Worship of Shivalinga – Shiva Purana

The worship of phallic emblem is equivalent to all the charitable gifts, sacred rites, holy centres, restraint and sacrifices, In the age of Kali yuga the worship of phallic image is excellent and yield worldly pleasures and salvation. (Chapter 21 Shlokas 24-26)
 
Prostrations, obeisance with prayers, sacred rites, sins perish immediately. Sins are said to be quelled by virtues. Pranav is in the form of japa and circumambulation is physical rite.
 
Whom worshipped:

1. Worship of Shivalinga in prescribed manner is worship of eight cosmic bodies – panchbutas (earth, fire, water, air, ether), sun, moon & worshipper who sacrifice.
2. Shiva (the most auspicious one) in the names of Sarva (the source of everything), Bhava (the source), Rudra (the fierce, the roarer, mightiest of mighty), Ugra (the aggressive), Bhima (the fearful), Ishvara (the all-pervasive one), Mahadeva (Lord of the deities) & Pasupathi (Lord of all beings) are worshipped with eight cosmic bodies.
3. Then, worship Shiva family with great devotion with sandal paste, raw rice and bilwa leaves. Shiva family includes Ishana (the power of revealment, Goddess Durga), Nandi (the power of happiness & satisfaction, Bull), Chanda (the power of compassion, moon), Mahakala (the power of dissolution, beyond time or death), Bhringi (head of ganas), Vrishabha (Ox), Skanda (Kartikeya), Kapardisa (a form of shiva), Soma (moon, plant giving immortality) and Shukra (Shukracharya). They are worshipped commencing from Ishana (north east) respectively.  Vīrabhadra is worshipped in front and Kirtimukha at the back. Then worship eleven Rudras is done.

 
Modes of worship:

1. Then worshipper shall repeat the five-syllabled mantra, Satarudriya, many Saiva hymns and read Panchanga and perform circumambulation. After obeisance, the worshipper shall bid farewell to the phallic image. Divine rites in night should be done facing northward. It is advisable to worship shiva with Tripuṇḍra (three lines on the forehead), Rudrakṣa and Bilvapatra. (Chapter 21 Shlokas 45-56)

 

1. The devotee should worship Shiva by performing Shiva’s sacred rites, Shiva’s penance (tapas), Shiva Japa, Shiva’s knowledge and meditation of Shiva. (Chapter 18 Shlokas 24-25)

 
Why worship:

1. People of pravratti marg (worldly activity-oriented life) worship ritualistically and people of nivratti marg (retired worldly life) worship subtle Linga. (Chapter 18 54-56)
2. When Shiva is gladdened by the austerities of deities and sages, Shiva in the form of Nada assumes the form of a seed under the ground and manifest himself outside and makes his presence felt. Since it is self-raised, it is called as Svayambhu. By worshipping it the devotee gains increasing knowledge automatically. (Chapter 18 Shlokas 32-34)
3. Worshipping of earthen phallic images according to Vedic rites yields worldly pleasures and salvation.
4. By reciting ten crore japa of Shiva mantra, one acquires Brahma’s region. A further ten crore japa, one acquires Vishnu’s region. By further ten crore japa, one acquires Rudra’s region. By further ten crore japa, one acquires Ishvara’s region. Again, by a similar japa performed with concentration he attains Kalachakra, the first in Shiva loka. The kalchakra has five sheaths of Chakras – Brahm chakra (sight & delusion), Vishnu chakra (enjoyment and delusion), Rudra chakra (anger and delusion), Ishvara chakra (Revolution) and Shiva chakra (Knowledge and delusion). By reciting 105 crore Shiva mantra carefully, one attains shiva loka outside the five sheaths. One finds bull in form of penance there. (Chapter 17 Shlokas 103-111)

 
When Worshipped:
The japa of the five-syllabled mantra (Namah Shivay) shall always be performed along with pranava. The practice should start on Chaturdashi day of bright side of moon and concluded on Chaturdashi day of dark side of moon. The months of magha and bhadrpada are the most auspicious on all occasions. Devotee should take one meal only and avoid useless talks and curb all his sense organs. The five syllabled mantra should be repeated one thousand times daily. All the time remembering the various aspects of Shiva who is seated in lotus pose, five syllabled mantras should be done five lakh times and concluding day twelve thousand times. (Chapter 17 Shlokas 36-38)
 
In case in the dark moon of Ashwin month, if Chaturdashi falls on Sunday and Sankranti is with ardra & mahrdra stars, it is very auspicious for Shiva Puja. Shiva Puja on Magh Chaturdashi in the dark moon bestows the cherished desires, longevity, prevents premature death and accords special powers. (Chapter 16 Shlokas 40-42) The worship of Shiva on Mondays together with making gifts in the month of Kartika supresses excessive poverty and increases prosperity. (Chapter 16 Shlokas 51-52)
 
How Worshipped:
For the sake of worship, devotee should invite five Brahmins along with wives who are great shiva devotees.  One who is excellent who shall be assigned Simba form, others shall be assigned aspects of Shiva viz. Isana, Aghora, Vama Sadyojata. Worship should start as per scriptural code. After conclusion of worship, havan should be should be done with cow ghee and mantra. Devotee should offer one thousand ablution and Brahmins to offer one hundred eight times. At the end of Haven, devotee should wash the feet of Brahmins, offer meals and give monetary gifts. If the householder completes another five-lakh mantra, all his sins are wiped off. If ten million japas are completed in all, he shall become identical with Brahman. (Chapter 17 Shlokas 43-56)
 
At the beginning of the rite, the person should adore Sri Ganesh to ward off the obstacles in performing sacred rite. To ward off all sort hindrances, the person must worship all the deities. There are three types of hindrances – Adhyatimika (ailments of body), Adhibhautika (extraneous to physical body such as due to animals, instects, trees etc.) and Adhidaivika (divine calamities including pandemic, endemic etc.) (Chapter 18 Shlokas 98-106).
 
In common procedure of Shiva’s worship, the eight names of Shiva viz. om Haray Namah; Om Maheshvaray Namah; Om Shambhvaya Namah; Om Shulpanay Namah; Om Pinakgrishe Namah; Om Shivay Namah; Om Pashupatay Namah; Om Mahadevay Namah, shall be used respectively for the rites bringing the clay, making Shivalinga, installation, invocation, ceremonial ablution, worship, craving the forbearanceand ritualistic farewell. Nyasa rite and anganyasa performed. Meditation with mantra Om Namah Shivay (Chapter 19 Shlokas 47-50)
 
The rites in detail are explained in chapter 20 as under:

1. The devotee shall take bath as per prescribed sacred code.
2. He shall perform his Sandhya prayers.
3. After performing Brahma Yajna (one of the five daily sacrifices), he shall perform tarpana (a rite of offering water oblations to the manes).
4. After finishing daily rites, he shall apply ashes and wear Rudraksha, allalong remembering Bhagwan Shiva.
5. With great devotion, he shall worship earthen phallic emblem according to Vedic injunctions, on the bank of river or tank, or on the top of mountain, or in the forest, or in shiva temple.  It must be clean place.
6. The material of worship shall be sprinkled with water, chanting the mantra “Om Namah Shivay”.
7. Then sanctify the holy centre with chanting mantra – “Bhurasi” etc…
8. Water shall be sanctified with chanting mantra – “Apo asman…(Yajurveda 4/2)
9. The rite of “Phatikabandha” shall be performed with Namaste Rudra mantra (Yajurveda 16/1)
10. The sprinkling of water to sanctify the area and “Panchamarta” sprinkling shall be done with chanting mantra – namah Shambhvaya..(Yajurveda 16/41)
11. The installation of the phallic image of Shiva shall be done with mantra – Namah Nilagrivaya (Yajurveda 16/8)
12. Offer seat with mantra – Etatte rudraya..(Yajurveda 3/61)
13. Avahana done with mantra – Ma no mahantam…(Yajurveda 16/15)
14. Seating of Bhagwan Shiva is done with mantra – Ya te rudrena….(Yajurveda 16/2)
15. Nyasa (Ritualistic touching of various body parts) performed with mantra – Yamish…..(Yajurveda 16/3)
16. Offer fragrance with mantra – Adhyavochat….(Yajurveda 16/5)
17. Nyasa of Shiva done with mantra – Asau….(Yajurveda 16/6)
18. Upasarpana (Going near deity) with mantra – Asau Yovasarpati…(Yajurveda 16/7)
19. Padya seva (washing the feet of deity) with mantra – Namostu Nilagrivaya..(Yajurveda 16/8) 
20. Reception (arghya) of deity with mantra – Rudragyatri
21. Achamana (sipping water) with mantra – Tryambaka….(Yajurveda 3/60)
22. Milk Abhishek (Ceremonial ablution – bathing the deity with milk) with mantra – Payah Prthivyam…(Yajurveda 18/36)
23. Curd Abhishek (Ceremonial ablution – bathing the deity with curd) with mantra – Dadhi kravnah…(Yajurveda 23/32)
24. Ghee Abhishek (Ceremonial ablution – bathing the deity with Ghee) with mantra – Ghratam…(Yajurveda 6/19)
25. Honey & Sugar Abhishek (Ceremonial ablution – bathing the deity with honey and sugar) with mantra – Madhuveta…(Yajurveda 13/27, 13/28, 13/29)
26. Panchamart Abhishek can also be done with mantra..Namostu Nilagrivaya (Yajurveda 16/8)
27. Katibandhana (tying of waistband) with mantra – Ma Nastoke…(Yajurveda 16/16)
28. Cloth of upper part of body offered to deity with mantra – Namo Dhrsnae…(Yajurveda 16/36)
29. Vastrasamarpana (offering cloth & janau) to deity with mantra – Ya te heti..(Yajurveda 16/11, 16/12, 16/13, 16/14)
30. Offer scent (sandal wood & Roli) with mantra – Namah Shvbhyah.. (Yajurveda 16/28)
31. Offer Akshat (raw rice grains) with mantra – Namastaksabhyah….(Yajurveda 16/27)
32. Flower offering with mantra – Namah Paryaya….(Yajurveda 16/42)
33. Offering Bilva leaves with mantra – Namah Parnaya..(Yajurveda 16/46)
34. Offering incense with mantra – Namah Kapardine…(Yajurveda 16/29)
35. Lamp shall be offered with mantra – Namah Ashave..(Yajurveda 16/31)
36. Offering Naivedya with mantra – Namah Jyesthaya..(16/32)
37. Achamana offered with mantra – Tryambakam..(Yajurveda 3/60)
38. Fruits offered with mantra – Ima Rudraya…(Yajurveda 16/48)
39. Offer everything with mantra – Namo Vrajyaya…(Yajurveda 16/44)
40. Offer Akshat (raw rice grain) to eleven rudra with mantra – Ma…(Yajurveda 16/15, 16/16)
41. Offer Dakshina (fee) with mantra – Hiranayagarbha…(Yajurveda 13/4)
42. Abhisheka (ablution) to deity with mantra – Devasaya…(Yajurveda 20/3)
43. Arti (wave light) to deity with mantra – Namah Ashave…(Yajurveda 16/31)
44. Pushpanjali (offer handful flowers) with mantra – Ima rudraya...(Yajurveda  16/48)
45. Pradakshina (Circumambulation) with mantra – Ma No..(16/15)
46. Sastanga Pranam (prostration – all limbs touching ground) with mantra – Ma Nastoke..(Yajurveda 16/16)
47. Shiv mudra with mantra – Esha te…(Yajurveda 3/57)
48. Abhay mudra with mantra – Yato Yatah…(Yajurveda 36/23)
49. Jnana mudra with mantra – Tryambakam…(Yajurveda 3/60)
50. Mahamudra with mantra – Namah Sena…(Yajurveda 16/26)
51. Dhenumudra with mantra – Namo Gobhyah..(Gomti Vidya)
52. Saturrudriya mantra – (Yajurveda 16)
53. Visarjana (ritualistic farewell) with mantra – Deva gatu..(Yajurveda 8/21)
54. The ashes resulting from Vedic rites in fire shall be smeared over the forehead at the end of rites. Since the ashes (Bhasma) are purified by the mantras the rite itself takes the form of ashes. Applying the ashes on forehead tantamount to assimilating the sacred rite on one’s own atman. (Chapter 18 Shlokas 61-62)

 
Sacred fire rite is performed as prescribed in chapter 18: -
Shanti yajna needs to be performed to ward off evil effects. Shanti (peace) yajna should be done every year in Phalgun month. Yajna should be done as under (Chapter 18 Shlokas 107-128):

1. In a temple, a cowshed, a yajna shala, or in one’s own courtyard;
2. On a raised platform (around two hands high) - around the circle of the midpoint, eight vessels (kalasha) be placed in eight directions. Put lotuses, leaves of mango tree, darbha grass (kusha), precious stones, scent, filled with water, panch dravya (cow dung, urine, milk, curd & ghee), in all the kalashas.
3. Sri Vishnu shall be invoked and worshipped in the central vessel.
4. Repeat mantras of the respective deities hundred times each.
5. At the end of Japa, homa should be performed to the west of the vessels.
6. Offerings in the fire may be a crore, a thousand, hundred and eight in number, according to time, place and convenience. It can be performed in a single day, for nine days or for forty days. Offerings shall be by repeating names of deities or mantras. Cooked rice and ghee shall be used. The articles of worship should be used in beginning till end.
7. At the conclusion, the Punyahavacana shall be performed and the holy water of vessels shall be sprinkled all over.     
8. Brahmins shall be fed in as many numbers as the number of offerings.
9. The entire rite shall conclude after worship of nine planets.
10. Different types of gifts shall be made to deserving persons. Yama is the presiding deity of all calamities, grave diseases etc. Hence, to gratify Yama, kala (God of death) image or statue (in gold) should be gifted. Gingelly seeds should be gifted for longevity; ghee or mirror for the sake of quelling ailments; for the quiescence of evil spirits the great adoration of Bhairava should be performed.
11. At the end of rites, Naivedya should be offered to Shiva.
12. Then public feeding of Brahmins shall be held.

Reference: Vidhyeshwara Samhita of Shiva Purana