Kamya Rites Continued

Upamanyu said

On either side of Shiva and Shivaa he first worships the two gods Heramba and Shanmukha, on the right and left respectively, with fragrances. In the first enclosure he worships the brahmanas all round, from Ishana to Sadyojata, with their Shaktis. In order, starting from the south-east, the six limbs of Shiva and Shivaa, the heart and the rest, are worshipped. The eight Rudras, Vamadeva and the others, may or may not be worshipped with their Shaktis, from the east in order. Descendant of Yadu, that was the first enclosure; now listen faithfully and lovingly to the second.

Ananta is worshipped on the eastern petal with his Shakti on his left. Sukshma with his Shakti is worshipped on the southern petal. The supreme Shiva with his Shakti is worshipped on the western petal, and Ekanetra on the northern. Then Ekarudra and his Shakti are worshipped on the north-eastern petal, Trimurti and his Shakti on the south-eastern, Shrikantha with his Shakti on his left on the south-western, and Shikhandisha on the north-western. So the Chakravartis are worshipped in the second enclosure. In the third enclosure the eight images are worshipped with their Shaktis in the eight directions starting from the east: Bhava, Sharva, Ishana, Rudra, Pashupati, Ugra, Bhima and Mahadeva. Then the eleven images with their Shaktis: Mahadeva, Shiva, Rudra, Shankara, Nilalohita, Ishana, Vijaya, Bhima, Devadeva, Bhavodbhava and Kapardisha. The first eight are worshipped in order from the south-east. Devadeva is worshipped on the eastern petal, Bhavodbhava is pictured in the north-east or south-east, and Kapalisha in the centre between them.

In this enclosure he worships Vrishendra in the east, Nandi in the south, Mahakala in the north, Shastri in the south-east or on the petal south of the Matrikas, Gajasya on the south-western petal, Shanmukha on the western, Jyeshtha on the north-western, Gouri in the north and Chanda in the north-east. The bull Munindra is worshipped between Shastri and Nandisha, Pingala north of Mahakala, Bhrignishvara between the Shastris and the Matrikas, Virabhadra between the Matrikas and Vighnesha, and Devi Sarasvati between Skanda and Vighnesha. Shri is worshipped at Shiva's feet between Jyeshtha and Kumara, Mahamoti between Jyeshtha and Ganamba, and Devi Durga between Ganamba and Chanda. All Shiva's followers are also in this enclosure. He controls himself and does japa and meditation on those called Rudra, Pramatha and Bhuta with their Shaktis, and on Shivaa's excellent friends. This is how worship goes in the third enclosure.

Outside it he meditates on the fourth enclosure and worships it: Bhanu on the eastern petal, the four-faced one on the southern, Rudra on the western and Vishnu on the northern, each with a separate enclosure. Following the six paths, the blazing limbs of the Shaktis Dipta and the rest are worshipped: Dipta, Sukshma, Jaya, Bhadra, Vibhuti, Vimala, Amoghya and Vidyuta, in order all round from the east. In order, the four images are worshipped in the second enclosure from east to north, and their Shaktis after them. In the east the forms of Vivasvat extend as Aditya, Bhaskara, Bhanu, Ravi, Arka, Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu, with similar extensions in the south. Bodhini is in the west and Apyayini in the north. After nyasa of Ishana and the others, Usha, Prabha, Prajna and Sandhya are worshipped in the second enclosure. In order, Soma, Angaraka, Budha, Brihaspati, Bhargava, Shanaishchara, Rahu and Ketu, the smoky and fearful, are worshipped all round in the fifth enclosure. Or the twelve Adityas may be worshipped in the second enclosure and the twelve signs in the third. Outside, groups of seven are worshipped all round: seven each of rishis, gods, gandharvas, serpents, apsaras, village chiefs, yakshas, yatudhanas, horses and valakhilyas in the form of metres.

After Divakara is worshipped in the third enclosure, the Brahmas are worshipped in all three. Hiranyagarbha is worshipped facing east, Viraja south, Kala west and Purusha north. Hiranyagarbha is the first Brahma, like a lotus; Kala has the colour of jasmine or collyrium; Purusha is like crystal and has the three gunas, sattva, rajas and tamas. These four are set in the first enclosure in order. In the second, starting from the east, Sanatkumara, Sanaka, Sananda and Sanatana are worshipped all round. After this the Prajapatis are worshipped in the third: the first eight in the east and the other three after them, also in the east. The famous Prajapatis are Daksha, Ruchi, Bhrigu, Marichi, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Atri, Kashyapa and Vasishtha, and in order their wives are worshipped with them: Prasuti, Akuti, Khyati, Sambhuti, Dhriti, Smriti, Kshama, Sannati, Anasuya, the mother of the gods and Arundhati, all devoted to their husbands, glorious, beautiful and always occupied in worshipping Shiva. The Vedas are worshipped in the first enclosure, the Itihasa and Puranas in the second, and all the kinds of learning that follow the Vedas, chiefly the Dharmashastras, all round in the third. Other texts besides the Vedas can be worshipped all round as one pleases, in groups of eight or four. After Brahma is worshipped in this way in the three enclosures in the south, Rudra is worshipped in the west with his enclosures. Brahma and the six parts are his first enclosure, Vidyeshvara's is the second, and no difference is given for the third. The four forms are worshipped in order from the east.

The divinity has all three gunas. The one called Shiva is worshipped in the east. Brahma the creator has rajas; as Bhava he is worshipped in the south. Hara the destroyer has tamas and is worshipped as Agni in the west. Vishnu is full of sattva and creates happiness; he is worshipped as Mrida, lord of the universe, in the north. In this way Shiva, who has Shambhu's twenty-six parts, is worshipped in the west, and then Vaikuntha properly in the north. In the first enclosure Vasudeva is worshipped in the east, Aniruddha in the south, Pradyumna in the west and Samkarshana in the north, or in pairs. The first and second enclosures are now told. In the third, on the eastern side, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Rama, the other Rama, you, Krishna, and Ashvamukha are worshipped. The weapon Narayanastra is worshipped in the south, Panchajanya in the west and the Sharnga bow in the north. The supreme Hari, known as the universe, is worshipped like this in the three enclosures. Images are made of Mahavishnu and Sadavishnu and worshipped. In this way Vishnu's four forms are worshipped as the four vyuhas, and their four Shaktis after them: Prabha in the south-east, Sarasvati in the south-west, Ganambika in the north-west and Lakshmi in the north-east. Then come Bhanu's forms and Shaktis. Next the lords of the worlds are worshipped in the same enclosure: Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirriti, Varuna, Vayu, Soma and Kubera, then Ishana. By these rules worship is done in the fourth enclosure.

Then Mahesha's weapons are worshipped outside: the glorious trident in the north-east, Indra's great vajra in the east, the battle axe in the south-east, the arrow in the south, the sword in the south-west, the noose in the west, the goad in the north-west, the Pinaka in the north, and the terrible Kshetrapala in the west. So worship is done in the fifth enclosure, inside and outside, and all these deities are worshipped thus outside the fifth. With the great bull, the Matrikas are worshipped in the fifth enclosure to the east. After this, in every direction, those born as divine species are worshipped: sky-travellers, rishis, siddhas, daityas, yakshas, rakshasas, Ananta and other lords of the nagas, nagas of their lines, dakinis, bhutas, vetalas, pretas, Bhairava leaders, others born in many species and living in the nether regions, rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, lakes, animals, birds, trees, worms, those born as lower species, men born from many kinds of wombs, deer, other worlds inside the egg, crores of cosmic eggs, countless worlds outside the egg and their lords, the Rudras who stand in the ten directions and hold up the worlds, everything that has emerged, the Shakti who is beyond, everything that exists and can be put in words, the sentient and the insentient. All these stand on the sides of Shiva and Shivaa with joined hands, and in worship are pictured so, always looking with a slight smile at Deva and Devi with affection. Having completed the worship of the enclosures in this way, he again worships the lord of the gods, so that any disturbance is calmed.

He is worshipped by uttering the panchakshara. Then he offers a food offering to Shiva and Shivaa: a pure, great and beautiful charu, like amrita, with side dishes. Made with thirty-two adhakas it is best, and with less than one adhaka it is worst. As capacity allows, he prepares and offers it faithfully, then gives drinking water, betel leaf and accompaniments. After the lamp is waved the rest of the worship is completed. One should see that the pleasures offered are excellent. One should be full of devotion, with no deceit about wealth. The virtuous say that kamya rites done by those who are deceitful, indifferent or leave anything incomplete bear no fruit. So one must not be indifferent or leave anything incomplete. Done so, kamya rites succeed in giving the desired fruit. Having completed the worship, he bows to Deva and Devi and with a mind full of devotion chants a stotra. After the stotra he does japa of the panchakshara more than a hundred and eight times, or, if eager, more than a thousand. Then in order he worships learning and the guru, and with respect worships the assistant priests as is fitting. He then takes ritual leave of the lord of the gods with his enclosures. With all the other articles, the mandala is given to the guru, or else everything can be given to Shiva's devotees or placed in a field sacred to Shiva or Shivaa. After worshipping the deities of the enclosures properly, the divinity is worshipped and oblations are offered in Shiva's fire.

This rite is famous in the three worlds under the name Yogeshvara. In the world there is no sacrifice better than this, and no other accomplishment gives such fruits in this world or the next. One cannot state clearly "these are the fruits"; it is excellent in benefits and so the best practice. But this much can be said: a person who worships in this way gains the fruits of a chintamani jewel. Even so, it should not be performed for trifling fruits, for a person who asks something petty of a great one only lowers himself. Whether one wants great fruits or small, the karma and its fruits should be directed to Mahadeva. So a discerning person will do this rite for something that cannot be had from others, like defeating an enemy or conquering death, whether the fruits are seen or unseen. When great sins have been committed there is great fear of diseases, famine and other calamities, and it should be done to calm those. Why say more? Maheshvara said this is his own weapon, to be used by Shiva's devotees against great calamities. A great-souled person knows nothing is as great a saviour. One who engages in the karma with this thought gains what is auspicious. A person who purifies himself and only reads this stotra gets one-eighth of the fruits. One who thinks on it and reads it, fasting on a parva day, the eighth or the fourteenth, gets half. One who thinks on it, seeking the truth, keeps vows on parva and other days and does japa of this stotra for a month, gets all the fruits.