Chapter 87 - Mode of purification of the principle of peace (śānti-śodhana)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Lord said:

1-2. The beatific knowledge should be united now with the (principle of) peace [i.e., śānti] as laid down. The two principles lie in the (principle of) peace. Bhāveśvara and Sadāśiva are spoken as the two letters ha and kṣa. The Rudras are equal in number to the worlds. They are as follows:

3. Prabhava (valiant), Samaya (time), Kṣudra (little), Vimala (free from impurity), Śiva (auspicious), Ghana (heavy), Nirañjanākāra (unstained form), Svaśiva (auspicious to himself), Dīptikāraṇa (cause of brilliance), Tridaśeśvara (lord of the thirty (gods), Tridaśa (representing the thirty), Kālasaṃjñaka (known as the time), Sūkṣma (minute), Ambujeśvara (lord of the lotus). These are the Rudras firmly established in the principle of peace [i.e., śānti].

4. (Obeisance) to the one who pervades the ether, to the form which manifests as the ether, to the all-pervasive, to the auspicious one, to the endless, to one who has no master, to one who is not having any hold, to the firm one, to the eternal, to the one firmly established in the seat of yoga, to the eternal yogṃ, and one who partakes of such meditation (of votaries) are the twelve terms (used in their invocation).

5. The preceptor should meditate with the two protective mantras (known as) bindu and upakāraka, the two occult nerves alambuṣa and syasa and the two vital winds kṛkara and kūrmaka in the subtle phase.

6. The organs of skin and hand are considered as the two senses of perception for this beatific principle. The attributes of touch and sound are the only two attributes. lord (Śiva) is the only cause of these.

7. Having contemplated upon the different worlds which are located in the beatific principle of peace [i.e., śānti-stha] as the fourth state (of consciousness) (in which the soul gets united with the Supreme being), (the preceptor) should do the (acts of) gentle beating, division, entry and union.

8. Having drawn the (beatific principle of) peace from the string of the face, it should be held (by the preceptor). Having merged it in one’s own self, the beatific principle should be held and projected in the receptacle.

9. “O Lord! I am initiating this disciple desirous of release (from bondage) subject to your control. You have to be beneficial to him.” The appeal should thus be made.

10. After having invoked the divine parents and doing the gentle beating of the disciple etc. and collecting the soulforce, it should be united with his preceptor’s own soul.

11. Having invoked the divine parents as before by (showing) mudrā known as udbhava (formation with fingers -denoting generation), it should be located in the womb of the goddess by repeating the principal mantra of the god preceded by the mantra of the heart.

12. A corporeal frame for the beatitude should be done with the (repetition of the mantra of the) heart five times. (The mantra of) the head (should be repeated) for bringing it into being. Its authority (is accomplished) by (the mantra of) the tuft and the enjoyment by (the mantra of) the armour.

13. Its repose (is accomplished) by (the repetition of) the mantra of weapons. The purification of the currents (is achieved) by (that of lord) Śiva. In (the case of) purification of the principle, (the rites of) garbhādhāna etc. (should be done) in the same manner as before.

14. The thread is untied with that of the armour. Having completed the purification thus, one should repeat the mantras hundred times. In order to compensate the mitigation of the power of mantras five oblations should be made with (the mantra of) the weapon.

15. After having untied the thread, it should be severed with a knife by the repetition (of the mantra) of the weapon seven times just as the bondage is cut off with the principal mantra.

16. (The mantra is): “Oṃ, hauṃ, to the thread of the beatific principle of peace haḥ, hūṃ, phaṭ. After having untied and made into a circle, the chord should be placed as before in the sacrificial ladle filled with clarified butter with (the repetition of the mantra of) the weapon. Oblation should be done with (the mantra of) the weapon and of the beatific principle.

17. Five oblations should be made with (the mantra of) the weapon for the sake of ending the fresh shoots of bondage. To remedy the obstruction in expiation, eight oblations should then (be made). Oṃ, haḥ to the weapon hūṃ phaṭ (is the mantra for the same).

18. Having invoked god with (the mantra of) the heart, and offered worship and appeasement, the appropriate fee should be offered to him in the prescribed way: “Oṃ, hāṃ, O lord! accept this fee of intellect and ego, oblations.”

19. O lord! You should not remain as a bondage for this being whose all bonds have been burnt away. Thus the mandate of (lord) Śiva should be made to be heard.

20. The god should be bid adieu and the crescent-like soul should be united with the lord Rudra. Then it must be united with one’s own (preceptor’s) soul in the prescribed way.

21. The same should be united with the thread by showing pure udbhavamudrā (formation with fingers denoting generation). The drop of nectar should be put on the head of the disciple with (the repetition of) the principal (mantra).

22. Having taken leave of the (divine) parents after worshipping them with flowers etc., (the preceptor) should offer the final oblation to the fire as a concluding rite.

23. Even here the acts of gentle beating etc. should be done as before. The distinctive feature is (the use of) its principal mantra. Thus the purification (of the beatific principle) of peace [i.e., śānti] is done without any impediment.