Chapter 66 - Mode of consecration of other gods (sādhāraṇa-pratiṣṭhā)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Lord said:

1-2. I shall describe the mode of consecration (of images) of all gods—the Ādityas (the suns, twelve in number), Vasus (eight), Rudrāḥ [=Rudra] (eleven), Sādhyāḥ [=Sādhya], Viśvedevāḥ [=Viśvedeva], Aśvins and the sages etc. It is like (the consecration of the image of) Vāsudeva. I shall describe special features (of ceremonies). The first letter of the name of particular deity should be taken.

3. It should be split into syllables. The longer vowels should be split. The mystical letter (of the deity) is first formed by adding a nasal and the praṇava.

4. (The images of) all gods as well as those who had led a disciplined life and had observed austerities and atonements and those who had lived in the monasteries should be worshipped and installed with their respective principal mantra.

5. I shall describe the mode of fasting for a month and that which concludes on the twelfth day (of a fortnight). One should place a stone slab and pitchers made of bell metal filled with the articles (described earlier).

6. After having collected the brahmakūrca (grass), the worshipper should prepare the gruel made of barley and milk of tawny (coloured) cow with (the mantra) tadviṣṇoḥ.^[1]

7. It should be stirred with the ladle holding it with (the recitation of) praṇava (oṃ). Having got it ready and bringing it down lord Viṣṇu should be worshipped and the offering made.

8. The oblation should be done with the vyāhṛti (bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ), the vedic mantras such as gāyatrī^[2] (mantra), tadviprāsa^[3], viśvataścakṣuḥ^[4] and bhūragnaye^[5].

9. Oblations should be given to Sūrya, Prajāpati (the creator), (the lord of) the ethereal region. Oblation to sky! Oblations to Brahman! (Oblations should be given upto) the earth and the great king.

10. Oblations should be done with (the mantras) tasmai, somaṃ ca, rājānamidam. Having offered the remaining part of the gruel as oblation, digbali (offerings to the quarters) should be done with due respect.

11. Having made oblation of one hundred and eight twigs of the palāśa (tree) along with clarified butter, oblations should be done eight times with sesamum and water along with the puruṣasūkta^[6].

12-13. Having offered oblations for Brahman, Viṣṇu, Īśa (Śiva), the attendant gods, the planets and the presiding deities of different worlds, oblations should be offered for the mountains, rivers, and oceans. Sacrificial spoon full of clarified butter should be offered thrice as the final oblation with the (recitation of) vyāhṛtīs (bhuḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ).

14-15. O Brannan after having sipped the gruel along with the pañcagavya (five things got from a cow) with the vaiṣṇava mantra and the syllable vauṣaṭ, the priest should be paid fees, vessel containing sesamum along with gold, cloth and a cow well-adorned. The wise man should complete the austerity with (the utterance of) “May lord Viṣṇu be pleased!”

16-17. I shall describe in full about another mode of consecration other than that of fasting for a month. The lord of the celestials (Viṣṇu) should be worshipped and the gruel pertaining to Viṣṇu should be prepared out of sesamum, rice, nīvāra grains (rice growing unsown), śyāmāka or barley. After adding clarified butter and lifting it up, oblation should be made with that with the mantras relating to that form of the lord.

18. Oblation should be made to Viṣṇu and other gods who are the lords of different months then. Oṃ! oblations for Viṣṇu! Oblations to lord Viṣṇu, the ornament! Oblations to Lord Viṣṇu, the śipiviṣṭa (pervaded by rays) (an epithet of Viṣṇu)! Oṃ! oblations to Narasiṃha (man-lion form ofViṣṇu). Oṃ! oblations to Puruṣottama (the foremost) (an epithet of Viṣṇu)! Twelve twigs of the holy fig tree dipped in the clarified butter should be given as oblation.

19. Twelve oblations (should be made) with the mantra viṣṇo rarāṭa^[7]. Twelve oblations with the gruel should be made with (the mantras) idam viṣṇu,^[8] irāvatī^[9].

20. Similarly, oblations should be made with clarified butter with (the mantra) tadviprāsa.^[10] Having done the remaining oblation, three concluding oblations should be made.

21. Having repeated the hymn yuñjate^[11] the gruel should be partaken. With the praṇava (syllable oṃ) repeated at the end of the respective name the gruel should be placed in a vessel made of holy fig tree.

22. Then twelve brahmins (representing) the twelve presiding deities of the months should be fed. The priest (would be) the thirteenth. The thirteenth place should be offered to him.

23. Thirteen pitchers containing sweet water along with umbrellas, shoes, clothes, gold and garlands should be given to them for the sake of conclusion of the rite.

24. A path-way should be laid out (for the cattle) saying, “May the cows get pleased! May they move happily!” Then the sacrificial post should be planted there.

25-26. A water-shed in the pleasure grove, monastery and path-way should be of ten cubits. Having done the oblation etc. in the house duly in the prescribed way, the householder should enter the house according to the earlier injunctions. Offering of food etc. without any restrictions should be made on all these (occasions).

27. Fees should be paid by wise men to the brahmins according to one’s capacity. Whoever causes to set up a pleasure grove stays eternally in the garden of Indra.

28. One who builds a monastery goes to heaven and remains in the world of Indra. One who sets up a water-shed (lives) with Lord Varuṇa. By (the construction of) a pathway one remains in the heaven.

29. One who builds a bridge of bricks and who constructs a pathway for cows in the cattle stall and one who observes the austerities in the prescribed way dwells in the region of Viṣṇu. One who performs atonements gets rid of all sins.

30. Having constructed a house (for the god) one dwells in heaven so long as the universe exists. The installation and consecration of Lord Śiva etc., the lords of their edifices (have been described).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ṚV. 1.22.20a.

[2]:

Oṃ bhūr bhuvassvaḥ tatsaviturvareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt.

[3]:

ṚV. 1.22.21a.

[4]:

ṚV. 10.81.3a.

[5]:

TA. 10.2.1 or 10.4.1.

[6]:

ṚV. 10.90.

[7]:

TS. 1.2.13.3.

[8]:

ṚV. 1.22.17a.

[9]:

ṚV. 7. 99.3.a.

[10]:

ṚV. 1.22.21a.

[11]:

ṚV. 5.81.1a.