Chapter 6 - Purṇābhiṣeka (full consecration)

The first part of this chapter deals with purṇābhiṣeka (lit. "Full Consecration"). It is said that a practitioner without pūrṇābhiṣeka cannot be fully awakened and so will not be able to master his practice to obtain enlightenment. For this reason a Guru, having awakened the disciple,^[1] should confer the pūrṇābhiṣeka on him (verses 1-2). Verses 3-17 explain how the Guru should perform this pūrṇābhiṣeka ritual.

Verses 18-23 describe the rules of animal sacrifice (bali), which is a practice belonging to the vāmamarga (the "left-hand tantra"), while verses 24-27' give the third mantra of the worship of a skull (kapalārcā), which is only a fragment of a more complex ritual, fully described in the sixteenth chapter of this text.

Verses 27"-36 give the mantra and the dhyāna of Mahākāla.

Verses 37-39' deal with bathing, and they seem to be incomplete.

Verses 39"-41 give the meaning of the mantras hrīṃ and hūṃ.

The chapter continues with the worship of a vetāla (goblin): it is said that the Goddesseses who have a vetāla as their vehicle are Śmaśānabhairavī, Ugratārā, Ucchiṣṭabhairavī, Caṇḍī, Tārā, Tripurasundarī and Vajravārāhikā. Then comes the mantra of the vetāla, by repeating which one becomes fearless; dhyāna, kavaca, a hymn recited for protection, gāyatrī and the rules of worship are also given (vv.42-58).

The chapter concludes with a description of different kinds of garments (vastra) which please the gods, five kinds of gandha (a fragrant powder that gives joy to the deities) and rules for offering dīpa (light) to the gods (vv.59-88).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

By means of initiation.