In the chapter 1 to 3 in Section 5 of Kailash-saṃhita of Shiva Purana, Shiva informed about Pranava to Parvati.
The Pranava is Shiva. Vedas arise from the Pranava. Pranava is the seed of all the lore. It is the imperishable Brahman, the means of attaining all objects. Shiva creates universe at the outset saying “Om”. He who aspires for salvation and is free from aberration shall understand Pranava as the cause of all and me as the Nirguṇa Parameshvara. Structure of Pranava: The Pranava of five syllables is explained by extricating the three Matras AUM), Bindu and Nada. It yields liberation to those who perform the Japa in this manner. Pranava is the vital breath of all living beings from Brahma to immobile beings. Being the Prana thus, it is called Pranava. The first letter (A) is like water in the south, the second letter (U) is in the north; the letter M is like fire in the middle, before Nada and Bindu. ‘A’ is the great Bija, Rajas, the four-faced creator. ‘U’ is the Prakirti, source, Sattva, the protector Vishnu. ‘M’ is the Purusha, the Bijin, Tamas, the annihilator Shiva. Bindu is Maheshvara the lord, the disappearance. Nada is Sadashiva the bestower of blessings on all. On the top of Nada there is Shiva who is greater than the greatest. He is omniscient, the creator, the lord, free from dirt, the imperishable, the inexpressible, the great Brahman, beyond the existent and the nonexistent. The five Brahmans beginning with Sadya and ending with Ishana are stationed in the five letters ‘A’ etc. They are my very forms in order. In the syllable ‘A’ eight Kalas of the form of Sadya exist. “In ‘U’ thirteen Kalas of the form of Vama exist. The eight Kalas of the form of Aghora are stationed in ‘M’. In Bindu four Kalas of the form of Puruṣa exist. In Nada five Kalas born of Ishana are present. Thus, their state of being the soul of the universe is due to the recognition of their sixfold identity. The sixfold objects constitute Mantra, Yantra, deity, universe, the preceptor and the disciple. The mantra previously mentioned is a composite of five letters. The same attains the form of a Yantra. I shall mention the details of its mystic diagram. Yantra is in the form of the deity; the deity is in the form of the universe; the preceptor too is in the form of the universe and the disciple is of the body of the preceptor. Om is everything, everything is Brahman. This Vedic Text establishes the link between the word and its meaning. The preceptor shall be one who has understood the tenets and the meanings of sacred texts; who has mastered Vedanta; who is an ascetic and the most excellent of intelligent men. After approaching him the intelligent brahmin shall prostrate before him and propitiate him by reverential deeds. That disciple is the most excellent who possesses good behavior and the qualities of peaceful calmness. The disciple shall realize that preceptor is Shiva and Shiva is the preceptor. Then he shall reveal his thought. Holy rites by Preceptor: After being permitted by the preceptor the brahmin devotee shall perform holy rites without taking anything except milk, for twelve days on the sea-shore, or on the banks of a river, or on a mountain or in a temple of Shiva. On the fifth or the eleventh day of the bright half he shall take his bath early in the morning. The intelligent devotee pure in mind shall perform his daily duty. He shall invite the preceptor duly and perform Nandi shraddha. He shall get himself shaved of the hair on the head and the moustache and the beards. The hair in the armpit and the private parts must not be shaved. The nails shall be cut. He shall perform his ceremonial ablution with restrained mind. He shall cat only powdered fried grain. In the evening he shall take his bath and perform Sandhya. In the presence of the preceptor, he shall perform the Aupasana rites in the evening. To Shiva in the form of the preceptor he shall give Dakṣiṇa according to the scriptures. He shall collect articles for Homa. place the holy fires, laukika and others, with the rules of his Gṛhya Sutra. A brahmin who consecrates the sacred fire shall perform this Aupasana in the sacrificial fire consecrated by the Prajapatya sacrifice, reciting mantras from the Vedas and offering due Dakṣiṇas. Then the brahmin shall superimpose the fire in the Atman and formally renounce the world. The food-offering shall be cooked with the fire-wood and cooked rice and ghee. He shall perform the sacrifice repeating the Purusha Sukta. The ghee shall be offered at the end of every stanza. The Sauvisṭakrti shall be performed in accordance with the rules of his own Sutra. After the sacrifice he shall perform Tantric activities. The learned devotee shall sit on a doth, deer-skin or Kusha grass to the north of the fire. He shall repeat the Gayatri mantra silently till the Brahma Muhurta, and stabilise his mind firmly. Then he shall take bath and cook the Caru. He shall perform the sacrifice beginning with Puruṣa and ending with the Viraja suktas. After performing the remaining rites of the sacrifice, he shall perform the Aupasana rites of the morning. Then he shall superimpose Agni in the Atman and perform the morning prayers. When the sun has arisen, he shall recite Savitri. He shall eschew the three Aṣaṇas and repeat the Presa mantras. He shall abandon the tuft, the sacred thread and the girdle too. He shall start to the east or to the north. He shall lake with him a staff and a loin-cloth and such other things as are necessary for life. If he is totally detached, he need not take these things too. He shall approach the preceptor and prostrate before him thrice. Standing up he shall sit at the feet of the preceptor. The teacher shall take the white ashes from the Viraja fire and smear it over the body of the disciple. Repeating the mantra “Agniriti” etc. he shall make the three marks Tripuṇḍra on his forehead. He shall think of me stationed in the lotus of the heart along with you. Then the teacher shall place his hand on the head of the disciple. With a delighted mind, the preceptor shall utter the Pranavamantra thrice in the right ear of the disciple mentioning the sage etc. Then he shall tell him the sixfold meaning. The disciple shall bow prostrate before the preceptor on the ground twelve times. He shall remain subservient to him and practise the study of the Vedanta strenuously. He shall ponder and meditate in the pure Atman without aberrations, upon me the great Atman, the Saksin of Brahman, the unchanging. Here the person authorised is the ascetic engaged in the pious activities of self-restraint, the master of Vedantic knowledge and free from rivalry. The lotus of the heart is free from dust, devoid of sorrow, clear and great. It has eight petals with filaments and it shines above the pericarp. After thinking about the region from the Adhara-Shakti to the three Tattvas the Dahara Vyoman (the ether-heart) shall be imagined and conceived in the middle. Repeating the single-syllabled Brahman Om, he shall with alert mind think of me along with you in the middle. He who performs the rite of this type attains my world. After securing the knowledge of my principles he will attain Sayujya salvation as the fruit.
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In the chapters 9, 14 & 15 of Section 5 of Kailash-saṃhita of Shiva Purana, Shiva informed about the Pranava.
The Shivatva and Shaktitva is present in the great Atman. The bliss from the union of Shiva and Shakti is ever rising. Sinless ascetics attain untainted auspiciousness. The meaning of the letter ‘Sa’ in Hamsa is Shiva. The Shakti form is expressed by the great Mantra. Another word in Vedas, “Prajnanam” is a synonym of consciousness. Chaitanya is the freedom in respect of the knowledge and activity of everything in the universe. In another aphorism of Shiva viz; “Jnanaṃ Bandhaḥ” the lord speaks of the nature of individual souls. Shiva Shakti & its Veils: The five Shakti (veils) of Shiva are: activity, knowledge, completeness, eternality and pervasiveness. There are five tattvas of the individual soul, viz, Kalaa (the veil of time), Vidyaa (the veil of limited knowledge), Raga (the veil of desire), Kaala (the veil of being limited) and Niyati (the veil of causality). Kalaa is the cause of doing anything. Vidyaa is the means of certain Tattvas. Raga is the attachment to the sense-objects. Kaala is the illuminator of positive and negative appearances. Niyati means the factor that discriminates and ordains. This set of five is called “the five sheaths” in view of its nature of enveloping the form. It is the innermost and most essential means. Knowledge & Activity: The word Jnana refers to power of knowledge and activity. These reaching the Centre of the mind become the object of perception on the part of sense-organs the individual soul enters these, then knows and acts. It is certain that the union of Shiva and Shakti is the great Atman. From Para Shakti is born the chit Shakti. Born of it is the power of bliss. The power of will is born of that. From this is born the power of knowledge and from this is born the power of activity, the fifth one. Pranava: Nada and Bindu are born of chit and Ananda Shaktis (power of bliss). The letter ‘ma’ is born of Icchashakti (power of desire). The fifth vowel ‘U’ is born of Jnana Shakti (power of knowledge) and the letter ‘A’ is born of Kriyashakti (power of action). The origin of the Praṇava has been mentioned thus. The five elements beginning with the ether are born of this set of five letters of the Praṇava which constitute pairs based on the relationship of the word and its meaning. Akasha has the only attribute of sound. The wind has the two: sound and touch. The fire has three: sound, touch and colour. The water has four: sound, touch; colour and taste. The earth has five: sound, touch, colour, taste and smell. This is the Vyapakatva (pervasiveness) of the Bhutas. The Vyapakatva is in the inverse order beginning with smell. The five Bhutas constitute the universe. Virat is the composite form of all. The universe is thus created. It begins with the element of the earth and ends with the element of Shiva. After merging with each other they merge in the individual soul ultimately. Accompanied by the energy it comes out again for the purpose of creation. It appears in the form of the gross cosmos and functions till the period of dissolution. The primeval oozing of Shiva who attempts to create the universe at his will is called Shiva tattva. Pranava expressive of Shiva is taught through yantra. It is the composite of five letters. The four viz, Bindu etc. constitute the form of yantra in the Shaiva cult. Pranava is the highest Mantra—the very Shiva himself. Sixfold perfect knowledge of The Pranava: Perfect knowledge comprises the meaning of Pranava by realising the unity of six topics. The first topic is the mantra; the second Yantra; the third deity; the fourth the cosmos; the fifth the preceptor; the sixth the Atman of the disciple.
Forms of Shiva: Shiva is also called by the following eight names — Shiva, Maheshvara, Rudra, Vishnu, Pitamaha, Saṃsaravaidya, Saravajna, Paramatman. Due to the antecedent non-existence of the contact with the primordial Avidya he is naturally pure-souled and is called Shiva. Mahashvara means beyond Prakriti & Purusha; Rudra means dispeller of misery; Pitamaha means father of the Trinity which in turn is the cause of the universe. Shiva is called Vishnu because he pervades the principles of Shiva ending with the earth and the bodies, pots etc. Shiva is called Samsaravaidya (Physician) as He is the cause of dissolution, sustenance and origin of the world as well as the router of the gross. Shiva is also called Sarvajna (Omnicient) as He knows every existent object naturally, even though he has no sense-organs yielding the knowledge of all existent objects. Shiva is the Parmatman (great Atman) because he is the Atman of all, he is for ever endowed with the great qualities and there is no greater Atman than him. Worship of Shiva by means of Pranava: After eulogising Mahadeva, identical with Pranava, the imperishable and offering gifts on the head of Ishana, he worships the lord with the purity of mind, by means of the Pranava. He shall then take a handful of flowers, join palms in reverence, inhale through the left nostril, identifying the inhaled air with Shiva and exhale through the right nostril bidding the ritualistic adieu to the goddess. He shall realise the identity of Shiva with himself. “I am Shiva alone.” He shall make the ritualistic dismissal of the deities conceived in the heart. After worshipping the lore and the preceptor he shall fix in the heart the mantras of the conch and the vessel of Arghya. After consigning the remnants of the floral offerings to Candesha in the north-east quarter he shall restrain the vital breath and utter the names of the sages. This Maṇḍala is technically known as Kailasaprastara. This shall be worshipped every day, or every fortnight, or every month or once in six months or once in a year or during the Chaturmasya festival. A theist shall necessarily worship my Linga every day. On the day of initiation, he shall worship the Linga along with the preceptor and bow thrice in front of the preceptor: “Till my death I shall worship Shiva”. He shall pour water from Argha above on the top of Linga. After worshipping it with Praṇava he shall offer incense and the lamp. After propitiating Canda in the north-east he shall offer Nirmalya. Repeating the Pranava he shall put a flower on the top of the Linga. He shall mentally conceive everythig from the Adhara Shakti to the seat of the holy lore and install the supreme god. He shall perform the ablution of the lord with Panchagavya etc. or with holy water rendered fragrant with scented articles repeating the mantras from the Ṛg or Samaveda such as “Pavamana” “Rudra” “Nila” or “Tvarita” along with the five Brahmans. The Praṇava or the name of Shiva can be used as mantra. The ablution shall be made with the Arghya water repeating the Praṇava. After wiping the Linga with a piece of cloth he shall put a flower on the top. After installing the Linga on the pedestal, he shall perform the worship of the sun. He shall worship the Adharashakti and Ananta beneath the pedestal. After worshipping the throne duly with the lower and upper lid he shall worship Skanda on the foot of the Piṭha. After conceiving Shiva in the Linga, he shall worship Shiva along with Parvati. This is a great secret. It illuminates the meaning of the Pranava. Leading to the knowledge of Shiva it destroys all your miseries. 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. 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. The Sannyasi shall get up in the Brahma Muhurta and think about the preceptor Shiva seated in the thousand-petalled lotus on the head. He shall bow to the preceptor with palms joined in reverence and worship him with scents, fragrant flowers etc. created by his imagination. He shall enter inside the Maṇḍapa and shall draw the mystic diagram in due order.
Drawing of Yantra: The Yantra illuminating the meaning of the Praṇava shall be written inside the pericarp. The pedestal shall be drawn beneath. Srikantha shall be drawn above it. Amaresha shall be drawn above it and Mahakala in the middle. On the top of it the staff and beyond that Ishvara shall be drawn. The Pitha shall be coloured blue. Srikaṇṭha in yellow, Amaresha in red, and Mahakala in black. The scholarly ascetic shall make the staff smoky coloured and Ishvara white in colour. After drawing the Yantra the red one (Amaresa) shall be encompassed by Sadya. Only through the Nada Ishana shall be known. The rows of its residence shall be taken in order from the south-east one. The four squares at the four corners shall be painted white. The first four letters “a”, “aa”, “i” and “ī” shall be written with red minerals and these four are conceived as doors. The two squares adjacent to each of these four shall be painted yellow. In the yellow square in between the south-east squares a lotus of eight petals shall be drawn red in colour with yellow pericarp. With purity of mind, he shall draw the letter “ha” in the middle along with the Bindu. In the south-west square of this lotus, he shall draw another red lotus with yellow filaments and pericarp. The third letter of the class of “sa” along with the sixth vowel and the fourteenth vowel decorated with Bindu and Nada is, the excellent Bija which shall be written in the middle of the lotus. In the north-cast square of the lotus another lotus shall be drawn with the third letter of the class of “ka” along with the fifth vowel. In its middle Bindu and Kaṇṭha shall be decoratively written. In the three columns outside it, beginning with the eastern one five squares shall be taken. The pericarp shall be taken in the middle painted yellow with a red circle. The leaves red in colour. Outside the leaves the cavities shall be filled with black colour. The south-east square and others, four in number, shall be filled with white paint. With six Bindus a six-sided figure shall be drawn in black in the east. To the south it shall be painted red. In the north a triangle is painted in white. In the west a crescent moon is painted in yellow. The four Bijas shall be written in the squares in order. The Bindu shall be drawn in the cast in white. In the south is painted in black the letter “u”; in the north, letter “ma” is painted in red; in the west letter “a” is painted yellow; thus, the four letters are written. In the second row from the top, the first four squares are respectively painted yellow, white, red and black. Below that the four are painted white, blue, yellow and red respectively. Below that in the triangle it shall be painted red white and yellow. From the south to the north the same procedure shall be adopted. In its external row it shall be painted from the east to the middle. The colours are yellow, red, black, blue, white and yellow. From the south-east onwards colours are red, blue, white, red, black and red. Thus, the colours of the six squares are mentioned: from the south to the cast; from the south-west to the south-east; from the west to the south; from the north-west to the south-west; from the north to the west; from the north-east, to the north-west. Thus, the procedure of the diagram has been mentioned to you. Having drawn the diagram thus the ascetic with restrained mind shall worship the sun with devotion. Worship of Yantra & Nyasa: After uttering the Praṇava, Adhara and the Shaktikamala, Sanyasi shall sit facing north. After performing the Pranayama, he shall smear the body with the ashes with the mantras “Agniriti”. After bowing to lord Shiva, he shall arrange the diagram again. Outside he shall adore in order the diagrams of triangle circle and square repeating Om. He shall fill the conch with fragrant pure water repeating the Praṇava. He shall place the conch on the diagrams and worship it with scents, flowers etc. repeating the Praṇava seven times. After repeating the mantra, he shall show the Dhenumudra and Shankhamudra. He shall sprinkle it with the Astra mantra. He shall sprinkle himself and the scents, flowers and other materials of worship. After performing Pranayama thrice, he shall utter the names of the sages etc. Of this mantra of the glorious sun the sage is Devabhaga, the metre is Gayatri, the deity is the sun. The six-organed Nyasa shall be made with “hram” etc. Then he sprinkles the Padma not within the purview of Agni. The learned ascetic shall worship in it Prabhuta, Vimala, Sara from the former to the latter in order. Then he shall worship Kalagnirudra, Adhara, Shakti, Ananta, Pṛthivi, Ratnadvipa, imaginary trees and garden a house of jewels and the gemset scat at the feet; beginning with the east the gods of virtue, knowledge, detachment and supremacy shall be worshipped. He shall also worship the gods of evil etc. in the corner quarters such as south-east and others. He shall worship the lower lid of Maya and and the upper lid of Vidya. Thereafter Sattva, Rajas and Tamas shall be worshipped in order. In the quarters beginning with the east and in the middle, he shall worship the following: — Dipta, Sukṣma, Jaya, Bhadra, Vibhuti, Vimala, Amogha, Vaidyuta, Sarvatomukhasaṃjna, Kandanala, Suṣira, then Tantukantakas, then the root lid, filament, (light) and Sakalatman, the five-knotted pericarp and the petals, then the filaments, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Atman. After worshipping the inner Atman in the great Atman of knowledge he shall worship the Yogapitha called the Saura. The knower of the root shall conceive the idol as stationed on the pedestal. The ascetic sits checking the vital breath with the root from the root. With the power of its splendour, he raises the Shakti through the path of the Pingala nerve of the sun stationed in the circle. He causes it to come out with the handful of flowers. Of Shiva whose body is as red as the vermillion, who has his wife as his left half, who is wearing Rudraksha garland and holding a noose, a club called Khaṭvanga, a skull, a goad, a lotus a conch and a discus; who has four faces, twelve eyes and a spear within the lotus of his heart, he utters the Pranava first and then Hram, Hrim and Sah. Thereafter he invokes the sun along with the light and power saying “I invoke obeisance”. He shows the mystic signs of Sthapana etc. After performing the Nyasa of the limbs with the mantra Hram, Hrim, Hrum and conceiving the five services, he shall worship thrice the six organs in the filaments of the lotus. In the second covering the four deities shall be worshipped in the south-east, north-east south-west and the north-west. From east to north at the roots of the petals Aditya, Bhaskara, Bhanu and Ravi shall be worshipped in order. In the third covering, Arka, Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu shall be worshipped in the north-east and other quarters. In the middle of the leaves from the east onwards he shall worship the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Rahu. Or he shall worship the twelve Adityas in the second covering and worship the twelve signs of zodiac in the third covering. He shall worship the seven oceans and seven Gangas on its outer side and then the Sages, Gods, Gandharvas, Serpents, Celestial damsels, the village chiefs, the Yakṣas, Yatudhanas, the seven horses in the form of the Vedas and the Balakhilyas. After worshipping the sun of three coverings and then arranging the square diagram with pious attention he shall place a copper vessel that can hold a prastha of water on its stand. He shall fill it with pure water rendered fragrant with flowers. He shall worship it with scents, flowers and kneel on the ground. The arghya vessel shall be lifted upto the middle of the eyebrows. He shall recite the hymn to the sun-God yielding all accomplishments. It yields worldly pleasures and salvation always. He shall recite to accept this holy arghya offered to the sun-God along with the red powder, coloured water, garland, vermilion, kuśa grass, flowers and a golden pot. “Obeisance to shiva accompanied by Parvati and the Ganas. Obeisance to you the primordial cause, of the form of Trinity, Rudra, Vishnu and Brahma”. After saying this and bowing he shall seat himself. He shall mention the names of the sages etc. again and wash his hands with water. He shall apply the ashes again as mentioned before. He shall then perforin Nyasas expressive of his devotion to Shiva. After worshipping lord Shiva with bent head and fivefold services he shall bow to the Pranava in the dative case ending with Namah. He shall meditate upon the Praṇava consisting of five letters including the Bindu and fifth vowel “u” without the fifth vowel and with the Bindu. After uttering this with Bindu he shall utter the composite unit. With these Bijas duly uttered the scholarly ascetic shall bow to the preceptor and the lord of Ganas stationed on the arms and thighs. He shall bow to Durga and Kṣetrapala also, with palms joined in reverence. He shall repeat “Om Astraya Phat” six times and wipe off his hands. He shall recite the mantra “Apasa pantu” and repeat “Astraya Phaṭ”. Clapping the palms thrice and kicking thrice he shall remove the obstacles; he shall gaze at the heaven-dwellers, the skyfarers. He shall restrain the vital breath and remember the Haṃsa mantra. Through the Brahma Naḍi he shall then bring about the living consciousness in the heart. He shall meditate on the supreme god of the form of cit in the middle of lunar sphere of cit within the great lotus of thousand petals, full-blown and stationed in the twelve. For sixteen, sixty-four and thirty-two seconds he shall perform Puraka, Kumbhaka and Recaka through Shosa Daha and Plava. After retaining the breath as mentioned in his particular Veda through wind, fire, water etc. he shall bring the nerve which is at the Mula to the cerebral aperture. When the body is bathed in the exquisite nectarine current issuing from the lunar sphere of Chit, within the lotus of thousand petals within the twelve, it is purified and thrilled with good emotions. He makes the Atman descend to the lotus of the heart realising “I am he”. He thrusts the Atman into the Atman through the nectarine current. Thus, he shall piously stabilise the vital breath duly. The Yogi with mental concentration shall ponder over the Matṛka. He shall fix the developed Matṛka through the Praṇava externally. He shall carry out nourishment etc. with restricted vital breath. Thinking upon Shiva in the mind he shall dedicate himself quietly. The sage of Praṇava is Brahma, the metre is Gayatri and the deity is the great Atman, Sadashiva. The letter “A” is the seed; the letter “U” is shakti; the letter “M” is Kilaka. It is used for the sake of liberation. Beginning with the two thumbs and ending with the palms, the hands are wiped off. Saying “Om” he shall begin the Nyasa of the hands. He shall perform the Nyasa starting with the thumb of the right hand and ending with the little finger of the left hand. Everywhere “A”, “U”, “M” with the Bindu, and the mantra ending with Namaḥ shall be uttered and the Nyasa of the hand in the heart etc. be performed. After uttering “A” at the outset the identity of Brahman and Atman shall be practised. The mantras ending with “De” and “Namaḥ” shall be utilised in the heart. The Nyasa of “U” along with Vishnu is made on the head; that of “M” along with Rudra in the tuft. The sage practising the mantra shall make the Nyasa of the Kavaca in the eyes and the forehead with an attentive mind. The different organs, faces and digits shall be fixed in the five Brahmans. Ishana’s five digits shall be fixed in the head, face, heart, private parts and the feet. The four digits of the Puruṣa shall be fixed in the four faces. Aghora’s eight digits shall be worshipped in the heart, neck, shoulders, navel, belly, back and the chest. Vamadeva’s thirteen digits shall be fixed in the anus, penis, thighs, knees, calves, buttocks, waist and the sides. Sadya’s eight digits shall be fixed in eight eyes. The most excellent of the knowers of kalpa shall fix these digits in the feet, hand, vital breath, head and arms. Thus, making the Nyasa of the thirty-eight Kalas the intelligent knower of Praṇava shall proceed with the Nyasa of Praṇava. After making the Nyasa in the arms, elbows, wrists, sides, belly, calves, feet and the back, the devotee, an expert in the Nyasa, shall perform Haṃsanyasa. The devotee shall make the square diagram to his left and worship it with Om. He shall place the conch and the missile, with its stand and worship it with the Praṇava after filling it with the water scented with the sandal paste. He shall worship it with the scents and flowers and repeat Praṇava seven times. He shall show the mystic sign of the cow and the conch making a square diagram in front and a semicircle in the middle, a triangle, hexagon and a circle within each in order. After worshipping the diagram with scents, and flowers, he shall place within it the vessel of Arghya on its stand and worship it with scents, repeating the Praṇava. He shall pour holy water and fill it. In the vessel, tips of Kusha grass, raw rice grains, barley, other grains, gingelly seeds, ghee-fried object, flowers and ashes too shall be put. It shall be worshipped with scents, flowers and the “Sadyojata mantras” with their six ancillaries, Praṇava and the Varma mantras. After veiling it with the Astramantra he shall show the mystic sign of the cow for the sake of protection. The water within it shall be used for sprinkling himself and the materials of worship—scents, flowers etc., repeating the Astramantra. After saying “Obeisance to the seat of the preceptor” he shall assign the lotus to the north-east of the diagram as seat repeating the Praṇava. As enjoined the idol of the preceptor too shall be conceived there itself. After saying “Oṃ guṃ gurubhyaḥ namaḥ” he shall invoke the preceptor and meditate on him as seated facing the south, with a delightful face, looking gentle and crystal pure, showing the mystic gestures of boons and protection with his hands in the form and features of Shiva but with two eyes. After meditating thus, he shall worship Gaṇapati with scents, flowers etc. in the proper order assigning him a scat on the lotus to the south-west of the mystical diagram with the mantra “Gaṇanantva” etc. After invoking the lord, he shall meditate on him with concentration. He shall be conceived as red in complexion with a huge body bedecked in ornaments holding a noose, a goad, boons and teeth, with elephantine face destroying the hindrances and obstacles of his devotees. After meditating thus, he shall worship him with scents, flowers and other services. After offering him the Naivedya of plantain fruits, coconuts, mango fruits and sweet balls he shall make obeisance to the god. In the lotus to the north-west of the diagram the devotee shall conceive the form of Skanda and invoke him too. Repeating Skandagayatri he shall meditate on Kumara shining as the rising sun, seated on the peacock, with four arms and splendid limbs, bedecked in coronet holding mystic signs of boons and protection, a spear and a cock as well. After meditating thus and worshipping with scents and other services, he shall worship Nandi, the chief of the harem in the right wing of the eastern doors, with the lustre of the golden hill bedecked in ornaments with the crescent moon constituting his coronet, of gentle aspect, with three eyes and four arms, holding a trident, a hind, an axe and a golden staff, with his face lustrous as the moon’s disc or as the face of a monkey. To his north he shall worship his wife Suyasha, the daughter of the Maruts of good rites, engaged in bedecking mother Shiva’s feet duly with scents, flowers and other services. On the ground beneath he shall conceive the holy Adhara Shakti of dark blue complexion. In front of her he shall conceive the serpent-chief with lifted five hoods and coiling shape, licking the sky as it were with hoods. He shall conceive above it the dignified seat with four lion’s feet symbolical of virtue, knowledge, detachment and prosperity. They shall be worshipped beginning with the southeast corner in colours white, yellow, red and dark-blue. Adharma etc. shall be conceived from the east to the north in due order. He shall conceive its body with the lustre of the jewel Lajavarta. The lower and upper lids, the bulbous root, the stem, the neck, the petals and the pericarp shall be conceived in order and worshipped. He shall conceive the eight Siddhis in the petals, the Shaktis in the filaments, the eight Rudras, Vama and others from the east, all round in order; the Vairagya in the pericarp and the nine Shaktis in the Bijas, Vama and others alone beginning with the cast and ending with Manonmani, the Dharma of Shiva in the bulbous root, the Shaivite knowledge in the stem and the zones of fire, sun and the moon above the pericarp. The science of the Ātman, and the trio of principles named Shiva shall be conceived thereafter. Above these seats he shall conceive the scat of the deity shining with the flowers of various colours and brilliance due to the Lore Paravyomavakasha. From the Adhara Shakti to the scat of the sacred lore the devotee shall repeat the mantra, “oṃ Shivaya namaḥ”. As before, the five Brahmans shall be conceived in the idol in view of the difference due to limbs, faces and digits. The devotee, expert in the mystic signs shall invoke the lord standing with a handful of flowers. Uttering the mantra beginning with “I resort to Sadyojata” and ending with Om repeating the Nada arising from the Adhara and concluding at the Brahmarandhra, along with the twelve knots he shall meditate on the lord in Oṅkara, pure as crystal, the unsullied, the imperishable, the cause of creation, identical with the worlds, stationed within and without, pervading all, smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest, visible to the devotees without strain, the unchanging incomprehensible to the gods, Brahma, Indra, Vishnu, Rudra and others, the essence of the Vedas, declared as invisible, by the learned devoid of beginning, middle and end and the panacea for all worldly ills. After meditating on him thus with concentration, the devotee shall perform obeisance after showing different mystic signs and performing the rites of invocation, installation, concentration and observance. He shall meditate on lord Shiva himself, of Sakala and Niskala forms. After meditating on Shiva and his attributes, he shall meditate on Prvati as Manonmani to the left of Shiva. Repeating the mantra “Gaurirmimaya” preceded by the Praṇava he shall invoke Parvati as before and perform the rites ending with prostration. The sage of pious concentrated mind shall meditate on her. After meditating on them, the ascetic of restrained mind shall perform ablution with the water in the manner of Pranava—prokṣana. He shall offer Padya repeating mantra “Bhave bhave natibhave”. He shall offer water for Acamana by uttering “Vamaya namaḥ”. He shall offer a fresh piece of cloth saying Jyeṣṭhaya Namaḥ” (obeisance to the eldest). He shall offer the sacred thread saying Shresthaya Namaḥ (obeisance to the most excellent). He shall offer water for Acamana once again saying “Rudraya Namaḥ” (obeisance to Rudra). He shall offer well consecrated scent saying “Kalaya Namaḥ”; raw grains saying “Kalavikaraṇaya Namaḥ”;flowers, saying “Balavikaraṇaya Namaḥ”; incense assiduously saying “Balāya Namaḥ”; oiler good lamp saying “Balapramathanāya Namaḥ.” Along with the Vedas including their six ancillaries, Matṛka, Praṇava and Shiva joined with Shiva, he shall show mystic signs to Shiva and to Parvati. After performing meditation and worship duly in accordance with the rules the expert devotee shall begin the Avaraṇa Puja. |
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