The one who has Tripundra made of ashes with water and performs worship derives the entire benefit of the same, no one else. Wearing the ashes with Siva’s mantra, he comes out of the limitations of the Asramas. He is called Sivasrami for he is solely devoted to Siva.

Being the devotee of Siva and devoted to his sacred rites, he need not observe impurity accruing from death or birth in the family. The characteristic sign of Siva’s devotee is that he has a circular dot of white ashes or mud put by himself or by his preceptor on the top of his forehead. The word Guru (Preceptor) signifies a person who wards off bad qualities.

Hence the intelligent devotee shall know that the physical body of the preceptor is known as Gurulinga the worship of which is service rendered to the preceptor.

The pair of births and deaths originates from the Maya of Siva. After such a dedication, the devotee is not born again. As long as the body exists, the Jiva is dependent on activities and he is spoken of as being in bondage. But when the three forms of the physical body are under control, the scholars call it “Salvation”.

Siva, the primary cause of the causes, is the Creator of Mayacakra. He wipes off the Dvandva birth and death – which originates from His Maya. The Dvandva is conceived and created by Siva. It shall be dedicated to Him. A person observing worship of Siva shall observe silence and perform one of these – a sacred rite, penance, Japa, maintenance of the knowledge or meditation. He shall observe truthfulness etc. The devotee of Siva shall always resort to the phallic emblem of Siva. One becomes Siva by resorting to stationary phallic emblem.

Glorification of the worship of Siva’s earthen phallic image

The phallic emblem of Siva made of precious gems was considered the best in the Krta age; of pure gold in the Dvapara; of mercury in the Treta and of earth in the Kali age. Among the eight cosmic bodies of Siva, the earthen body is the best. Since it is not worshipped by anyone else, it yields great benefit.

Just as Siva is the oldest and most excellent of all deities, so also his earthly phallic image is the most excellent of all. Just as the celestial river, Ganga is the oldest and the most excellent of all the rivers, so also is the earthen phallic image of Siva, the most excellent of all. Just as the Pranava is considered as the greatest of all mantras, so also the earthen phallic image of Siva that is worthy to be worshipped, is the most excellent of all.

Just as Kasi is considered the most excellent of all the holy cities, so also the earthen phallic image of Siva is spoken of as the most excellent of all other phallic images. Just as the rite of Sivaratri is the greatest of all sacred rites, so also the earthly phallic image of Siva is the most excellent of all other phallic images. Just as Siva’s energy is considered as greatest of all goddesses so also the earthen phallic emblem of Siva is spoken of as the most excellent of all.

The propitiation of the earthen phallic image is sanctifying, bestower of bliss, Longevity, satiety, nourishment and fortune and it must be observed by all good aspirants. He who worships the earthen phallic image in the three junctures of the three-fold division of the day every day gains the bliss for twenty-one future births.

He who worships the earthen phallic emblem of Siva every day stays in Sivaloka for so many years of Siva, as he had been visiting Siva’s temple in his life. If he had any wish, he would be reborn in the land of Bharata as a sovereign monarch. If a man without any desire worship every day the earthen phallic image, would stay in Siva’s region forever.

All mobile phallic emblems shall be single whole, Stationary phallic images shall be made of two pieces. This is the rule about broken and unbroken phallic images both immobile and mobile.

The pedestal is the great Maya; the phallic image is lord Siva. Hence in immobile image, two-piece construction is recommended; those who know the principles of Saiva Cult that a stationary phallic image shall be made of two pieces have mentioned this. Those who make a stationary phallic image as a single whole and a mobile one pieced are fools. They never reap the benefit of worship.

The number of phallic images of Siva used in worship for fulfillment of desires

In the four Vedas, nothing else is mentioned so holy as the worship of the phallic image. This is the conclusion arrived at in all sacred lores. All other rites can entirely be abandoned. A really learned man shall worship only the phallic image with great devotion. If the phallic image is worshipped, it means that the entire universe consisting of the mobile and immobile has been worshipped. There is no other means to save persons submerged in the ocean of worldly existence.

Men of the world are blind due to ignorance. Their minds are sullied by worldly desires.

Except for the worship of the phallic image, there is no other raft to save them from destruction. Hari, Brahma and other devas, sages, Yaksas, Raksasas, Gandharvas, Caranas, Siddhas, Daityas, Danavas, Sesa and other serpents, Garuda, and other birds, all the Manus, Prajapati, Kinnaras, men etc. have worshipped the wealth- yielding phallic image with great devotion and have achieved their desires surging in their heart of hearts.

Brahmins, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, persons born of inter-caste marriages and others shall worship the phallic icon with great devotion with their respective mantras. The true devotee after performing worship in the prescribed manner shall worship the eight cosmic bodies (of Siva) consisting of three worlds. The Earth, the waters, the fire, the wind, the Ether, the sun, the moon and the sacrificer – these are the eight cosmic bodies. Sarva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bhima, Isvara, Mahadeva and Pasupati are the manifestations of Siva who shall be worshipped with these cosmic bodies respectively.

Siva’s worship shall always be performed facing the north, not the east. Siva shall not be worshipped without Tripundara, Rudraksa and Bilvapatra.

Partaking of the Naivedya of Siva by others and the greatness of Bilvapatra

A devotee of Siva who is pure and clean, devoutly performing good rites and of fixed resolve shall partake of Siva’s Naivedya. He shall abandon all thoughts, which are not worthy of being entertained. Even at the sight of the Naivedya of Siva, all sins disappear.

When it is taken in, crores of merits flock in, no moment, a thousand sacrifices are of no avail, hundred million of sacrifices are useless. When Siva Naivedya becomes popular with the members, that house becomes sacred and it can make others also sacred. When Siva’s Naivedya is offered it shall be accepted with pleasure and humility. It shall be eaten eagerly while remembering Siva. After initiation in Saiva cult, the devotee shall partake of the offerings of eatables made to the phallic image whether conceived in the heart or made of moon-slab, silver, gold etc. The Naivedya of all phallic icons is called a great favour and is auspicious.

A devotee after initiation into Saiva cult shall eat it. With regard to the following phallic images viz: that which is obtains from Salagrama stone, Rasalinga, lingas made of rock, silver, gold, crystals and gems, lingas installed by devas and siddhas, Kasmira lingas and Jyotirlingas, the partaking of the Naivedya of Siva is on a par with the rite of Candrayana.

Even the slayer of a Brahmin if he partakes of the remains of the food offered to the God quells all the sins immediately.

After performing the ceremonial ablution duly if any one drinks the water three times, all the three types of sins committed by him are quickly destroyed. If at all anything from Siva naivedya is not to be taken it is that article which is actually put on the linga. That what is not in contact with the linga is pure and as such, it can be partaken of. When it is in contact with Salagrama Sila, it is pure and can be taken whether it is food – offering, leaf, flower, fruit or water.

The greatness of Bilva

One who worships Mahadeva in the form Linga at the root of Bilva becomes a purified soul, shall certainly attain Siva.

One who pours water over his head at the root of the Bilva can be considered to have taken his bath in all sacred waters in the earth verily he is holy. Seeing the water basin round the foot of the Bilva tree full of water, Siva becomes greatly pleased. The man who worships the root of a Bilva tree offering scents and flowers attains the region of Siva. His happiness increases, his family flourishes.

He who places a row of lighted lamps at the root of Bilva tree with reverence becomes endowed with the knowledge of truth and merges into Siva. He who worships the Bilva tree abounding in fresh tender sprouts becomes free from sins. If a man piously feeds a devotee of Siva at the end of the root of Bilva tree, he reaps the fruits thereof, ten million times more than in the usual course.

One who makes a gift of rice cooked in milk and ghee to a devotee of Siva, at the root of a Bilva tree, will never become poor....

NEXT PAGE