Chapter 84 - Mode of Initiation for Emancipation (nirvāṇa-dīkṣā)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Lord said:

1. Then the preceptor having got-up early in the morning should bathe and finish worship. (Seeing in the dream) curd, ginger, meat and wine as being consumed is commended.

2. So also riding on an elephant or horse as well as seeing a white cloth in the dream is auspicious. (Seeing in the dream) as smearing the body with oil is inauspicious. Oblation (should be done) with the aghora mantra for the sake of appeasement.

3. After having performed two daily rites (the two twilight worships) and entering the sacrificial shed, (the preceptor) should rinse (his mouth) and perform duties as in the daily routines as laid down for the incidental rites.

4-5. After having purified his self and (the part of the forearm known as) the śivahasta and having located in his inner being the Gods Indra and others in order and worshipped the pitcher, Śiva worship should be done at the shed or on the ground. Worship of fire and the (rite of) mantratarpaṇa (offering oblations along with the recitation of mantras) (should be done) until the final oblation is done.

6. After having offered one hundred and eight oblations with the mantra of the weapon, for the removal of defects due to bad dreams, one should activate the mantra with the subtle syllable huṃ.

7. Having made the antarbali (the rite of middle offering) in between the (sacrificial) pitcher and the ground for the entry of the disciple, and having obtained permission, the preceptor should walk out of the shed.

8. One should do (the acts of) placing on a mystical diagram (and other acts) in the religious initiation. The preparatory oblation (should be done) with the end of darbha which, should be looked upon as the umbilical chord of the latter.

9. Having offered three oblations with the principal mantra for accomplishing its presence, (the preceptor) should worshiplord Śiva in the pitcher and take hold of the thread.

10. It should be tied on the tuft of the disciple who would remain standing on the right-hand-side (of the preceptor) in the manner that the thread hangs down upto the toe of the foot.

11. Having placed it and looked at it mentally as pervading the non-action, one should know that more than one hundred and eight worlds are in it.

12-25. Kapāla, Aja, Buddha, Vajradeha, Pramardana, Vibhūti, Avyaya, Śāstā, Pinākī, Tridaśādhipa, Agni, Rudra, Hutāśī, Piṅgala, Khādaka, Hara, Jvalana, Dahana, Babhru, Bhasmāntaka, Kṣapāntaka, Yāmya, Mṛtyuhara, Dhātā, Vidhātā, Kāryarañjaka, Kāla, Dharma, Adharma, Saṃyoktā, Viyogaka, Nairṛta, Māraṇa, Hantā, Krūradṛṣṭi, Bhayānaka, Ūrdhvāṃśaka, Virūpākṣa, Dhūmralohita, Daṃṣṭravān, Atibala, Pāśahasta, Mahābala, Śveta, Jayabhadra, Dīrghabāhu, Jalāntaka, Vaḍavāsya and Bhīma are known as (the manifestations of) Varuṇa. Śīghra, Laghu, Vāyuvega, Sūkṣma, Tīkṣṇa, Kṣapāntaka, Pañcāntaka, Pañcaśikha, Kapardī, Meghavāhana, Jaṭāmukuṭadhārī, Nānāratnadhara, Nidhīśa, Rūpavān, Dhanya, Saumyadeha, Prasādakṛt, Prakāśa, Lakṣmīvān and Kāmarūpa, the latter ten; Vidyādhara, Jñānadhara, Sarvajña, Vedapāraga, Mātṛvṛtta, Piṅgākṣa, Bhūtapāla, Balipriya, Sarvavidyāvidhātā, Sukhaduḥkhahara are the ten. Ananta, Pālaka, Dhīra, Pātālādhipati, Vṛṣa, Vṛṣadhara, Vīrya, Grasana, Sarvatomukha and Lohita known as the ten (manifestations of) Rudra seated on the hoods of snakes; Śambhu, Vibhu, Gaṇādhyakṣa, Tryakṣa, Tridaśavandita, Saṃhāra, Vihāra, Lābha, Lipsu (and) Vicakṣaṇa; (and) Attā, Kuhakakālāgnirudra, Hāṭaka, Kūṣmāṇḍa, Satya, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra are the eight Rudras who all remain in the interior of hemisphere (of the universe). The names of these (Gods) as well as the names of worlds should be remembered.

26. Bhavodbhava, Sarvabhūta, Sarvabhūtasukhaprada (Granter of felicity to all), Sarvasānnidhyakṛt, (all pervasive). are worshipped by Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra.

27. O Adored one! Existing prior to all beings! Oṃ! The Witness! Oṃ! The Destroyer of Rudra! Oṃ! Sun! Oṃ! The Sound! Oṃ! The Subtle! Oṃ! Śiva! The Granter of all things to all beings! The pervading life-force of all things! The Creator of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra! Oṃ! Salutations to Śiva.

O Guha (son of Lord Śiva and Pārvatī)! (in the thread described above) the principle of non-action should be contemplated as impregnated with the twenty-eight beatific states, together with the eight letters of which the sadya, hṛd, astra, and netra mantras are composed.

28. The letter ma is the emblem of the mystic seed, the two occult nerves known as iḍā and piṅgalā, the two vital winds prāṇa and apāna and the organs of smell and generation.

29. Among the five qualities smell etc., the quality of smell is spoken as the matter. The principle of matter is yellow (in colour) symbolises thunderbolt and is square-shaped.

30. Its extension is one hundred crores of yojanas (a yojana is equivalent to eight miles). It should be known that the fourteen creative principles are lying concealed in this (zone).

31. It is the first being and the source of the four-fold existence of all celestial beings, Manu, etc. animals and birds and crawling insects.

32-33. (It is also) spoken (as the source of things born of) the fifth, the immovable things, the sixth, the beings other than human (such as) goblins, demons, yakṣas, gandharvas and Indra, the seventh, the God of life (Yama) and the eighth, Brahmā. The earthly principle is considered as controlling the eighth.

34-35. Having contemplated the absolute dissolution (of the universe) in the prakṛti (the original source of the material world) and the intellect and Brahmā, the enjoyer, as the cause, (as well as) the non-action located along with all the worlds continuing through his waking-state, one should unite the appropriate mantras.

Oṃ, hāṃ, hrūṃ, hāṃ to the thread standing for the beatitude of non-action hūṃ, phaṭ, tat. Oṃ, hāṃ, haṃ oblations to the thread standing for the beatitude of non-action. Having drawn in breath along with (the above mantra) and shown the aṅkuśa-mudrā (posture made with fingers denoting a goad), and having withheld the breath and carrying it up by showing the saṃhāra-mudrā (formation with fingers representing gathering)and with (the mantra) Oṃ, hrūṃ, hrāṃ, hraṃ to the thread of beatitude of non-action hūṃ, phaṭ and having placed it in the pitcher by showing the udbhavamudrā (formation with fingers denoting generation) and discharging the breath and repetition of (the mantra) Oṃ, Oṃ, hraṃ, hāṃ obeisance to the thread of beatitude of non-action and having offered the respectful offering with (the mantra) Oṃ, hāṃ, obeisance to the thread of beatitude of non-action and worshipped, (the preceptor) should offer three oblations with face turned away ending with (the word) “Oblation” for the sake of accomplishing its presence and then offer the concluding three oblations. (Lord) Brahmā should be invoked with (the mantra) Oṃ, hāṃ, obeisance to Brahmā and worshipped. (He) should be appeased (with oblations) with (the word) “Oblations”. (The preceptor should say), “O Brahman! I initiate (this disciple) in this (world) over which you hold sway”.

36-37. One should submit (to the lord) “you should be propitious to him”. Goddess Vāgīśvarī, the deity of protection, who is of the form of desire, knowledge and action and is of six kinds and is the sole cause (of the universe) should be invoked with (the mantra of) the heart. One should worship and satisfy the Goddess as follows:—

38-40. (Goddess) Vāgīśvarī, the cause of agitating the receptacles should gently be struck (against) the chest (of the disciple) with the repetition of the hṛt (mantra) and the principal mantra concluding with hūṃ phaṭ and the mantra of the arrow. (The preceptor) who knows the procedure (of these rites) should then enter into the inner self of the disciple and then divide the effulgent consciousness (of the disciple) in the heart endowed with the thread located in the beatitude of non-action and resembling a spark of fire, with jyeṣṭhā (mantra) as follows:—Oṃ, hāṃ, hūṃ, haḥ, hūṃ, phaṭ and with (the mantra) Oṃ, hāṃ, oblations and then with the aṅkuśamudrā (posture with fingers denoting the goad).

41-43. Having drawn it with its appropriate (mantra) and seized it, it should be united with his soul. Oṃ, hāṃ, hrūṃ, hāṃ obeisance to the soul. Having imagined the union of his own soul with discharge of the breath, it should be led to the abode of Śiva after having gradually discarded with discrimination the cause such as Brahmā, etc. One should cast it in the womb of (Goddess) Vīgīśvarī [Vāgīśvarī?] with the (exhibition of) udbhava-mudrā (posture with fingers denoting generation) after having carried it for impregnation in all the principles simultaneously. Oṃ, hāṃ, hāṃ, hāṃ, obeisance to the soul. One should worship with this (mantra) and after oblations five times.

44. One should do the purification of the body with the mantra of the heart in the case of all other principles. The puṃsavana (the rite of determining the sex) is not done, as there can be a feminine form also.

45. The sīmantonnayana (parting of the hair) and the divine limbs (should be treated) as the body. (The purificatory rite) at the birth for all human beings should be done with the mantra of the head with aversion.

46. (The preceptor) should similarly contemplate upon the regions over which they have control, with the mantra of Śiva. The objects of sense pleasure (should be contemplated) with the mantra of the armour and the worldly objects with (the mantra of) the weapons.

47-48. One should contemplate on that one which is known as dissolution, as the form of delusion and unbreakable. Streams should be purified by (contemplating) the mantra of Śiva and the purification of the principles should be done with (the mantra of) the heart. Five times five oblations should be made in respect of the rites of garbhādhāna and others in order for the sake of cessation of the bonds due to sinful acts.

49. One hundred oblations should be made with (the mantra of) the heart after having accomplished expiation. By obstructing the force of sins one can severe the bonds.

50. Five times five oblations should be offered with the mantra of the weapon ending with oblations. By the repetition of the (mantra of the)weapon seven times one gets free from bonds ending with illusion.

51-53. The accomplishment by the mantra kalpa of the weapon is like cutting with a scissor. Āṃ, hūṃ, to the thread of the beatitude of non-action, hūṃ, phaṭ, Having accomplished the cessation of bondage with the hands and with the mantra of the arrow, the thread should be untied and laid in a circular form on the sacrificial ladle filled with clarified butter. One should then burn it with the mantra of the weapon and reduce it into ashes with the weapon after having offered five oblations for the removal of the goad of bondage. Oṃ, haḥ, to the weapons hūṃ, phaṭ. Expiation should then be made with eight oblations made with (the mantra of) the weapon.

54-56. After having invoked (Lord) Brahmā, he should be worshipped and appeased. Then Oṃ, hāṃ, O Brahman, whom soul and touch cannot perceive, you take (these oblations). Oblations. He should be informed of the authority invested in him by offering three oblations. “O Brahman! you should not again bind this being whose sins have all been burnt. You listen to the mandate of Lord Śiva.” After having bid farewell to Lord Brahmā, (the preceptor) should slowly fill in the soul of the disciple by his own soul with retention of breath and exhibiting saṃhāramudrā (posture with fingers representing collection). (That soul) would then look like the disc of the moon at the beginning of the eclipses at a particular spot.

57. After having taken it out, it should be located in the thread with the discharge of breath and with udbhavamudrā (posture with fingers denoting generation). After having worshipped it, the preceptor should place the drop of water in the offering vessel resembling the nectar, on the head of the disciple for the purpose of completion.

58. After having bid farewell to the (divine) parents, the final oblation should be made with the mantra of Śiva ending with vauṣaṭ. Thus the mode of completion has ended. The nonaction principle is thus purified.