Siva’s all temples accord salvation. The Earth, fifty crores of yojanas in extent, abounding in mountains and forests, supports the people at the bidding of Siva. The lord has himself raised up these temples and holy centres in different places for the liberation of the residents of these localities. These temples whether self-risen or not, in view of their being accepted (as their frequent resort) by the sages and Devas are intended for the redemption of the people.

An intelligent man shall resort to Ganga or the Kaveri River; certainly the sins will be quelled thereby. There are many holy centres yielding Rudraloka. Only by good conduct, good predilections and good concepts as well as by being sympathetic can the devotee derive the benefit, not otherwise. Meritorious actions performed in a holy centre flourish in many ways. Sinful acts committed in a holy centre, though slight, become manifold.

If the sin committed in a holy centre is only for livelihood, the merit will destroy that sin. Merit accords prosperity and quells physical, verbal and mental sins. The mental sin is adamantine in sticking to the sinner and it continues for many Kalpas. The mental sin can be wiped off only by meditation and not otherwise. Japas and the physical sin wipe off the verbal sin by forcefully causing the emaciation of the body. Sins committed by means of wealth can be wiped off by making charitable gifts and not otherwise, though crores of Kalpas (aeons) may elapse.

Hence those who wish for happiness must refrain from committing sins.

Description of Fire – sacrifices.

Householders who have started their Aupasana rite shall maintain the rite in the sacrificial fire kept in a vessel or pit always. The offering in the fire in the evening for the fire-god is the bestower of prosperity. The offering in the morning for the sun god is conducive to longevity. This is called Agniyajna in as much as it enters the sun during the day.

The different sacrifices Sthalipaka etc. for the propitiation of Indra and other gods by offerings in the fire are called Devayajna. The rites of Caula (ceremony of tonsure) etc. are performed in the ordinary fire.

The regular study of the Vedas is called Brahmayajna. A Brahmin shall perform this constantly for the propitiation of gods. This is to be practiced by all and hence no special rules are prescribed.

At the beginning of the first creation, the omniscient, merciful lord Mahadeva created the different weekdays for the benefit of the entire world. Lord Mahadeva, the global physician, the omniscient, the panacea of all panaceas, made the first day his own day that bestows good health.

Next he created the day of Maya, Illusion, the bestower of prosperity. Afterwards when the birth of Kumara was attended with some mishaps, he created the day for the sake of surmounting mishaps and idleness. With a desire to bless the worlds and for their nurture and protection, he created the next day dedicated to Visnu, the protector of the worlds. The next day created by the lord is for the sake of longevity of the worlds dedicated to the creator of the three worlds, Brahma, called also Paramesthin, who is the bestower of longevity too. Hence this day too bestows longevity.

The last two days are the bestowers of worldly enjoyments and removers of premature death respectively. The world made the sun etc. is His own manifestations and is firmly established in solar cycle, Jyotiscakra, the lords of different days. Their worship in their respective days accord the respective benefits viz: - health, riches, removal of sickness, nourishment, longevity, enjoyment of pleasures and prevention of death respectively. It is said that respective merits of the different days are secured through the gratification of the gods. Siva is the ultimate bestower of the fruits accruing from the worship of other gods as well.

In the ailments, of the eyes or head or for quelling leprosy, the sun shall be worshipped and the Brahmins fed for a day, a month, a year or three years. If the action meritorious or otherwise that has begun to fructify is sufficiently strong, the ailment, old age etc. are alleviated. The repetition of the mantras of the favourite deity accords the respective benefits of the day of the week. The first day of the week dedicated to the sun has the special merit of the removal of sin, especially for Brahmins.

For the sake of riches, the intelligent devotee shall worship Lakshmi etc. on Monday with cooked rice soaked in ghee and shall feed Brahmin couples.

For alleviating ailments, the devotee shall worship Kali and others on Tuesday.

He shall feed Brahmins with an Adhaka a measure of cooked rice, the pulse, black gram and green gram. The scholarly devotee shall worship Visnu with curd-rice on Wednesday. Sons, friends, women folk etc. will always be well nourished forever.

A person who seeks longevity shall worship the deities for their gratification, with sacred threads, cloth, milk and ghee on Thursday. On Friday for the sake of enjoyment of worldly pleasures, the devotee shall worship devas with concentration. Brahmins should be propitiated with the cooked food consisting of six flavours. Good cloth should be presented to women to gladden them. The wise devotee shall worship Rudra and others on Saturday that wards off premature death, by performing Homa with gingerly seeds. He shall make gifts to the Brahmins and feed them with cooked rice and gingerly seeds. Thus worshipping the deities he shall derive the fruit of good health etc.


Bestower of salvation, Sivalingas, their types and forms

Siva gets delighted by the dedication of selves and bestows the salvation of complete identity. This lifetime offering shall be made only to Siva. Siva exemplifies birth in as much as He has the form of both Yoni (vaginal passage) and Linga (Penis). Hence in order to ward off births, the Janmapuja is of Siva alone.

The entire universe consisting to the movable and the immovable is of the nature of Bindu (dot) and Nada (sound). Bindu is Sakti (Power) and Siva is Nada. Hence Siva and Sakti pervade the universe. Bindu is the support of Nada. The universe has the support of Bindu. Both Bindu and Nada together support the entire universe. The unification of the Bindua and the Nada is called Sakalikarana and the universe takes its birth as a result of this Sakalikarana.

The Phallic emblem is the fusion of Bindu and the Nada (sound) and is the cause of the universe. Bindu is the goddess and Siva is the Nada and the fusion of the two is the phallic emblem of Siva. Hence to ward off future births, the devotee shall worship the phallic emblem of Siva. Goddess of the form of Bindu is the mother and Siva of the form of Nada is the father. Great bliss is the result of the worship of the parents. The devotee shall worship the phallic emblem for the acquisition of the Great Bliss.

The lord delighted at the worship of His symbol, wards off the function of the symbol, that function being birth etc. cease.

The worship should be performed on Sundays, which wards off births. The devotee shall worship the great phallic emblem on Sundays with the syllable Om. The syllable Om (a+u+m) is Dhvani Linga.

The svayambhu linga is Nada Linga; the Yantra, diagrammatic contrivance, is Bindulinga. “M syllable is the installed, Pratisthita, linga. “U” syllable is mobile, Cara, Linga and the “A” syllable is a Linga of huge form Guruvigraha. A person who worships the lingas perpetually becomes liberated soul undoubtedly.

A devout worship of Siva liberated man from the bondage of births. A fourth benefit is achieved by wearing Rudraksa beads sacred to Siva and a moiety is achieved by smearing the holy ashes over the forehead. Three- fourths can be achieved by the recital of mantras and a man becomes full-fledged devotee by means of worship. A man who worships both the phallic emblem of Siva and the devotees of Siva attains salvation. Stable devotion can be found firmly established and flourishing only in that person who reads or listens to it attentively.

The glorification of the syllable Om, Pranava and the five-syllabled mantra

The syllable Om means an excellent boat to cross the ocean of worldly existence. Pra = of the Prakriti i.e. the world evolved out of it. Navam – Navam Varam – an excellent boat, Pranava, Om, is that which leads to salvation. Or it may mean that which leads to new knowledge. After annihilating all actions it gives the persons who repeat the mantra or worship, a fresh knowledge of the pure soul. This Pranava is two-fold (1) the subtle (2) the gross.

The subtle one is of a single syllable where the constituent five syllables are not differentiated clearly. The gross one is of five syllables where all the constituent syllables are manifest.

The subtle one is for the liberated living soul, jivanmukta. The need for the contemplation of the meaning through the mantra is only up to the destruction of the physical body. When the body is destroyed, he completely merges in Siva undoubtedly. The mere repeater of the mantra attains the yogic communion with Siva certainly.

A person who repeats the mantra thirty-six crores of times, certainly attains the yogic communion. The subtle Pranava is again two fold – the short and the long.

The long one is present in the heart of the Yogins alone – separately in the form of “A” syllable, “U” syllable, “M” syllable, Bindu and Nada. It is endowed with all the digits of the time sound. Siva. Sakti and their union are indicated by “M” syllable ramified into three and this is called the short subtle Pranava (OM). The short Pranava shall be recited and repeated by those who desire their all sins annihilated.

The devotee who practices the Japa of Pranava (Om) with due ritualistic placing of fingers on the parts of his body becomes a sage. He shall attain all the benefits of the ritualistic Nyasa such as the blessings of ten mothers and the (attainment of) six pathways.

As for those who are devoted to activities and those who both refrain from and indulge in activities, the gross Pranava is recommended. Sivayogins are of three types being devoted to Rites, Austerities and Japas.

The Kriyayogin is the one who engages him in sacred rites and worship spending money, using limbs of the body and uttering words Namah (obeisance) etc.

Tapoyogin is the one who desists from injuring others, restrains all external sense organs, take limited quantities of food and performs worships.

Japayogin is the one who is quiet, performs Japa always, is free from all sorts of desires and maintains all observances.

A five-syllabled mantra of Siva is the Gross Pranava. The name Siva is used in the dative case with Namah prefixed. (Namah Sivaya – Homage to Siva). It implies the five principles. The Japa of the five-syllabled manta shall always be performed along with Pranava i.e. OM NAMAH SIVAYA. A man can achieve everything by means of the Japa of the five-syllabled mantra.

The five-syllabled mantra shall be repeated five hundred thousand times, all the time remembering the various aspects of Lord Siva who is seated in the lotus pose. He is the bestower of all auspiciousness. He has the crescent moon for his coronet. He has given shelter to Ganga in His matted hair. With Sakti seated on his left thigh, He shines with His great concourse of attendants around Him.

He bears the moon on his forehead. He shows the gestures of bestowing boon and offering freedom from fear. He is the cause of perpetual blessing. He is Sadasiva. He shall be mentally worshipped at first or stationed in the heart or in the solar zone. While performing the Japa of the five syllabled mantra, he shall sit facing the east.

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