Worship of the Parthiva Lingam

Suta continued

Hear how devotees should follow the Vedas and worship a Parthiva lingam. Only the path shown by the Vedas gives pleasure and liberation. A person must bathe by the norms given in the codes, keep the sandhya rites, do brahma yajna and follow the water rites for the ancestors. A man must follow the norms and do all the daily karma. Remembering Shiva, he adorns himself with ash and wears rudraksha. If one follows the Vedic norms properly, one succeeds in gaining the complete fruits. Full of supreme devotion, the excellent Parthiva lingam is then worshipped. It is recommended to carry out the worship along a river or pond bank, on a mountain or in a forest, in Shiva's temple or a pure spot. Brahmanas, one carefully collects clay from a pure spot and attentively fashions Shiva's lingam. It is said brahmanas must use white clay, those who live by their arms red clay, vaishyas clay yellow in colour and shudras black clay. If this is unavailable, anything available can be used. With the collected clay the lingam is fashioned with great care. The auspicious clay is placed in an extremely auspicious region, purified with water and gently kneaded. Following the path shown in the Vedas, the auspicious Parthiva lingam is fashioned.

If it is worshipped with devotion, pleasures and liberation are gained as fruits. I will describe the recommended method; listen. With the mantra "Namah Shivaya" the articles for worship are washed. With the bhurasi mantra the ground is purified, which ensures success. The water is purified with the aposman mantra. Entry of harmful things is barred with the "Namaste Rudra" mantra. With the "Namah Shambhavya" mantra the spot is purified. Adding the word "Namah," the five nectars are sprinkled. Shankara's excellent Chara lingam is faithfully set up with the mantra "Namah Nilagrivaya." Devoutly, with the mantra "Etatte Rudravasam," following the Vedic path, an excellent seat is offered. The invocation is made with the mantra "ma no mahantam." With the mantra "ya te Rudra," the Chara lingam is seated. With "yamishum," Shiva is placed on different parts of the body. Fragrances are offered with "adhyavochat." With "asou jiva," other gods are placed. One approaches the god with "asou yovasarpati." Foot water is offered with the words "Namah Nilagrivaya." Arghya is offered with the Rudra-Gayatri mantra. Water for rinsing is offered with the mantra to Tryambaka. Bathing with milk is done with "payah prithivyam," with curd with "dadhikravnah," and with ghee with the ghee mantra. Bathing with honey and sugar is said to be done with the three hymns "madhu vata," "madhu naktam" and "madhuman nah." This is how bathing with the five nectars is done; or the bathing with the five nectars can be done with the mantra used for foot water. The waistband is tied lovingly with "ma nastoke," and the upper garment offered with "namo dhrishnave." By the norms a devotee offers the garment to Shiva with the four Vedic hymns "ya te heti." An intelligent person lovingly offers fragrances with the hymn "namah shabhyah." Unbroken rice is offered with "namastakshabhyah," flowers with "namah paryaya," bilva leaves with "namah parnaya," incense with "namah kapardine," and the lamp with "namah ashave." The excellent food offering is made with "namah jyeshthaya," rinsing water again with the mantra to Tryambaka, fruit with the hymn "ima rudraya," and with the hymn "namo vrajyaya" everything is offered to Shambhu. The eleven Rudras are worshipped with eleven offerings of unbroken rice, using the two mantras "ma no mahantam" and "ma nastoke." The fee is offered with the three hymns beginning "Hiranyagarbhah." A learned person bathes the lingam with the mantra "devasya tva." By the norms, lamps are waved before Shambhu with "namah ashave," flowers offered with "ima rudraya," and he circles chanting "ma no mahantam." An intelligent person bows full length with "ma nastoke." He shows Shiva mudra with "esha te," the fearless gesture with "yato yatah," the knowledge gesture with the Tryambaka mantra, the great gesture with "namah senabhyah," and the cow gesture with "namah gobhyah." After these five gestures he does japa of Shiva's mantra and the Shatarudriya, then the five-part recitation. Dismissal is made with a mantra announcing the god's departure. So the details of following the Vedic norms and worshipping Shiva are given. Now briefly hear the Vedic norms in short. The clay is collected with the Sadyojata hymn, the water sprinkled with a mantra to Vamadeva, the lingam fashioned with the Aghora mantra, the invocation made with the Tatpurusha mantra, and the lingam fixed to the pedestal with the mantra to Ishana. An intelligent devotee follows all the other norms briefly. By the norms he does the worship with sixteen offerings, using the five-syllable mantra or any other the guru has given. "We meditate on Bhava, Bhavanasha, Mahadeva, Ugra, Ugranasha, Sharva and Shashimouli." With great devotion an intelligent person worships Shankara as described, carefully avoiding any lapse. If Shiva is devoutly worshipped so, he gives fruits.

If one follows the order shown in the Vedas, this is the method. Brahmanas, besides this I will mention the other ordinary methods for doing the worship properly. The way of worshipping the Parthiva lingam by reciting Shiva's names is also taught; hear it, best of sages, for it gives all one desires. For collecting the clay, kneading it, establishing it, invocation, bathing, worship, asking forgiveness and dismissal, the names used are Hara, Maheshvara, Shambhu, Shulapani, Pinakadhrik, Shiva, Pashupati and Mahadeva. "Aum" is prefixed. The names are used in the dative case and end with "Namah." This is the order. The rites must be done with great devotion and supreme joy. Placement of mantras is done properly, with placement on both hands. With the six-syllable mantra one meditates. Devotees meditate on Shiva seated on his seat in Kailasa, worshipped by Sananda and others, like a forest fire to the devotees' afflictions, which are the kindling, immeasurable, the ornament of the universe, embraced by Uma. One should always meditate on Mahesha so: "He is like a mountain of silver. He wears the beautiful crescent moon on his forehead. His limbs blaze with resplendent jewels. The supreme hunter wields an axe. His pleasant face grants freedom from fear. He is seated in the lotus posture, worshipped by crowds of immortals around him, clad in tiger skin, the primordial being in the universe, the seed of the universe, who dispels all fears, with five faces and three eyes." Meditating so, one worships the Parthiva lingam. By the norms he does japa of the five-syllable mantra taught by the guru. Lords among brahmanas, an intelligent devotee praises the lord of the gods in many ways and bows. He reads the Shatarudriya mantra. He gladly collects unbroken rice and flowers in cupped hands. Full of great devotion, he prays faithfully to Shankara with this mantra: "I belong to you. My breath of life is your qualities. Lord, my consciousness is always fixed in you. You are an ocean of compassion. Lord of beings, knowing this, favour me. Whatever I have done, knowingly or unknowingly, in japa and worship, Shankara, by your favour may all of it yield excellent fruit. I am a great sinner and you are the great one who purifies at once. Refuge of Gouri, knowing this, do as you wish. Mahadeva, the Vedas, Puranas and the conclusions of many rishis have been unable to comprehend you. Sadashiva, how can I possibly know you? Maheshvara, in every way I belong to you. You should save me. Parameshvara, please favour me." Having said this, the devotee places the unbroken rice and flowers over Shiva's lingam. Sages, by the norms he bows full length before Shambhu. An intelligent person then circles him and again praises the lord of the gods devoutly in words of praise. Having spoken these words from his throat, the pure and humble devotee bows. Having taken leave, he does the dismissal. Tigers among sages, so I have described the rules for worshipping the Parthiva lingam. It gives pleasure and liberation and increases devotion to Shiva. A person who reads this chapter with a pure mind, or listens to it, is freed from all sins and gains all he desires: long life, freedom from disease, fame and heaven. This excellent account gives sons, grandsons and happiness.