The chapters 12 to 14 in Section 7.2 of Vayaviya-saṃhita of Shiva Purana informed about the glory of the five-syllabled mantra of Shiva.
“Om Namah Shivaya” the mantra of Shiva is the essence of the Vedas and brings salvation. Shiva, the creator-Sustainer-Annihilator of the universe is stationed in the single-syllabled mantra Om. The five subtle Brahmans are stationed in the mantra “Namah Shivaya” occupying one syllable each. If anyone has stabilised the Mantra by frequent practice, he has learnt all, heard all and performed all. Its Japa frees the person from the sins. Shiva is beginningless, all-pervasive, opposed to the ills of worldly existence, the primordial omniscient, perfect, pure, Sadashiva, and the protector of persons from the ocean of worldly existence. Glory of five syllabled Mantra - The practice of the five-syllabled Mantra affords protection from the fear of worldly existence. He who worships me even once with devotion repeating the five-syllabled mantra, attains Shiva region through the weightiness of this Mantra alone. Penances, sacrifices, observances and holy rites are not equal to even a croreth part of the worship with the five-syllabled mantra. He who worships me with the five-syllabled mantra becomes liberated if he is in bondage. He who worships Shiva with this Mantra, being equipped with friendship and other attributes with devotion and celibacy attains similarity to Shiva. At the advent of dissolution when the mobile and immobile beings perish, everything becomes merged in its cause. Then all the Vedas, scriptures etc. are stationed in the five-syllabled mantra. By the efficacy of the mantra, the sages reinforced by austerities are performing the creation of the gods, asuras and human beings in a splendid way. The devotee should worship Shiva with Japa, Homa, etc., mentally, verbally and physically through this Mantra. Modes & Practice of the Japa - A Japa without the behest of the preceptor, holy rites, faith and the prescribed fees is fruitless though the behest might have been secured. If a mantra is well practised with the acquisition of behest, attended with holy rites, equipped with faith in Shiva and accompanied by fee it is greatly efficacious. The devotee shall approach the brahmin preceptor who knows the principles, performs Japa, is devoted to meditation and endowed with virtues. He shall strenuously propitiate him mentally, verbally, physically and monetarily. He shall possess the purity of piety. When the preceptor is satisfied, he shall let him stay for a year serving him without arrogance. On an auspicious day thereafter, he shall make him take his bath after observing fast. For the sake of purity, he shall again be subjected to ablution with vessels full of ghee and sacred water wherein holy materials shall be put. He shall dress him well and bedeck him with fragrant garlands, ornaments and garments. The Puṇyaha mantras shall be recited and brahmins worshipped. Then in a holy spot, near the seashore, river bank, cow pen temple or in the house itself, at an auspicious hour when the day is conducive to achievement, when the conjunctions of stars are devoid of defects, he shall bless him and impart to him this knowledge duly. In a secluded spot the preceptor delighted in mind shall repeat the mantra with due accents. He shall then make the disciple repeat it. Then the preceptor shall say ‘Let there be welfare. Let there be auspiciousness around. Let everything be pleasing and auspicious. Thus, the preceptor shall impart the mantra and allow him to practise it. Getting thus the mantra and the permission from the preceptor the disciple shall perform the Saṃkalpa with pure mind and repeat the mantra with the rite of initiation. As long as he lives, he shall repeat the mantra one thousand and eight times everyday without thinking of anything else and devotedly attached to it alone. He attains the greatest goal. He who completes the Japa four hundred thousand times with great devotion, taking food only in the nights with full self-control, is said to be a Paurashcaraṇika. Even after the Purashcaraṇa is over, he who continues to perform the Japa everyday, he is Siddha himself and confers Siddhi on others too. He shall take bath, sit in a pleasing posture in a sacred spot. He shall meditate on Shiva in his heart along with you and shall remember his preceptor. He shall sit facing the north or the east, observe silence and concentration of the mind, purify the five principles by means of Dahana and Plavana rituals. He shall perform the Mantranyasa, make his body worthy and pure, meditate on us restraining Praṇa and Apana. He shall remember the respective place, form, sage, metre, the presiding deity, Bija, Shakti and the statement. Then he shall perform the Japa of the five-syllabled mantra. The mental Japa is excellent, Japa in a low voice is the middling. The verbal Japa is of the lowest quality. Mental Japa is that where the series of letters are thought well and the words and their meanings are pondered over. The Japa with Rudra as the presiding deity is the most excellent, that with Vishu as the presiding deity is the middling and that with Brahma as the presiding deity is of the lowest quality. The Japa performed with the praṇayama is Sagarbha Japa. In the first and the last even Agarbha Pranayama is commended. After performing the Pranayama forty times, the intelligent devotee, knowing the meaning of the mantra, shall remember the mantra. If he is unable to repeat so many times he shall repeat as many times as his physical strength permits him. He shall perform five, three or one Pranayama whether Agarbha or Sagarbha. The Sagarbha Pranayama is better of the two. The Sadhyana Japa is a thousand times better than the Sagarbha Japa. One of the five types of Japas shall be performed upto the extent of one’s ability. There are various ways of counting the number of times the mantra has been repeated. Counting with the fingers is one mode. Eight times that number can be calculated by lines, ten times by dolls, hundred times by shells or gems, thousand times by corals, ten thousand times by crystal pieces, hundred thousand times by pearls, million times by seeds of lotuses, a crore of times by gold pieces, infinite time by a bundle of Kusha grass or Rudraksha beads. The thumb used in counting the number bestows salvation. The index finger destroys enemies. The middle finger bestows wealth. The ring finger brings about calmness and peace. If there are hundred and eight beads that rosary is the most excellent. If it has hundred beads it is excellent. If it has fifty beads it is the middling. With fifty-four beads it is good. The Japa shall be performed with these different rosaries. They must not be exhibited to anyone. The use of little finger in the Japa shall be avoided. In the act ot Japa it is held to be auspicious. The Japa shall be performed by means of the thumb in contact with other fingers. If Japa is performed without the thumb, it is futile. If performed in the house it is ordinarily efficacious. If performed in the cow pen it is hundred times more. In a holy forest or park, it is thousand times more. On a holy mountain it is ten thousand times more. On the banks of a river, it is hundred thousand times more. The Japa performed in a temple is a crore of times more efficacious. One should not perform Japa without a seat to sit on nor shall it be performed lying down, or standing up and walking. One shall not perform Japa in the open street or in an inauspicious place or in darkness. Legs shall not be stretched while performing the Japa nor shall one be in the cock like posture, or seated in a vehicle or in a couch. Japa shall not be performed when one is worried. If one is competent, one shall perform many Japas. Weak persons shall perform Japa according to capacity. A person of good conduct, performing Japa and meditating purely attains welfare. Doing the duties prescribed by the Vedas, Shastras and the followers of the Vedas is meant by the word good conduct, nothing else.
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In the chapter 32 & 33 in Section 7.1 of Vayaviya-saṃhita of Shiva Purana, Shiva informed about Pashupata-yoga & Pashupata-vrata.
Excellent practices for Salvation are fivefold, holy rites, penance, japa, meditation and knowledge. The two Dharmas, the higher and secondary are mentioned in the Vedas, i.e., the practice of Yoga, the higher dharma and the Karmakanda, the secondary Dharma which is mentioned in the Vedantic section of the Vedas. This higher Dharma is the means for achieving the greatest virtue of Shiva. Those people are authorised who are free from bonds (Pasha). The are of four kinds viz. karma, veil over the enlightenment, non-eternal gross & subtle bodies produced by maya. Among fourfold yoga, the Pashupata yoga facilitates the direct perception of Shiva. By means of this Yoga the discernment of Shiva is generated. Through this discernment the stable and perfect knowledge is attained are long. By perceiving Shiva directly, the cause of worldly existence (samsara) is quelled. The devotee is liberated from worldly existence and being liberated he becomes identical with Shiva. Eightfold forms of Shiva - Shiva mainly indicates eight names Shiva, Maheshwar, Rudra, Vishnu, Pitamah, Samsara Vaidya, Sarvajna and Paramatman. The first five are the names of the deities presiding over the Kalas, etc.
By means of the Sushumṇa, the Puryasṭaka alone with the chest, neck, palate, middle of the eyebrows and the hole on the top of the head, shall be cut off. The Atman shall be taken above to the splendour of Shiva beyond the moon stationed in the twelve-petal led lotus of the heart. The mouth is shrunk in size. The body is drenched with the shower of the nectar of the Shakti and merged in their reasons. The Atman is then let down into the heart. The devotee meditates on the great god Shiva who is conceived as sitting in the white twelve-petalled lotus beyond the moon, who in the sweet crystal-pure, delighted, cool, lustrous form of Ardhanarishvara, shall be meditated upon. The devotee shall have the mind in normal state. He shall then worship the lord with the eight names of Shiva and the sacred flowers. At the end of the worship the devotee shall perform Praṇayama and concentrate the mind well. He shall perform the japa of the eight names of Shiva. He shall perform eight offerings (Ahutis) in the navel and repeat “Namaḥ” alone with the final offering (Purnahuti), offering eight flowers and conclude worship. With a palmful of water he shall dedicate his Atman. By doing this long, the auspicious knowledge of Pashupata cult is obtained. He acquires its magnificent status and the excellent conduct. Then securing the great Yoga he is liberated. Pashupata-Vrata: In the month of Chaitra, on the thirteenth day one shall perform the special worship after taking his bath, wear pure white cloths, garlend & sacred thread and performing the daily rites. He shall take the formal permission of the preceptor after bowing to him and honouring him. He shall be seated on Darbha grass. He shall hold a handful of Darbha grass, sit facing east or the north. After performing the Praṇayama three times he shall meditate on the lord and the goddess. By way of submitting to them he shall perform the Saṅkalpa saying, “I am performing this Vrata (of Pashupata) The time limit for this Vrata is till death, or twelve years or six years, or three years or twelve months, or six months or three months or a month or twelve days or six days or three days or one day. He shall arrange the sacrificial fire duly as in the Virajahoma. He shall make the offerings of ghee, sacrificial twigs and caru and perform homa. After the Purṇahuti, deserving the purity of the Tattvas, he shall perform the homa with the five-syllabled mantra and the sacrificial twigs. In the course of the sacrifice -he shall think thus— “Let the Tattvas in my body be purified.” The Tattvas are: —The five elements, the five Tanmatras, the five sense-organs of knowledge, the five organs of activity, the seven Dhatus (Rasa-agni converts the juices of foods into plasma tissue; Rakta-agni converts the atomic portion of plasma into blood tissue; Mamsa-agni converts the atomic portion of blood into muscle tissue; Meda-agni converts the atomic portion of muscle tissue into adipose tissue; Asthi-agni converts the atomic portion of adipose tissue into bone tissue; Majja-agni converts the atomic portion of bone tissue into nervous tissue and Shukra-agni converts the atomic portion of nervous tissue into reproductive tissue), the five vital airs beginning with Praṇa, mind, intellect, ego, the three Guṇas, Prakriti, Purusha, Raga (passion), Vidya, Kalā, Niyati, Time, Maya, pure Vidya, Maheshwar, Sadashiva, Shakti and Shiva Tattva. After performing the Homa with the Viraja mantras he is freed from sin. Attaining Shiva’s blessing he is endowed with perfect knowledge. He shall collect cowdung and roll it into balls and repeat the mantras over them. He shall place these into the fire and sprinkle with water. That day he shall take in only the cooked rice soaked in ghee. On the morning of the fourteenth day, he shall perform everything as mentioned earlier. On that day he shall observe fast and thus spend the latter part of the day. On the full moon day also, he shall perform similar rites. At the conclusion of the sacrifice the sacred fire shall be extinguished and the ashes gathered assiduously. Thereafter he shall keep matted hair or shave off the hair completely or keep one matted tuft of hair. He shall take bath then. He shall wash the feet and perform Achamana twice. He shall apply the ashes taken out of the Viraja fire all over his body from head to foot repeating the six mantras beginning with “Agniriti” from the Atharvaṇa texts. Then in the same way he shall dust the body entirely repeating the Praṇava Oṃ and ‘Shiva’. Then repeating the mantra ‘Triyayuṣam’ he shall wear Tripuṇḍra marks. He shall realise his own Shiva-hood and perform ‘Shivayoga’. He shall act thus during all the three Sandhyas. This Pashupata Vrata yields worldly pleasures and salvation dispelling Pashu-hood. Freed from Pashu-hood, the devotee shall worship the phallic image of Shiva. The ablution shall be performed filled with Panchagavya (milk, curd, butter, urine and excrement of the cow) collected in accordance with one’s capacity. The vessels shall contain scents along with camphor, sandal and saffron and these shall be smeared over the phallic image. He shall worship it with Bilva leaves, red, white and blue lotuses, other fragrant flowers, holy and auspicious leaves, Durva grass of various types, in accordance with their availability and the rules of worship. Showing of lights, incense and the food offerings shall be made to the deity. After offering it to the deity the devotee shall be engaged in auspicious activities. In this Vrata exquisite and pleasing things acquired legitimately, whatever they may be, shall be offered to the deity. The number of lotuses to be offered is a thousand. The other flowers it shall be a hundred and eight for each. The Arghya with eight materials of worship as constituents is highly commended. So also, the incense and the unguent. To the deity Vamadeva sandal paste is recommended. To the Paurusha deity yellow orpiment shall be offered; to Ishana the ashes. To Aghora white and black Aguru in the mouth. To Paurshṣa fragrant gum-resin in the left; to Saumya scents in the mouth. To Ishana, Ushira shall be offered as Dhupa. Sandal, Aguru, etc., along with sugar candy, honey, camphor and the ghee of a tawny-coloured cow can be offered to all. Arghya and Ācamana shall be offered to every face. In the first (outer column of the mystic diagram) Gaṇesha and Karttikeya shall be worshipped. Brahma’s body shall also be worshipped. In the second Avaraṇa shall be worshipped Vighneshas the Cakravartins. The eight forms of Shiva and others shall be worshipped in the third Avaraṇa. There the eleven deities Mahadeva and others shall be worshipped. All the Gaṇeshvaras shall be worshipped in the fourth Avarana. Outside the lotus the mystic diagram and in the fifth Avaraṇa shall be worshipped the lords of the ten quarters along with their weapons and followers, the mental sons of Brahma, the luminary bodies, the goddesses and gods, the heaven-walkers, the residents of the netherworlds, the other sages, Yogins, the sacrifices, the birds, the mothers, the Kshetrapalas with their Gaṇas and the universe including the mobile and immobile beings. These shall be worshipped, as they are possessed of Shiva’s pre-eminence. They shall be worshipped for the pleasure of Siva. Then at the end of the worship of the Avaraṇas, after worshipping the supreme lord, delicious Havis shall be offered as Naivedya along with ghee and side-dishes. The betel with something to chew with to render the mouth fragrant shall be given. After bedecking once again with different flowers and ornaments the detailed worship shall be concluded with the waving of lights. The drinking bowl with the complements and bedding shall be offered. After reciting the Vyapohana hymns the Japa of the fìve-syllabled Mantra shall be performed. After circumambulation and obeisance, the devotee shall dedicate himself. Then in front of lord he shall worship two brahmin preceptors. If he is competent, he shall observe fast or take to a diet of fruits and roots. Or he shall have milk for his diet, or live on alms or take single meal everyday only in the night. He shall be pure in body and mind and lie on the bare ground or ashes or grass. He shall wear deer skin or bark garment and observe celibacy. Thus, he shall perform the holy rite. Mentally, verbally and physically he shall avoid contact with heretics, fallen men and polluted women in their menses by all means. He shall always practise forgiveness, charity, mercy non-violence to all living beings. He shall remain content, calm and engaged in meditation and Japa. He shall perform special worship mentally, verbally and physically. He who has resolved to perform this Vrata till death and takes the initiation accordingly and performs the Virata undistressedly is a Naiṣṭhika. |
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