Rules for Diksha as Shiva's Devotee

Upamanyu said

Next, judging how worthy the disciple is, the guru purifies him along the six paths, which free from every kind of bondage. In short, the six paths are Kala, Tattva, Bhuvana, Varna, Pada and Mantra. The learned say the path of Kala consists of Nivritti and the other kalas, five in number, and in their five forms they run through the paths. The path of Tattva runs from Shiva's tattvas down to the earth, twenty-six in number, some pure and some impure. The path of Bhuvana is said to begin with Adhara and end with Unmana, sixty in all if one does not enter into sub-divisions. The path of Varna is the fifty letters, which have the forms of Rudras. The path of Pada has many varieties. The path of Mantra is above all the others and is filled by the supreme knowledge. Shiva is not counted among the tattvas, because he is their leader, and likewise the chief of mantras is not counted in the path of Mantra. The path of Kala pervades and the other paths are pervaded. A person who does not know the tattvas, or the nature of these six paths, is not fit to be purified through them. One who does not know what pervades and what is pervaded cannot know the paths. Only one who has understood this properly can purify through the paths.

As before, the pit and the mandala are prepared. To the east a mandala for the pot is prepared, two hands in size. Having bathed and done his daily rites, Shiva's acharya enters the mandala with the disciple and worships Shambhu as before. Payasam is cooked for the lord from excellent rice, at least one adhaka in measure; half is offered as the food offering and half kept for oblations. If the many-coloured mandala is already prepared, the instructor places five pots, one in each direction and one in the centre. Skilled in the rituals, he invokes the five brahmanas and, uttering the basic mantra from "Namah" to "ya," with bindu and nada, performs the rites: Ishana is invoked in the central pot, Purusha in the east, Aghora in the south, Vamadeva in the north and Sadyojata in the west. He does the protective rites and shows the mudras. Having invoked mantras over the pots as before, he offers oblations in Shiva's fire. The half of the payasam set aside for oblations is offered, and the rest is kept for the disciple to eat. As before, after the water rites and mantras he makes a complete oblation, with lamps shown. In the lamp rite, three oblations are made with the mantra "Aum hum Shivaya phat svaha," meditating at each mantra on the blazing form of the image.

Three brahmana girls are asked to spin three white threads, one each. These are tied together and the disciple's tuft is bound with them. When the disciple stands upright, the thread should hang from the top of his head down to the big toe. The sushumna is symbolically united with this thread. Skilled in mantras, the guru shows the mudra for peace and makes three oblations with the basic mantra, invoking consciousness in the disciple's presence. As before, he strikes the disciple's heart with flowers. Consciousness is invoked within a twelve-petalled lotus. The thread of consciousness is joined to the thread and guarded by the armour of the astra mantra. Covering the thread, he then pictures the disciple's body. The three threads are bonds, standing for objects of pleasure and enjoyment, and he thinks of the body giving rise to senses and objects. Space and the elements are forms of the kalas, Shantyatita and the rest. With the word "Namah" their names are spoken and joined to the thread; or, as before, the seed mantras can be used. He contemplates the impurities that pervade the tattvas and the way the kalas pervade the impurities. Making oblations, he kindles the kalas. He strikes the disciple's head and the thread on his body. Reciting the mantra, he decorates the thread with Shantyatita-pada, proceeding in order from Shantyatita-pada to Nivritti-pada. Three oblations are then offered inside the mandala and Shiva worshipped.

The disciple sits south of the divinity facing north on darbha grass spread inside the mandala. After oblations the guru gives him the remaining charu. Speaking Shiva's name first, the disciple eats what the guru gave, rinses his mouth twice and chants Shiva's mantra. In the other mandala the guru gives him the five products of the cow, which he drinks devoutly, remembering Shiva, and again rinses twice. As before, the disciple is seated in the third mandala and given a twig with the marks the texts describe, for cleaning his teeth. Facing north or east, holding his speech, he cleans his teeth with its soft tip while seated, washes his hands, throws the twig aside, rinses his mouth and remembers Shiva. When told by the instructor, he joins his hands and enters Shiva's mandala. If the guru sees the discarded twig lying to the north-east, west or in front, that is auspicious; otherwise it is inauspicious. If it lies in an inauspicious direction, the guru must calm the fault with the basic mantra and a hundred, fifty or twenty-five oblations. He then approaches the disciple and whispers Shiva's japa in his ear. The disciple sits south of the divinity. At night he lies on pure darbha grass spread with an unwashed cloth and sanctified with mantras, head to the east, meditating on Shiva. The thread is already tied to his tuft, and the unwashed cloth is also tied to the tuft; with the mantra of protection the guru covers him. Around him three lines are drawn with ash, sesame and mustard seeds, guarded by the astra mantra. Oblations to the guardians of the directions are made outside. Having lain down so, the disciple eats nothing else. On rising in the morning he tells the guru any dream he has seen.