, not the east. Śaktisaṃhitā shall not be recited facing the north or the west since it is the back.

843Śiva shall not be worshipped without Tripuṇḍra, Rudrākṣa and Bilvapatra. O best of sages! when the worship is on, if the ash is not available, Tripuṇḍra, (three lines on the forehead) shall be drawn with the white clay.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 22 — On the partaking of the Naivedya of Śiva and the greatness of Bilva

844O good sage, we have heard before, that the offering of eatables (Naivedya) made to Śiva should not be taken by others. Please tell us decisively about this and also about the greatness of Bilva.
*Sūta said:—*

845O sages, all of you please hear now attentively. With pleasure I shall explain everything. All of you who take up Śiva’s sacred rites are really blessed.

846A devotee of Śiva who is pure and clean, devoutly performing good rites and of fixed resolve shall partake of Śiva’s Naivedya. He shall abandon all thoughts which are not worthy of being entertained.

847Even at the sight of the Naivedya of Śiva, all sins disappear. When it is taken in, crores of merits flock in, in no moment.

848A thousand sacrifices are of no avail. Hundred millions of sacrifices are useless. When Śiva’s Naivedya is eaten one will attain identity with Siva.

849If in a family Śiva’s Naivedya becomes popular with the members, that house becomes sacred and it can make others also sacred.

850When Śiva’s Naivedya is offered it shall be accepted with pleasure and humility. It shall be eaten eagerly while remembering Siva.

851If any one who is offered Śiva’s Naivedya delays taking it immediately, thinking that it can be taken afterwards, he will incur sins.

852If anyone has no inclination to take Śiva’s Naivedya he becomes a sinner of sinners and is sure to fall into hell.

853After initiation in Saiva cult, the devotee shall partake of the offerings of eatables made to the phallic image whether conceived in the heart or made of moon-slab, silver, gold etc.

854The Naivedya of all phallic icons is called a great favour and is auspicious. A devotee after initiation into Śaiva cult shall eat it.

855Please listen to the decision with pleasure on partaking of Śiva’s Naivedya by persons who take initiation in other cults but maintain their devotion to Siva.

856With regard to the following phallic images viz:—that which is obtained from Śālagrāma stone, Rasaliṅga, liṅgas made of rock, silver, gold, crystals and gems, liṅgas installed by devas and siddhas, Kāśmīra liṅgas and Jyotirliṅgas, the partaking of the Naivedya of Śiva is on a par with the rite of Cāndrāyaṇa. Even the slayer of a brahmin if he partakes of the remains of the food offered to the God quells all his sins immediately.

857In regard to Bāṇaliṅga, metallic liṅga, Siddha-liṅga and Svayambhū-liṅga and in all other idols, Caṇḍa, one of the attendants of Śiva, is not authorised. Where Caṇḍa is not authorised, the food-offering can be partaken of by men with devotion. But no man shall partake of the food-offering where Caṇḍa is authorised.

858After performing the ceremonial ablution duly if any one drinks the water three times, all the three types of sins committed by him are quickly destroyed.

859If at all anything from Śivanaivedya is not to be taken it is that article which is actually put on the liṅga. O great sages, that what is not in contact with the liṅga is pure and as such, it can be partaken of. When it is in contact with Śālagrāma Śilā, it is pure and can be taken whether it is food-offering, leaf, flower, fruit or water.

860O great sages, thus I have told you the decision about food-offering, Now, hear me attentively, with devotion. I shall explain the greatness of Bilva.

861This Bilva is the symbol of Śiva. It is adored even by the Gods. It is difficult to understand its greatness. It can only be known to a certain extent.

862Whatever holy centre there is in the world finds a place under the root of Bilva.

863He who worships Mahādeva in the form of Liṅga at the root of Bilva becomes a purified soul; he shall certainly attain śiva.

864He who pours water over his head at the root of a Bilva can be considered to have taken his bath in all sacred waters in the earth. Verily he is holy.

865Seeing the water basin round the foot of the Bilva tree full of water, Śiva becomes greatly pleased.

866The man who worships the root of a Bilva tree offering scents and flowers attains the region of Śiva. His happiness increases; his family flourishes.

867He who places a row of lighted lamps at the root of Bilva tree with reverence becomes endowed with the knowledge of truth and merges into Śiva.

868He who worships the Bilva tree abounding in fresh tender sprouts becomes free from sins.

869If a man piously feeds a devotee of Śiva at the root of a Bilva tree he reaps the fruit thereof, ten million times more than in the usual course.

870He who makes a gift of rice cooked in milk and ghee to a devotee of Śiva, at the root of a Bilva tree will never become poor.

871O brahmins, thus I have explained to you the mode of worship of Śiva’s phallic image with all its divisions and sub-divisions. It is of two types: one is enjoined for those who are actively engaged in worldly pursuits and the other is meant for those who have actually renounced them.

872The worship of the pedestal yields all cherished desires to those who are engaged in worldly pursuits. They shall perform the complete worship in a vessel.

873At the end of consecration, he shall offer cooked rice Śāli as food-offering. At the conclusion of worship, the phallic image shall be kept in a pure casket separately in the house.

874He who has renounced the world (the Nivṛtta) shall perform Karapūjā (worship in the palm of the hand). He shall offer that food to the deity which he is accustomed to take himself. The subtle phallic image is specially recommended for the Nivṛttas.

875He shall offer holy ashes both for worship and food offering. At the end of worship he shall always keep the phallic image on his head.
*The sages said:—*

Chapter 23 — The glorification of the Rudrākṣa and of the names of Śiva

876O Sūta, Sūta the fortunate disciple of Vyāsa, obeisance to thee. Please explain again the glorification of the holy ashes, of the Rudrākṣa and of Śiva’s names. Lovingly explaining the three, please delight our minds.
*Sūta said:—*

877It is good that you have referred to this matter that is highly beneficent to the world. You are blessed, holy and ornaments to your families since you own Śiva as your sole great favourite deity. The anecdotes of Śiva are dear to you all for ever.

878Those who adore Śiva are blessed and content. Their birth is fruitful and their family is elevated.

879Sins never touch those from whose mouth the names Sadāśiva, Śiva etc. come out for ever, as they do not touch the burning charcoal of the khadira wood.

880When a mouth utters “Obeisance to Thee, holy Śiva” that mouth (face) is on a par with holy centres destroying all sins.

881It is certain that the benefit of making pilgrimages to holy centres accrues to one who lovingly looks at His holy face.

882O brahmins, the place where these three are found is the most auspicious one. A mere contact of the place accords the benefit of taking a holy dip in the sacred Triveṇī.

883Śiva’s name, the ashes and the Rudrākṣa beads—the three are very holy and are on a par with Triveṇī (the confluence of the three holy rivers).

884The sight of the persons who have these three in their bodies is a rare occurrence. But when obtained it removes all sins.

885There is no difference at all between these two—a sight of the holy man and a bath in the Triveṇī. He who does not realise this is undoubtedly a sinner.

886The man who has no ashes on his forehead, has not worn Rudrākṣa on his body and does not utter names of Śiva shall be shunned as one does a base man.

887As said by Brahmā, Śiva’s name is on a par with Gaṅgā, the ash is equal to Yamunā and Rudrākṣa destroys all sins (and is equal to Sarasvatī).

888Brahmā wishing to bestow beneficence weighed one against the other. He put on one side the benefit achieved by a person in whose body the three things were present. On the other side he put the blessedness achieved by those who took their bath in the holy Triveṇī. Both were found equal. Hence scholars shall wear these always.

889From that time onwards Brahmā, Viṣṇu and other Devas wear these three. Their very sight dispels sins.
*The sages said:—*

890O righteous one, you have explained the benefit of the three things: Śiva’s name etc. Please explain it vividly.
*Sūta said:—*

891O brahmanical sages, you are all good devotees of Śiva, gifted with knowledge and great intellect. You are the foremost among the wise. Please listen with reverence to their greatness.

892O brahmins, it is mysteriously hidden in sacred texts, Vedas and Purāṇas. Out of love for you I reveal the same to you now.

893O foremost among the brahmins! Who ever does know the real greatness of the three except Śiva who is beyond all in the whole universe?

894Briefly I shall explain the greatness of the names as prompted by my devotion. O brahmins, do you lovingly listen to his greatness: the destroyer of all sins.

895Mountainous heaps of great sins are destroyed as in a blazing forest fire when the names of Śiva are repeated. They are reduced to ashes without any difficulty. It is true, undoubtedly true.

896O Śaunaka, different sorts of miseries with sins as their roots can be quelled only by muttering Śiva’s names, and not by anything else entirely.

897The man who is devotedly attached to the Japas of Śiva’s names in the world, is really a follower of the Vedas, a meritorious soul and a blessed scholar.

898O sage, instantaneously fruitful are the different sacred rites of those who have full faith in the efficacy of the Japas of Śiva’s names.

899O sage, so many sins are not committed by men in the world as are and can be destroyed by Śiva’s names.

900O sage, Śiva’s names repeated by men, immediately destroy the countless heaps of sins such as the slaughter of a brahmin.

901Those who cross the ocean of worldly existence by resorting to the raft of the names of Śiva do definitely destroy those sins that are the root-cause of worldly existence.

902O great sage, the destruction of sins that are the roots of worldly existence is certainly effected by the axe of Śiva’s names.

903The nectar of Śiva’s names shall be drunk by those who are distressed and scorched by the conflagration of sins. Without it, the people who are scorched by the conflagration cannot have any peace.

904Those who are drenched by the nectarine downpour of Śiva’s names never feel ill at ease even in the middle of the conflagration of worldly existence.

905The noble souls who have acquired great devotion to the names of Śiva, and those like them, attain perfect liberation instantaneously.

906O lord of sages, devotion to the names of Śiva, that destroys all sins can be acquired only by him who has performed penances in the course of many births.

907Salvation is easy of access only to him who has extraordinary and unbroken devotion for the names of Śiva. I believe in this.

908Even if he has committed many sins, a person who has reverence for the Japa of Śiva’s names, becomes certainly free from all sins.

909Just as the trees in a forest are burnt and reduced to ashes by the forest fire, so also are the sins destroyed by Śiva’s names.

910O Saunaka, he who regularly sanctifies his body by the holy ashes and who performs the Japa of Śiva’s names crosses even the terrible ocean of worldly existence.

911A person who undertakes the Japa of Śiva’s names is not sullied by sins even after misappropriating a brahmin’s wealth and killing many brahmins.

912After going through all the Vedas it has been decided by our ancestors that the noblest means of crossing the ocean of worldly existence is the performance of the Japa of Śiva’s names.

913O excellent sages, why should I say much? By means of a single verse I shall mention the greatness and efficacy of the names of Śiva or the destruction of all sins.

914The power of the names of Śiva in destroying sins is more than the ability of men to commit them.

915O sage, formerly the king Indradyumna who was a great sinner, attained the excellent goal of the good through the influence of Śiva’s names.

916O sage, similarly a brahmin woman too of very sinful activities attained the excellent goal of the good through the influence of Śiva’s names.

917O excellent brahmins, thus I have told you about the surpassing excellence of the names. Now please listen to the greatness of holy ashes, the most sacred of all.
*Sūta said:—*

Chapter 24 — The greatness of the holy ashes (bhasma)

918The ashes (bhasma) of auspicious nature are of two types. I shall explain their characteristics. Please listen attentively.

919One is known as Mahābhasma (Great ashes) and the second is known as Svalpa (the little). The Mahābhasma is of various types.

920It is of three types: Śrauta, (Vedic), Smārta (resulting from Smṛti rites) and Laukika (prepared from ordinary fire). The Svalpa is the ordinary ash which is of various forms.

921The Śrauta and the Smārta ashes are to be used only by the twice-born. The Laukika can be used by every one.

922Sages have said that the twice-born should apply the holy ashes repeating mantras. The others can simply apply without any mantra.

923When dry cow-dung is reduced to ashes it is called Agneya (fiery). O great sage, for the sake of Tripuṇḍra this ash can be used.

924The ashes resulting from Agnihotra and other sacrificial rites shall be used for the Tripuṇḍra by men seeking intellect.

925When the ashes are put on the forehead or smeared with water, the seven mantras “Agni” etc. mentioned in the Jābālopaniṣad, shall be recited.

926People of all varṇas and Āśramas shall put on Tripuṇḍra on the forehead or dust their bodies with the mantras mentioned in the Jābāla-Upaniṣad or if no mantra is used they shall do the same with reverence.

927Dusting with the holy ashes and smearing the Tripuṇḍra in horizontal parallel lines shall not be abandoned by those who seek salvation. Śruti lays down that they shall not get negligent.

928Śiva, Viṣṇu, Umā, Lakṣmī, goddess of speech and other gods and goddesses, brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and persons of mixed castes and hill tribes have observed Tripuṇḍra and dusting always.

929Those who do not observe Tripuṇḍra and Uddhūlana cannot practise well the various rites of the different Varṇas and Āśramas.

930Those who do not observe with faith Tripuṇḍra and Uddhūlana cannot be liberated from the world even if they take ten million births.

931Even after hundreds of crores of Kalpas, Śiva-knowledge will not dawn upon those who do not observe with faith Tripuṇḍra and Uddhūlana.

932This is the final conclusion of all sacred texts that those who do not observe with faith Tripuṇḍra and Uddhūlana are tarnished by great sins.

933Any action performed by those who do not observe Tripuṇḍra and Uddhūlana with faith will give adverse results.

934O sage, the hatred towards Tripuṇḍra and Uddhūlana is kindled in the hearts of only those great sinners who hate everyone.

935After performing the sacred rites of Śiva in the fire, the devotee who has realised the Self shall smear the forehead with the ashes repeating the mantra beginning with “Tryāyuṣā”. The moment the ashes (bhasma) come in contact with his body he will be freed from sins of his impious acts.

936He who observes Tripuṇḍra with white ashes during the three Sandhyās every day becomes free from all sins and rejoices with Śiva.

937He who makes the Tripuṇḍra on the forehead with white ashes shall attain, on death, the primordial worlds.

938No one shall repeat the six-syllabled mantra without applying ashes on the body. After making the Tripuṇḍra with the ashes he shall perform the Japa.

939All holy centres and all sacrifices will be present for ever in the place where a man after having put ashes on his body stays permanently, no matter whether he is ruthless, base, sinful or commits morning sins, or is a fool or a fallen man.

940Even a sinful person is worthy of being honoured by Devas and Asuras if he has Tripuṇḍra on his forehead. What then of a faithful man endowed with a pure soul?

941All the holy centres and sacred rivers go ever to the place which a person who is endowed with Śiva Jñāna (knowledge of Śiva) and has put on ashes casually visits.

942Why should I say more? The sensible person shall always apply the ash, shall always worship the phallic image and shall always repeat the six-syllabled mantra of Śiva.

943Neither Brahmā, nor Viṣṇu, nor Rudra, nor sages, nor the devas can explain adequately the greatness of the application of the ashes.

944Even if a person has eschewed the duties of the different Varṇas and Āśramas, even if a person has omitted the holy rites of the Varṇas, he shall be freed from the sin if he wears Tripuṇḍra once.

945Those men who exclude a man wearing Tripuṇḍra and perform holy rites are not liberated from worldly bondage even after crores of births.

946If a brahmin wears the Tripuṇḍra with the ash on his forehead he must be considered as having learnt everything from the preceptor and as having performed every sacred rite.

947Those who begin to strike on seeing a person who has applied the ash are reborn of Cāṇḍāla parents. O holy one, this can be guessed by the wise.

948With great devotion Brahmins and Kṣatriyas shall apply the holy ashes over such parts of the body as are prescribed by the rule repeating the mantra “Mā nastoke” etc.

949A Vaiśya shall apply the ashes repeating the Tryambaka mantra and a Śūdra with the five-syllabled mantra. Widows and other women shall do like the Śūdras.

950A house-holder shall repeat the Pañcabrahma mantra etc. and a Brahmacārin shall repeat the Tryambaka-mantra at the time.

951The Vānaprastha shall repeat the Aghora mantra and an ascetic shall observe with the Praṇava alone.

952A Śivayogin being outside the pale of Varṇa and Āśrama rites because of his conception “I am Śiva” shall wear ashes with the Īśāna mantra.

953Śiva has ordained that the rite of wearing ashes shall not be eschewed by the people of any caste and outside the bounds of caste by other living beings.

954A person who has applied ashes on his body actually wears as many liṅgas as there are particles of the ash that remain on his body.

955Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, Śūdras, people of mixed castes, women, widows, girls, heretics, a brahmacārin, a householder, a forest-dweller, an ascetic, performer of sacred rites and women who have Tripuṇḍra marks are undoubtedly liberated souls.

956Just as the fire when touched with or without knowledge burns the body so does the ash worn consciously or unconsciously sanctify the man.

957No man shall drink or eat even a bit without applying Bhasma or wearing Rudrākṣa. If he eats or drinks, whether he is a householder or Vānaprastha or an ascetic, a man of the four castes or of mixed caste, he becomes a sinner and goes to hell. If a man of the four castes repeats Gāyatrī or if an ascetic repeats the Praṇava he shall be liberated.

958Those who censure Tripuṇḍra actually censure Śiva. Those who wear it with devotion actually wear Śiva.

959Fie upon the forehead that is devoid of ash. Fie upon the village that has no Śiva temple. Fie upon that life that does not worship Śiva. Fie upon the lore that does not refer to Śiva.

960Great indeed is the sin accruing even from the sight of those who censure Śiva who is the support of three worlds and those who censure the man wearing Tripuṇḍra on his forehead. They are on a par with pigs of rubbish heap, demons, donkeys, dogs, jackals and worms. Such sinful persons are hellish fiends even from their very birth.

961They may not see the sun during the day and the moon during the night. They may not see them even during sleep. They may be freed by repeating the Vedic Rudra Sūkta. Those who censure a person wearing the Tripuṇḍra are fools. A mere talk with them may cause the fall into hell. There is no way of saving then.

962O sage, tāntrika is not authorised in a Śivayajña nor a person having Ūrdhvapuṇḍra (worn on the forehead by vertical mark by a Vaiṣṇava). A person marked with a heated wheel (a mark of a Vaiṣṇava) is excluded from Sivayajña.

963There are many worlds to be attained as explained in Bṛhajjābāla Upaniṣad; taking that into consideration a man shall be devoted to the ashes (bhasma).

964Just as sandal paste alone can be applied over sandal paste, so also only the ash shall be applied over the sacred mark on the forehead. A sensible person will not apply anything over the forehead that wears the ornamental mark of ashes on it.

965The Tripuṇḍra shall be applied upto the forelocks by women. Brahmins and widows shall apply the ash also. Similarly it shall be applied by persons of all Āramas. Thus it bestows salvation and destroys all sins.

966He who makes Tripuṇḍra duly with the ash is freed from groups of great as well as small sins.

967A Brahmacārin, a householder, a forest-dweller or an ascetic, brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, the low and the base people become pure by means of Tripuṇḍra and Uddhūlana applied according to the prescribed manner and get their heaps of sins destroyed.

968A person regularly applying the ash (bhasma) is freed of the sins of slaughter of women and cows and that of heroes and horses. There is no doubt about it.

969By means of Tripuṇḍra, the following and similar others of innumerable sorts are destroyed immediately:—Theft of others’ wealth, outraging the modesty of other men’s wives, censuring others, usurping and forcibly occupying others’ fields, harassing others, theft of plants, parks etc, incendiarism, acceptance from base people of the gifts of cow, gold, buffalo, gingelly seeds, blankets, cloths, cooked rice, food-grains, water etc; sexual intercourse with prostitutes, women of the tribal castes, fisher women, slave women, actresses, widows, virgins and women in their menstrual periods, selling of flesh, hides, gravy etc. and salt, calumny perjury, deceitful arguments and utterance of falsehood.

970The theft of Śiva’s property, censure of Śiva in certain places and the censure of the devotees of Śiva can be dispelled by the rites of expiation.

971Even a Cāṇḍāla who wears Rudrākṣa over his body and the Tripuṇḍra on his forehead, is worthy of respect. He is the most excellent of all castes.

972He who wears the Tripuṇḍraka on his forehead gains the same merit as one who takes his bath in the sacred rivers like Gaṅgā and whatever other sacred ponds, lakes and holy centres there are in the world.

973The five-syllabled mantra which grants Śiva Kaivalya is on a par with seven crores of great and many crores of other mantras.

974O sage, mantras of other deities bestowing all blessedness are easily accessible to the devotee who wears the Tripuṇḍra.

975He who wears Tripuṇḍra raises a thousand predecessors and a thousand successors in his family.

976In this life he will enjoy all worldly pleasures and live long without any disease. At the end of the span of his life he will have a peaceful death.

977He will assume then a divine auspicious body endowed with eight accomplishments. He will travel by a divine aerial chariot attended by celestial gods. He will enjoy the pleasures of Vidyādharas, powerful Gandharvas, in the worlds of Indra and other guardians of the quarters and those of Prajāpatis and finally reach Brahmā’s region where he will sport with a hundred virgins.

978He will enjoy different kinds of pleasures there for the full period of the span of life of Brahmā. He will then enjoy the pleasures in the Viṣṇuloka till hundred Brahmas die.

979Thereafter he will attain Śivaloka and enjoy everlasting bliss there. Finally he will attain Śivasāyujya. No suspicion need be entertained in this matter.

980After going through the essence of all Upaniṣads again and again, this is what has been arrived at that the Tripuṇḍra is conducive to great excellence.

981A brahmin who censures the ash is no longer a brahmin but of another low caste. He will undergo the tortures of terrible hell for the period of the span of life of the four-faced Brahmā.

982A man who wears the Tripuṇḍra while performing Śrāddha, Yajña, Japa, Homa, Vaiśvadeva and the worship of the deities is a purified soul and he conquers even death.

983When impurities are evacuated, a bath with water shall be performed; a bath with the ash (bhasma) is always purificatory; a bath with mantras removes sin and if a bath with knowledge is taken, the greatest goal will be reached.

984A man who takes the bath of ashes derives that benefit which all holy centres accord. He gets the merit thereof.

985Bath with the ash is a holy centre where Gaṅgā Snāna is possible every day. Śiva is represented by the ash which directly sanctifies the three worlds.

986Infructuous is the knowledge, meditation, gift and japa if these are performed by a Brāhmaṇa without wearing Tripuṇḍraka.

987A forest-dweller, virgins and men without initiation shall apply the ash pasted in water upto the midday and thereafter without water.

988He who wears Tripuṇḍra like this regularly with a pure controlled mind must be considered a true devotee of Śiva. He derives worldly pleasures and salvation.

989If a person does not wear a bead of Rudrākṣa which accords many merits, if he is devoid of Tripuṇḍra as well, his life becomes futile.

990Thus I have briefly told you the greatness of Tripuṇḍra. This is a secret to be safely guarded by you from all living beings.

991O leading sages, in the different parts of the body as the forehead etc. three lines constitute the Tripuṇḍra.

992The Tripuṇḍra on the forehead extends from the middle of the eyebrows to the tips of the brows on either side.

993With the middle and the ring fingers a line drawn in the opposite direction is called Tripuṇḍra.

994With the three middle fingers, take the ashes and apply the Tripuṇḍra on the forehead. It would give worldly pleasures and salvation.

995For each of the three lines there are nine deities everywhere in the body. I shall mention them. Listen attentively.

996The nine deities of the first line are:—The syllable “A”, Gārhapatya fire (sacrificial fire), Earth, Dharma, the attribute Rajas, Ṛgveda, Kriyāśakti (the power to do), Prātaḥsavana (morning rituals) and Mahādeva. O foremost among sages, this shall be carefully understood by those who are initiated in the cult of Śiva.

997The nine deities of the second line are:—The syllable “U”, Dakṣiṇā fire (sacrificial fire), the principle of Ether, Attribute Sattva, Yajurveda, Mādhyandina Savana midday rituals), Icchāśakti (the will-power), the Antarātman (the immanent soul) and Maheśvara. O foremost among sages, this must be carefully understood by those who are initiated in the cult of Śiva.

998The nine deities of the third line are:—The syllable “M”, Āhavanīya (sacrificial) fire, the supreme soul, the attribute Tamas, heaven, Jñāna Śakti, Sāmaveda, the third Savana (evening rituals) and Śiva. O foremost among sages, this must be carefully understood by those initiated in the cult of Śiva.

999Thus making obeisance to the deities of the different parts with devotion, one shall apply the Tripuṇḍra. One will become pure and derive worldly pleasures and salvation.

1000Thus I have mentioned, O lordly sages, the deities of the different parts of the body. Now please listen to the different parts connected with them.

1001These lines are to be made either in thirty-two places, or half of that—in sixteen places, or in eight places or in five places.

1002The thirty-two places are:—head, forehead, two ears, two eyes, two noses, mouth, neck, two arms, two elbows, two wrists, chest, two sides, navel, two testicles, two thighs, two knees, two calves, two heels and two feet. The names of the following shall be uttered when the Tripuṇḍra is applied:—Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, the quarters, the guardians of the quarters, the eight Vasus. The eight Vasus are Dharā, Dhruva, Soma, Āpa, Anila, Anala, Pratyūṣa and Prabhasa.

1003Or the devotee shall apply the Tripuṇḍra in sixteen parts of the body.

1004The sixteen parts mentioned before are:—head, forehead, neck, two shoulders, two arms, two elbows, two wrists, chest, navel, two sides and back. The names of the deities presiding over them and which are to be worshipped are:—two Aśvins, Dasra and Nāsatya, Śiva, Śakti, Rudra, Īśa, Nārada, and nine Śaktis—Vāmā etc., or the sixteen parts are:—Head, hair, two eyes, the mouth, two arms, chest, navel, two thighs, knees, two feet and the back. The deities are:—Śiva, Candra, Rudra, ka (Brahmā), Vighneśvara, Viṣṇu, Śrī in the heart, Śambhu, Prajāpati in the navel, Nāga, Nāgakanyās, Ṛṣikanyās in the feet and the ocean of vast expansion in the back. Now the eight parts are mentioned.

1005The private parts, forehead, the excellent pair of ears, two shoulders, chest and navel—these are the eight parts of the body.

1006The presiding deities are Brahmā and the seven sages. O lordly sages, this is what has been mentioned by those who know about the efficacy of the ashes (bhasma).

1007Or these five parts are to be used for applying ashes as mentioned by those who know more about the efficacy of the ashes. They are:—forehead, two arms, chest and navel.

1008Considering the place and time whatever possible shall be done by the devotee. If incapable of dusting the whole body with the holy ashes he shall have the Tripuṇḍra on the forehead alone, remembering lord Śiva, the three-eyed, the support of the three Guṇas and the progenitor of the three devas by repeating Namaḥ Śivāya (obeisance to Śiva).

1009He shall have Tripuṇḍra in the sides saying Īśābhyāṃ Namaḥ (obeisance to Śiva and the goddess) and in the forearms by saying Bījābhyām Namaḥ (obeisance to the generating seeds).

1010He shall apply the ashes beneath by saying Namaḥ Pitṛbhyām (obeisance to the manes) and above by saying Namaḥ Umesābhyām (obeisance to Umā and Īśa), on the back and the back of the head by saying Namaḥ Bhīmāya (obeisance to Bhīma).
*Sūta said:*

Chapter 25 — The greatness of Rudrākṣa

1011O sage Śaunaka, highly intelligent, of the form of Śiva, noble-minded, please listen to the greatness of Rudrākṣa. I shall explain it briefly.

1012Rudrākṣa is a favourite bead of Śiva. It is highly sanctifying. It removes all sins by sight, contact and Japas.

1013O sage, formerly the greatness of Rudrākṣa was declared to the Goddess by Śiva, the supreme soul, for rendering help to the worlds.
*Śiva said:*

1014O Śivā, Maheśāni, be pleased to hear the greatness of Rudrākṣa. I speak out love for you from a desire for the benefit of the devotees of Śiva.

1015O Mahesāni, formerly I had been performing penance for thousands of divine years. Although I had controlled it rigorously, my mind was in flutter. Out of sport, I being self-possessed just opened my eyes, O Goddess, from a desire of helping the worlds. Drops of tears fell from my beautiful half-closed eyes. From those tear-drops there cropped up the Rudrākṣa plants.

1016They became immobile. In order to bless the devotees they were given to the four Varṇas devoted to the worship of Viṣṇu

1017Rudrākṣas grown in Gauḍa land became great favourites of Śiva. They were grown in Mathurā, Laṅkā, Ayodhyā, Malaya, Sahya mountain, Kāśī and other places. They are competent to break asunder the clustered sins unbearable to the others, as the sacred texts have declared.

1018At my bidding they were classified into Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śūdras. These Rudrākṣas are of auspicious nature.

1019The colours of the four types of Rudrākṣas are respectively white, red, yellow and black. All people shall wear the Rudrākṣa of their own Varna.

1020If they desire their benefit, namely worldly pleasures and salvation and if the devotees of Śiva wish to gratify Śiva they must wear the Rudrākṣa.

1021A Rudrākṣa of the size of an Emblic myrobalan (Dhātrīphala) is mentioned as the most excellent; one of the size of the fruit of the jujube tree (Badarīphala) is spoken of as the middling.

1022O Pārvatī, lovingly listen to this from a desire for the benefit of the devotees. The meanest of Rudrākṣas is of the size of a gram according to this excellent classification.

1023O Maheśvarī, even the Rudrākṣa which is only of the size of the fruit of the jujube accords the benefit and heightens happiness and good fortune.

1024That which is of the size of the emblic myrobalan is conducive to the destruction of all distresses. That which is of the size of a Guñjā (the berry) is conducive to the achievement of the fruit of all desires.

1025The lighter the Rudrākṣa, the more fruitful it is. Each of these is fruitful and that of a weight of one tenth is considered by scholars as the most fruitful.

1026The wearing of Rudrākṣa is recommended for the sake of destroying sins. Hence that which is conducive to the achievement of every object has to be worn certainly.

1027O Parameśvarī, no other necklace or garland is observed in the world to be so auspicious and fruitful as the Rudrākṣa.

1028O Goddess, Rudrākṣas of even size, glossy, firm, thick and having many thornlike protrusions yield desires and bestow worldly pleasures and salvation for ever.

1029Six types of Rudrākṣas shall be discarded:—that which is defiled by worms, is cut and broken, has no thornlike protrusions, has cracks and is not circular.

1030That which has a natural hole from end to end is the most excellent; that which is bored through by human effort is the middling one.

1031The wearing of Rudrākṣa is spoken of as conducive to the destruction of great sins. If eleven hundred Rudrākṣas are worn on the person, the man assumes the form of Rudra.

1032Even in hundreds of years it is impossible to describe adequately the benefit derived by wearing eleven hundred and fifty Rudrākṣas.

1033A devout man shall make a coronet consisting of five hundred and fifty Rudrākṣas.

1034A person of pious nature shall make three circular strings in the manner of the sacred thread, each having three hundred and sixty beads.

1035O Maheśvarī, three Rudrākṣas must be worn on the tuft and six in each of the ears right and left.

1036Hundred and one Rudrākṣas shall be worn round the neck; eleven Rudrāksas shall be worn round each of the arms, elbows and wrists. Devotees of Śiva shall have three Rudrākṣas in the sacred thread and round the hips five Rudrākṣas shall be tied.

1037O Parameśvarī, the person by whom so many Rudrākṣas are worn is worthy of being bowed to and adored by all like Maheśa.

1038Such a person while in contemplation shall be duly seated and addressed “O Śiva”. Seeing him, every one is freed from sins.

1039This is the rule regarding eleven hundred Rudrākṣas. If so many are not available, another auspicious procedure I mention to you.

1040One Rudrākṣa shall be worn on the tuft, thirty on the head, fifty round the neck; sixteen in each of the arms; twelve round each of the wrists; five hundred on the shoulders, and three strings each having hundred and eight in the manner of the sacred thread. He who wears in all a thousand Rudrākṣas and is of firm resolve in performing rites is bowed to by all Devas like Rudra himself.

1041One Rudrākṣa shall be worn on the tuft, forty on the forehead, thirty-two round the neck; hundred and eight over the chest; six in each of the ears; sixteen round each of the arms; O lord of sages, according to the measurement of the forearms, twelve or twice that number shall be worn there. A person who wears so many, out of love, is a great devotee of Śiva. He shall be worshipped like Śiva. He is worthy of being always honoured by all.

1042It shall be worn on the head repeating Īśāna mantra; on the ears with Tripuruṣa mantra; round the neck with Aghora mantra and on the chest also likewise.

1043The wise devotee shall wear the Rudrākṣa round the forearms with Aghora Bīja mantra. A string of fifteen beads shall be worn on the stomach with Vāmadeva mantra.

1044With five mantras—Sadyojāta etc. three, five or seven garlands shall be worn. Or all beads shall be worn with the Mūla mantra.

1045A devotee of Śiva shall refrain from eating meat, garlic, onion, red garlic, potherb, Śleṣmātaka, pig of rubbish and liquors.

1046O Umā, daughter of the mountain, the white Rudrākṣa shall be worn by the brahmin, the red by the Kṣatriya, the yellow by the Vaiśya, the black by the Śūdra. This is the path indicated by the Vedas.

1047Whether he is a householder, forest-dweller, ascetic or of any Order, none shall go out of this secret advice. Only by great merits can the opportunity to wear the Rudrākṣa be obtained. If he misses it he will go to hell.

1048The Rudrākṣas of the size of an Emblic myrobalan and those of lighter weight but depressed with thorns, those eaten by worms or without holes and those characterized by other defects shall not be worn by those wishing for auspicious results. They shall avoid small ones of the size of gram. O Umā, Rudrākṣa is an auspicious complement to my phallic image. The small one is always praiseworthy.

1049People of all Varṇas and Āśramas even women and Śūdras can wear Rudrākṣa at the bidding of Śiva. The ascetics shall wear it with the Praṇava.

1050If any one wears it during the day he is freed from sins committed during the night; if he wears it during the night he is freed from the sins committed during the day. Similar is the result with its wearing during morning, midday or evening.

1051Those who wear Tripuṇḍra, the matted hair and the Rudrākṣa do not go to Yama’s abode.

1052[Yama’s directive to his attendants:—] “Those who wear at least one Rudrākṣa on their heads, Tripuṇḍra on the forehead and repeat the five-syllabled mantras shall be honoured by you all. They are indeed saintly men. You can bring the man here who has no Rudrākṣa on his person, and no Tripuṇḍra on his forehead and who does not utter the five-syllabled mantra. All those who have the ash and Rudrākṣa shall be honoured always by us after knowing their power. They shall never be brought here”.

1053Yama commanded his attendants like this. They too remained quiet agreeing to it. In fact they were surprised.

1054Hence Mahādevī, the Rudrākṣa as well as the person who wears it is my favourite. O Pārvatī, even if he has committed sins he becomes pure.

1055He who wears Rudrākṣa round the hands and arms and over the head cannot be killed by any living being. He shall roam in the world in the form of Rudra.

1056He shall be respected by the Gods and Asuras always. He shall be honoured like Śiva. He removes the sin of any one seen by him.

1057If a person is not liberated after meditation and acquisition of knowledge he shall wear Rudrākṣa. He shall be freed from all sins and attain the highest goal.

1058A mantra repeated with Rudrākṣa is a crore times more efficacious. A man wearing Rudrākṣa derives a hundred million times more merit.

1059O Goddess, as long as the Rudrākṣa is on the person of a living soul he is least affected by premature death.

1060One shall attain Rudra on seeing a person with Tripuṇḍra, his limbs covered with Rudrākṣa and repeating the Mṛtyuñjaya mantra.

1061He is a favourite of the five deities and a favourite of all gods. O beloved, a devotee shall repeat all mantras wearing a garland of Rudrākṣas (or counting on the beads).

1062Even the devotees of Viṣṇu and other deities shall unhesitatingly wear the Rudrākṣa. Especially the devotee of Rudra shall wear Rudrākṣas always.

1063Rudrākṣas are of various types. I shall explain their different classifications. O Pārvatī, hear with great devotion. These Rudrākṣas bestow worldly pleasures and salvation.

1064A Rudrākṣa of a single face is Śiva Himself. It bestows worldly pleasures and salvation. The sin of brahmin-slaughter is washed off at its mere sight.

1065Where it is adored, Fortune cannot be far off. Harms and harassments perish. All desires are fulfilled.

1066A Rudrākṣa with two faces is Īśa, the lord of devas. It bestows the fulfilment of all desires. Especially, that Rudrākṣa quickly quells the sin of cow-slaughter.

1067A Rudrākṣa with three faces always bestows means of enjoyment. As a result of its power all lores become firmly established.

1068A Rudrākṣa of four faces is Brahmā Himself. It quells the sin of man-slaughter. Its vision and its contact instantaneously bestow the achievement of the four aims of life.

1069A Rudrākṣa with five faces is Rudra Himself. Its name is kālāgni. It is lordly. It bestows all sorts of salvation and achievement of all desired objects.

1070A five-faced Rudrākṣa dispels all sorts of sins such as accrue from sexual intercourse with a forbidden woman and from eating forbidden food.

1071A Rudrākṣa with six faces is Kārtikeya. A man who wears it on the right arm is certainly absolved of the sins of brahmin-slaughter and the like.

1072A Rudrākṣa with seven faces, O Maheśāni, is called Anaṅga. O Deveśī, by wearing it even a poor man becomes a great lord.

1073A Rudrākṣa with eight faces is called Vasumūrti and Bhairava. By wearing it a man lives the full span of life. After death he becomes the Trident-bearing lord (Śiva).

1074A Rudrākṣa with nine faces is also Bhairava. Its sage is Kapila. Its presiding goddess is Durgā of nine forms, Maheśvarī Herself.

1075That Rudrākṣa shall be worn on the left hand with great devotion. He shall certainly become Sarveśvara like me.

1076O Maheśānī, a Rudrākṣa with ten faces is Lord Janārdana Himself. O Deveśī, by wearing it, the devotee shall achieve the fulfilment of all desires.

1077O Parameśvarī, a Rudrākṣa with eleven faces is Rudra. By wearing it one becomes victorious everywhere.

1078One shall wear the twelve-faced Rudrākṣa on the hair of the head. All the twelve Ādityas (suns) are present therein.

1079A Rudrākṣa with thirteen faces is Viśvedeva. By wearing it, a man will attain the realisation of all desires. He will derive good fortune and auspiciousness.

1080A Rudrākṣa with fourteen faces is the highest Śiva. It shall be worn on the head with great devotion. It quells all sins.

1081O daughter of the king of mountains, thus I have explained to you the different types of Rudrākṣas based on the number offaces. Please listen to the mantras with devotion.

1082For the achievement of all desired objects, the devotee shall wear the Rudrākṣa with mantras. He shall have great devotion and faith. He shall be free from lethargy.

1083The man who wears the Rudrākṣa without mantra falls into a terrible hell and stays there during the tenure of fourteen Indras.

1084On seeing a man with the garland of Rudrākṣas, all evil spirits, ghosts, Piśācas, witches like Dākinī and Śākinī, other malignant spirits, evil charms and spells etc. fly away suspecting a quarrel.

1085Seeing a devotee with the garland of Rudrākṣas, O Pārvatī, Śiva, Viṣṇu, Devī, Gaṇapati, the sun and all the Gods are pleased.

1086Thus realising its greatness the Rudrākṣa must be worn well, O Maheśvarī, repeating the mantras with devotion to make virtues flourish.

1087Thus, the greatness of ash and Rudrākṣa that bestow worldly pleasures and salvation, was explained to Girijā by Śiva, the supreme soul.

1088The persons who apply ash and wear Rudrākṣa are great favourites of Śiva. Enjoyment of worldly pleasures and salvation are certainly due to their influence.

1089He who applies ash and wears Rudrākṣa is called a devotee of Śiva. A person devoted to the Japa of the five-syllabled mantra is a perfect and noble being.

1090If Mahādeva is worshipped without the Tripuṇḍra of ash and without the garland of Rudrākṣa, he does not bestow the fruit of cherished desire.

1091Thus, O lord of sages, whatever has been asked has now been explained. The greatness of ash and Rudrākṣa bestows the luxuriant fulfilment of all desires.

1092He who regularly listens to the highly auspicious greatness of ash and Rudrākṣa with devotion shall attain the fulfilment of all desires.

1093He will enjoy all happiness here. He will be blessed with sons and grandsons. In the next world he will attain salvation. He will be a great favourite of Śiva.

1094O lordly sages, thus the compendium of Vidyeśvara-saṃhitā has been narrated to you all. As ordered by Śiva it bestows achievement of everything and salvation.