Sequential Worship of Shiva – Shiva Purana

Sequential Worship of Shiva – Shiva Purana
 
Chapter 11 & 13 of Srshti Khanda of Rudra-saṃhita in Shiva Purana, elaborates the procedure of Shiva worship. One should perform the worship of Shiva duly and regularly for the achievement of all desired objects.
 
During the worship, items such as Cow Ghee, Milk with or without sugar, Scented oil, honey, Ganga water, flowers, unsplit rice grains mixed with sandal paste, Bilva leaves, petals or full flowers, incense, lamps, etc. are used. The processes include food-offerings, Arghya, Aartika (waving of lights), Pradakṣiṇa, Namaskara, Kṣamapana (craving forgiveness and Visarjana) the ritualistic dismissal). At that time Satarudriya mantra, Rudraikadasa mantra, Rudrajapya mantra, Puruṣa Sukta, Ṣaḍanga mantra, Mahamṛtyunjaya mantra, Gayatri, names ending with Namaḥ and beginning with Praṇava or Agama mantra shall be repeated. The mantra used shall be pleasing. At the end he shall feed other devotees.
 
Devotee who performs the worship, will become eloquent. He will achieve all he desires. The Supreme lord Shiva will quell all his miseries, ailments, sorrows, heart-burns, crookedness, poisonings and everything distressing quickly. (Chapter 11 Shlokas 29-83)
 
Sequential Steps of worship:

1. Devotee should get up in the Brahma Muhurta (within an hour before dawn).
2. Then remember the preceptor, holy centres and meditate on Hari. Thereafter, remember the deities and the sages. Then recite a prayer in the name of Shiva duly.
3. After bath and observing the preliminaries, devotee shall perform water libation propitiating gods, sages and the manes and wear washed & dried clothes.
4. In a clean place or puja room, the devotee shall take his seat made of wood or a cloth-cover. A seat of diverse colours is conducive to the achievement of all desires. Devotee shall sit on it and apply Tripuṇḍra with the ashes. If ashes are not available marking may be done with holy water. After marking Tripuṇḍra, the devotee shall wear Rudrakṣas.
5. He himself shall sit near all the materials of worship around him. Cooked rice, a vessel for Arghya with water, scented raw rice grains and other items shall also be brought.
6. The devotee shall think upon the preceptor and ritualistically take his permission for the worship. He shall perform the rite of Saṃkalpa (including the requisite mantras and statements about the puja, the day, month, year etc. and the purpose of the Puja) and aver his desire.
7. Devotee shall perform the worship of Shiva devoutly. Showing the mystic mudra and using saffron and other materials he shall bow to and worship Ganesh accompanied by his consorts Siddhi and Buddhi. He shall repeat his names ending with Namaḥ and prefixed with Pranav. Thereafter the pedestal shall be arranged. After craving for forgiveness of the deity, he shall be worshipped again in the company of his brother Kartikeya with great devotion and shall be bowed to again and again. Thereafter, Goddess Sati, Girija shall be worshipped. After worshipping Shiva with sandal paste, saffron, incense, various lamps, and food-offerings of different sorts he shall bow down again.
8. In the house the Linga shall be made of clay, silver or any other metal or mercury. Make the mystical diagram of the lotus of eight petals and install Shiva in its middle. It shall be bowed to with devotion. If that is worshipped, all deities are worshipped. In the house, Shiva shall be worshipped by the root mantra.
9. He shall face the north and perform Achamana thrice with the requisite mantras (with drop of Ganga water and wash the hands.
10. The devotee shall wash his hands and feet and perform Pranayama ten times with Mulamantra. Five mystic Mudras shall be shown with the hand before the worship. Only after showing the Mudras shall the worship be performed.
11. Perform Pranayama thrice.
12. Meditate on Tryaṃbaka (three-eyed Shiva). Shiva shall be invoked then with the following mantra. “I am invoking Shiva, the blissful and favourably disposed to the devotees, Shiva seated on the summit of Kailasa, the excellent lord of Parvati, Shambhu both with or without qualities possessed of five faces, ten hands, three eyes and the bull for banner, as white as camphor, of divine limbs, having crescent moon on the head, wearing matted hair, clad in the hide of an elephant and with the hide of the tiger as upper garment, with Vasuki and other serpents turned round his body, holding Pinaka and other weapons, having the eight Siddhis (accomplishments). During meditation, identify himself with Shiva and burn off his sins.
13. Then the ritualistic purification of the body by touching the various parts of the body with holy water shall be performed. The Nyasa of the Mulamantra (the root mantra) and that of the six angas with Pranav (Oṃkara) shall be performed thereafter.
14. After ritualistically touching the heart, he shall start worship. Different vessels shall be set apart for Padya (water for washing the feet), Arghya (water for the reception of the guest and Achcamana (sipping water).
15. Darbha grass shall be spread and cool water sprinkled over the nine vessels.
16. Reciting the oṃkara, the devotee shall sprinkle the various materials of worship.
17. The fragrant root of the plant Usira and sandal-paste shall be put in the water for washing feet. Fine powders of Jati, Kaṃkola, Karpura, root of Vaṭa and Tamalaka should be put in the water intended for sipping. Sandal powder shall be put in all these nine vessels.
18. Nandi, the divine Bull of Shiva shall be worshipped beside the lord Shiva. The latter shall be worshipped with scents, incense and different lamps.
19. The Linga (phallic image) shall be purified and installed with various mantras beginning with Pranav and ending with Namaḥ (obeisance).
20. The pedestal in the form of Svastika or lotus shall be assigned with Pranav.
21. In the eight petals, in the eight quarters, the eight achievements are identified -the eastern petal is Aṇima (minuteness), the southern is Laghima (lightness), the western is Mahima (greatness), the northern is Prapti (power of reaching), the south-eastern is Prakamya (power of sufficiency), the south-western is Ishitva (lordliness); the north-western is Vasitva (power of control), the north-eastern is Sarvajnatva (omniscience) and the pericarp is the moon (Soma).
22. Beneath the moon is the sun and beneath that is the fire. Dharma etc. are beneath that. All these shall be assigned regularly.
23. In the four quarters Avyakta etc. the unmanifest principle and in the end of Soma the three Guṇas shall be assigned.
24. Lord Shiva shall be invoked by the formula “I am addressing Sadyojata”. Then the devotee small repeat Vamadeva mantra and stand on his seat. The Sannidhya rite shall be performed with Rudra Gayatri mantra and the rite of Nirodha shall be performed with Aghora mantra.
25. Rudra shall be worshipped with the mantra Isanaḥ Sarvavidyanam etc. Padya, Achamaniya and Arghya shall be offered duly. Rudra shall be duly bathed with water, scented with sandal in the same manner as with Panchagavya after taking it in a vessel duly instilled with mantras.
26. Then the deity shall be bathed invoking Pranav with cow’s milk, curds, honey, sugarcane juice etc. Worshipping Rudra who bestows everything that is wholesome and desirable with ghee, the devotee shall perform the Abhisheka with all materials of worship reciting Pranav. In the holy vessels full of water, he shall pour water reciting various mantras after straining it with a white cloth duly.
27. The sprinkling need not be performed until sandal paste is mixed. The water poured over the deity in a continuous current shall be rendered fragrant. The water ablutions shall be made reciting Vedic mantras or six-syllabled mantra eleven times, then the deity shall be wiped with a cloth. Then the Achamana shall be offered and cloth dedicated. Gingelly seeds, barley grains, wheat, green gram or black gram shall then be offered to Shiva with various mantras.
28. Then Offerings of flowers, especially white flowers and rare flowers, shall be made to Lord Shiva. Holy basil leaves or Bilva leaves shall be offered with great devotion. Flowers - Apamarga, Karpura, Jati, Campaka, Kusa, Dhatturas, Mandaras, Paṭala, Karavira, Mallika, Kamala (lotus), rose and Utpalas (lilies) of various sorts shall be used.
29. Sweet smelling cloves etc. shall be offered with Pranav.
30. A worship performed with due recitation of Vedic mantras bestows all benefits. Offerings of flowers and water ablutions shall be made with these mantras whether caused to be read or committed to memory and orally repeated—The Rudra mantra, Nilarudra mantra, Shukla Yajurveda mantras, auspicious Hotṛ mantras, Atharvasirṣa mantras, Shanti mantras, Maruta mantras (सर्वभूतानुभावज्ञ लोकजीवन मारुत । प्रगृह्यतां बलिर्देव मन्त्रपूतो मयोद्यतः ॥), Samaveda mantras, if desired, Devavrata mantras, Rathantara mantras with Puṣpa Suktas, Mṛtyunjaya mantras and the five-syllabled mantra. The water offerings shall be a thousand times or hundred and eight times. They shall be offered strictly in accordance with Vedic injunctions or by repeating the names of the deity.
31. Sweet smelling sandal paste and other unguents shall be applied to the deity.
32. Then, worship of the Linga shall be performed, by Pranav mantra alone. Incense, lamps with ghee, Naivedyas, good betel leaves, pleasant Nirajana (waving of lights) shall be duly offered.
33. Arartika (the rite of waving lights) shall be performed with a lamp with five wicks. Light shall be waved four times at the feet; twice in the umbilical region, once near the face and seven times over the whole body.
34. Then the devotee shall perform meditation as stated before and repeat the mantras.
35. The deity Shiva shall be eulogised lovingly with various hymns. Then the devotee shall perform circumambulation around Shiva by and by.
36. Then he shall perform many times ashtanga prostration i.e., Ashtanga अष्टाङ्ग, means eight parts - Uras (Chest), Shiras (Head), Drishti (Eyes), Manas (Attention), Vachana (Speech), Pada (Feet), Kara (Hand), Jahnu (Knee).
37. He shall then offer handfuls of flowers with great devotion repeating the following mantra. Then, he shall beg pardon for the insufficiency in the worship with or without knowledge.
38. Prayers, obeisance etc. with various mantras shall be performed. Arghya and flower offerings shall be made at the foot.
39. Then Achamana shall be performed immediately.
40. The devotee shall kneel down and devoutly pray to the lord.
41. The devotee shall take some flowers in his hands, stand up with palms joined in reverence and repeating the following mantra shall pray again to Isana, Shankara. O Shiva, may this Japa, Puja etc. performed by me with or without the requisite knowledge be fruitful, thanks to Thy grace. After repeating the above mantra, he shall place the flowers joyously over the Shivalinga.
42. Then the rites of Svastyayachna Asirvada (benediction), Marjana shall be performed.
43. Then Homage, a prayer for forgiveness and Acamana shall be performed.
44. Repeating the Agha mantras for the expiation of sins namaskara shall be duly performed. He shall pray with devout feelings. “Devotion to Shiva, devotion to Shiva, devotion to Shiva in every birth. I have no other refuge. You alone are my refuge.”
45. After praying thus to the lord of the Gods, the bestower of all achievements, the devotee shall loudly pray.
46. He shall then perform namaskara along with the members of his family. He shall feel delighted in all these and thereafter carry on his daily routine.

 
Rewards of objects of worship:
Chapter 14 of Srshti Khanda of Rudra-saṃhita in Shiva Purana, has highlighted the rewards of different objects used by the devotee in worship – Darbhas is for liberation; Durva grass for long life; Dhattura plant with red stem for auspiciousness; Agastya flowers will earn great fame; Tulasi for worldly pleasures and salvation; Aeka or Kubjaklhara flowers secure great valour; Japa flowers (China rose) brings about the death of enemies; Karavira flowers drive away all ailments; Bandhuka flowers for ornaments; Jati flowers will acquire good vehicles; with Atasi flowers tol attain favour of Viṣhṇu; Sami leaves for salvation. With Mallika flowers to secure an auspicious woman; Karṇikara flowers to secure plenty of garments; Nirguṇḍi flowers to purify mind; one lakh Bilva leaves used for worship will secure the fulfilment of all desires etc. Excepting the Campaka and the Ketaka there is no flower which does not appeal to Siva. Different grains such as rice, wheat, barley, green grams etc. bring different gains. (25 -52).
Reference: Chapter 11, 13 & 14, Srshti Khanda of Rudra-saṃhita in Shiva Purana