External & Internal Worship – Shiva Purana

Good fortune, handsome and brilliant features, good strength, compassionate and renouncing temperament, heroism, fame in the world—all these are secured by one who worships the lord.
The chapters 18 & 20 to 33 in Section 7.2 of Vayaviya-saṃhita of Shiva Purana informed about the procedure of consecration & Worship of Shiva.
Mantra -
In order to purify, one shall perform the Japa of the five-syllabled mantra. Restraining the vital breath thrice he shall cut off the knot of the elements repeating the Astra mantra and showing the mystic gesture of Astra. After meditating on the Atman that has entered the body, in the lotus of the heart, he shall sprinkle with the shower of nectar the body consisting of Vidya.
Nyasa -
Nyasa is an assignment of the various parts of the body to the deity. It is usually accompanied with prayer and ritualistic touching of corresponding body parts. This forms an essential part of Karma-Yajna. Nyasa is of three types: Sthiti (maintenance), Utpatti (primary injunction to perform an action) and Laya (withdrawal). The first is for householders, the second for Brahmacharins, the third for ascetics, forest-dwellers and widows.
Then he shall perform the rite of Karanyasa. Thereafter he shall perform the Dehanyasa by means of the great Mudra. After performing the rite of Anganyasa in the manner mentioned by Shiva, he shall perform the Varṇanyasa in the joints of hands, feet and other parts of the body. Thus, he shall succinctly perform the purification of the body and Atman. Attaining the status of Shiva he shall worship Parameshvara.
The first is Matṛkanyasa; the next is Brahmanyasa; Praṇavanyasa is the third; the next is Haṃsa Nyasa and the fifth Nyasa is mentioned as Panchaksharatmaka (consisting of the five-syllabled mantra). After performing the Nyasa of the letters in the manner of fifty Rudras the five Brahmans shall be fixed in the limbs, face etc. and Kala.
Yajna -
One shall dedicate himself to Shiva and eschew his identity. Thinking “I am Shiva” one shall perform Shaivite rites, viz. Karmayajna, Tapoyajna, Japayajna, Dhyanayajna and Jnanayajna. The latter ones are better than the earlier ones. Karmayajna is of two kinds: one with a specific desire and the other without that.
He who has meditation and knowledge crosses the ocean of worldly existence. Dhyanayajna which is freedom from the defects of violence etc. is a pure mental process for salvation and is therefore the greatest means.

​Worship Materials -

1. Vessels of Prokṣaṇi Arghya, Padya and Achamaniya. After purifiying, the devotee shall pour auspicious water therein.
2. The holy materials of worship are many such as gems, silver, gold, scents, flowers, Akshatas, fruits, sprouts and Darbha grass.

 
External Worship Procedure -

1. The following materials shall be put in the Prokṣaṇi vessel: —Kusha, flowers, Yava grains, Bahumula and Tamalaka along with Bhasma.
2. Every vessel shall be blessed by chanting the mantras; externally covered by the Varma mantra and protected by Astra mantra. He shall show the Mudra of cow.
3. Lord Vinayaka shall be worshipped with various foodstuffs. After that, near the southern doorway he shall duly worship the chief of harem Nandin himself. In the north the wife of the doorkeeper, the daughter of the Maruts, Suyasa who bedecks the feet of Amba shall be worshipped. He shall enter the sanctum sanctorum of Brahma and worship the Linga.
4. With the flower in the hand, he shall perform the Japa of the mantra up to the extent of his ability for the parity; through the Mantra Canda shall be worshipped in the north-cast and the Nirmalya given over to him
5. After offering Padya, Achamana, Arghya, scents, flowers, ornaments, incense, Naivedya, water, light and Tambula, the devotee shall perform the ablution of Shiva and Parvati.
6. The phallic idol shall be bathed with the liquid Panchgavya, curds, milk, ghee, honey etc., powdered roots, essence of fruits, powdered gingelly seeds, mustard and fried grains, yava seeds etc. and the meritorious powder of black gram. After bathing the idol, it shall be smeared with paste of flour and bathed in hot water.
7. The devotee shall rub the idol with the leaves of Bilva etc. for the removal of the smell. Again, he shall bathe it with water. Royal service shall be rendered, such as the appliances of scents myrobalan or turmeric paste. Again, the phallic and the embodied image shall be washed with scented water, sprinkled with Kusha grass and flowers or with the water from gold and gemset vessels purified by the chanting of mantras.
8. The hymns of Pavamana, Rudra, Nila and Tvarita or the hymns of Linga Sukta or the hymns from Atharvashiras Upanishad or the hymns from the Ṛgveda or Samaveda relating to Shiva or the five Brahmans be used for the ablution of the lord of the chiefs of the gods. The name Shiva and the Praṇava too shall be used.
9. Eight lamps shall be lighted all round and one lamp shall be kept in the middle. In these the nine Shaktis Vama etc. shall be meditated upon and worshipped.
10. After covering with Kavaca mantra and protecting with the Astra mantra he shall show the Mudra of cow and lift the vessel with both the hands.
11. Circumambulation, obeisance, eulogy, dedication of the self and submission of one’s wish shall be humbly made.
12. Arghya and handful of flowers shall be offered and Mudra shall be shown in accordance with injunctions. Forgiveness shall be prayed and the lord shall be ritualistically dismissed. The devotee shall meditate on the lord only in his Atman.

Internal Worship -
In internal worship, the materials are mentally conceived and purified. After meditating on Vinayaka and worshipping the lord in accordance with the injunctions, the learned devotee shall propitiate Nandisa and Suyasa in the south and the north and offer mentally well-conceived seat. Shiva shall be meditated on it. He is accompanied by Amba. He possesses all excellences. Just as Mantra Nyasa is performed in the body so also in this form the devotee can meditate on embodied Shiva who is beyond Sat and Asat as in the manner of external worship. He shall complete the worship mentally. He shall then mentally imagine the Homa in the navel with sacrificial twig, ghee etc. He shall meditate on Shiva in the middle of the eye-brows in the form of the flame of the pure lamp. After concluding the imaginary procedure of propitiation, the devotee shall worship the lord in the phallic image or on the ground or in the fire.

Consecration -
On an auspicious day, in a pure spot devoid of major defects, the preceptor shall at the outset perform the consecration. After making the altar, he shall make eight pits in the eight quarters making the chief one in the north-east. It shall be decorated with garlands, festoons, banners and canopy. In the middle of the altar a mystic diagram shall be drawn. It shall have auspicious characteristics.
Nivrtti Kala shall be installed in the vessel in the east, Pratishtha Kala in the vessel in the west; Vidya Kala in the south. Shanti Kala in the north and the Para Kala in the middle.
To the east of the diagram the great worship of the lord shall start on the consecrated jar. The above-mentioned consecration can be performed on the seashore, or river-bank, or in the cowpen or on a mountain, or in a temple or in the house or in any other charming place, except the platform. After making the diagram as before and the raised ground for fire the preceptor shall invoke all auspicious things about him. He shall meditate upon the lord the protector of sacrifice facing the west. The excellent preceptor shall perform the sacrifice in the sacred fire in the main pit. The other brahmins shall perform the sacrifice all round in the other pits. Some shall recite the Vedic mantras or auspicious hymns. Some shall perform the Japa duly.
After propitiating the assembled brahmins he shall make them recite the Punyaha mantras. He shall then worship. The preceptor shall perform the Saṃkalpa. ‘I shall do thus’ and with the formal permission, he shall bring the disciple who had been observing fast taking only Haviṣya once and who had taken bath and performed daily rites. The disciple shall continue the Japa of Praṇava and meditate on the lord. Auspicious rites shall then be performed for him. He shall be made to sit on the Darbha grass. The disciple shall sit facing the north. The preceptor shall stand facing the east and sprinkle the water from the vessel Prokṣaṇi, on his head as the disciple sits straight with palms joined in reverence. He shall lightly touch with flowers the eyes of the disciple and bind them with a strip of new silk cloth repeating the mantras. The disciple shall circumambulate thrice and offer a handful of flowers with a piece of gold to the lord he shall prostrate on the ground facing the east or the north. Uttering the mantra of shiva, the preceptor, identical with Shiva, shall place his hand on the head of the disciple. With the same hand the preceptor shall touch all the parts of his body. The disciple shall prostrate on the ground before the lord in the form of the preceptor.
The five Brahmans from Ishana to Sadyojata shall be meditated upon in the north-east, east, south and north or in the west, south-east, north-east and south-west or in the north-west north-east and in the four quarters. Beyond that he shall perform the Garbhavaraṇa and repeat the mantras.
Outside he shall worship Indra in the east, Yama in the south, Varuṇa in the west, Kubera in the north, Isha in the north-east, fire in the south-east, Nirṛti in the south-west, Vayu in the north-west, Vishnu in the south-west, Brahma in the north-east and the weapons from thunderbolt to the lotus outside the lotus.
He shall worship the lord duly and perform three Ahutis. He shall sit as before. The preceptor shall touch the disciple with the tips of the Darbha grass. By means of his Vidya he shall enter the Atman. After bowing to the lord, he shall perform the rite of Naḍisandhana. Then, he shall perform the rite of Praṇanirgama as mentioned in Shiva Sastras. Remembering the mystical entry into the body of the disciple he shall perform the Tarpaṇa rite with the mantras. For the Tarpaṇa he shall offer thrice the ten Ahutis with the ancillary mantras. After offering the Pūrṇahuti, the expert preceptor shall offer again ten Ahutis repeating the Mulamantra, by way of expiation.
Meditating on the lord he shall take Bhasma in both the hands and smear it over the body of the disciple repeating Shiva’s names.
After worshipping shiva and securing his behest in the form of Shiva he shall slowly mutter Shiva’s Mantra into the ear of the disciple. At the behest of the preceptor, he shall repeat the mantra with palms joined in reverence and mind concentrating on it. Then after instructing him in the Shakti mantra,
The disciple shall make sankalpa, propitiate the lord with concentrated devotion till delusion is quelled. Thereafter the disciple will be known as Samaya in the preceptor’s hermitage. Then after performing the rite of Karanyasa the preceptor shall take the Bhasma with his own hand and hand it over to the disciple along with the Mulamantra and the Rudraksha over which the mantra has been repeated. If it is possible he shall give him the phallic or the embodied idol of the lord, the requisites of worship, sacrifice, Japa and meditation. The preceptor shall impart to him the Shaivite conduct of life in proportion to his devotion and faith as well as his grasping capacity.

The rite of sacrifice -
After due consecration he shall propitiate the lord and commence sacrifice. The altar shall be made in the form of a circle or a square. In the altar he shall make the eight-petalled lotus. The altar shall be made with smooth clay.
Things to be washed shall be washed and to be sprinkled shall be sprinkled and purified. Then he shall fetch fire in a supporting vessel. The fire may be one produced from crystals, lens etc. or from wood. It shall be whirled round the sacrificial pit thrice repeating the Bija mantra of the fire. To its south he shall worship the idol of Shiva, perform the rite of Mantranyasa with the butter and show the Mudra of cow. The sacrificial spoons shall be metallic but not of bell metal, iron or lead. These shall be made of sacrificial wood. The leaves shall be scrubbed with Darbhas, warmed in the fire, then sprinkled with water in the manner prescribed in his Sutra, repeating the name of Shiva. He shall then make offering to the fire with the eight Bija mantras. The seven Bijas for the seven flames are respectively Bhrum, Stum, Brum, Shrum, Pum, Ḍrum and Drum.
After repeating their Bija mantras the tongues shall be mentioned and the rite concluding with Svaha performed in due order. In the middle he shall perform three Ahutis repeating ‘Ram Vahnyeti Svaha’ either with ghee or with sacrificial twigs. Then the rite of Pariṣecana shall be performed.
Fried grains, mustard seeds, barleys, gingelly seeds, foodstuffs soaked in ghee etc. shall be offered if possible. The number of Ahutis shall be ten, five or three according to capacity. It is enough even if one Ahuti is made. The butter shall be offered with the wooden spoon and the articles with the wooden ladle or with hand. The Homa shall be performed at the divine or saintly spot.