Chapter 317 - The different kinds of mantras of Śiva

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Lord said:

1. (The mantras) of Śiva are divided into eight kinds, such as sakala (endowed with parts), niṣkala (without parts), śūnya (void), kalāḍhya (abounding in parts), khamalaṅkṛta (adorning the sky), kṣapaṇa (suppressing), kṣaya (destroying) and śiva (benevolent). The letters which lay inside and belong to (the regions of) the throat and lips (should be present in them).

2. O Guha (name of Kumāra, son of Śiva and Pārvatī)! There are eight kinds of the benevolent (mantra) known as para (supreme). The form of the word Sadāśiva is efficacious for accomplishing all things.

3-8a. (The forms) of the vowels are Amṛta, Aṃśumat, Indu, Īśvara, Ugra, Ūhaka, Ekapāda, Oja and Auṣadha. Aṃśumat (among these) is capable of subjugating. (The forms) of the letters ka to kṣa are: Kāmadeva, Śikhaṇḍī, Gaṇeśa, Kāla, Śaṅkara, Ekanetra, Dvinetra, Triśikha, Dīrghabāhuka, Ekapād, Arddhacandra, Balapa, Yoginīpriya, Śaktīśvara, Mahāgranthi, Tarpaka, Sthāṇu, Dantura, Nidhīśa, Nandī, Padma, Śākinīpriya, Mukhabimba, Bhīṣaṇa, Kṛtānta, Prāṇa, Tejasvī, Śakra, Udadhi, Śrīkaṇṭha, Siṃha, Śaśāṃka, Viśvarūpa and Narasiṃha (representing) kṣa.

8b-11a. (The syllable of) Viśvarūpa should be made to be pervaded by the syllables of Sūrya (Sun). After having coupled the syllable of Śaśi (Moon) with Aṃśumat, (the syllable of) Īśāna pervaded by (the syllable of) Ojas should first be raised up. (Among the above names), the third should be known as (Tat)Puruṣa, the fifth as Dakṣiṇa, the seventh as Vāmadeva, the next one as Sadyojāta and the ninth as coupled with the rasa (bīja). This is known as the brahmapañcaka (the five brahmans).

11b-14. All the mantras begin with the syllable oṃ and end with (the name in) the fourth case and obeisance. (The first one is presided over by) Sadyojāta. The second one is the heart together with the subordinate one. The fourth should be known as the head known by the name Īśvara. Ūhaka should be known as the tuft endowed with Viśvarūpa. Its mantra is known to be the eighth. The eye is considered as the tenth. O Śikhidhvaja (Kumāra, having peacock as the banner)! The weapon is said to be the Moon known as Śiva. Obeisance, oblation, vauṣaṭ, hūṃ and phaṭka is the order.

15-17. I shall describe the prāsāda mantra (the benevolent one) relating to the heart etc. belonging to phaṭka. One should raise the (syllable) known as Rudra from Īśāna adorned with Aṃśu that remains above the group in the region of head pervaded by Auṣadha. It has half-crescent nāda (nasal sound) upwards having two dots in the middle. Viśvarūpa is at the end bent thrice. This is the prāsāda mantra capable of accomplishing all the things.

18-2la. After having raised the syllables of the tuft ending with the syllable phaṭ placed on the half crescent, it is known as Kāmadeva that flows (and is verily) the great Pāśupata weapon that destroys all evils. I have described the prāsāda (mantra) endowed with parts. I will describe (the mantra) without parts now. (This consists of) Auṣadha, Viśvarūpa, Rudra, orb of Sun, coupled with nāda of the form of half-moon, without designa-tion and bent. The niṣkala (mantra) confers enjoyment and emancipation. It is always benevolent because it is endowed with five parts.

21 b-31. (The mantras) that are void (consist of) Aṃśumat, Viśvarūpa and divested of Brahmāṅga (class of letters). Its form is the essence. It destroys obstacles when worshipped by boys and ignorant men. Aṃśumat coupled with Viśvarūpa and situated over the Ūhaka is the mantra known as kalāḍhya (fully endowed with parts). It is always used in the worship in the same way as the mantra with parts. The khamalaṅkṛta consists of Narasiṃha (mantras) situated in Kṛtānta pervading above the radiant life force, coupled with Aṃśumat and pervaded by Ūhaka above and below. It is composed of half-moon nāda adorned by Brahmā and Viṣṇu. The Udadhi (mantras) and Narasiṃha should be divided with the vowels of Sūrya. The other subsidiary rites should be done as before. The first letter is that which is known as Ojas, coupled with Aṃśumat that is to be raised. The foremost among the second letter is the Aṃśumat pervaded by Aṃśu. Similarly the Aṃśumat (pervading) the Īśvara is capable of conferring emancipation. The Ūhakas are pervaded by Aṃśu and (followed by) Varuṇa, Prāṇa and Taijasa (syllables). It is known as the fifth one. The next one is the kṛtānta. The Aṃśumat (coupled with) Udaka and Prāṇa is raised as the seventh one. The Padma is pervaded by Indu. The Nandīśa is coupled with Ekapāda. The first one is added at the end. (That is known) as Kṣapaṇaka consisting of ten syllables. The third, fifth and seventh would number half of it. The Sadyojāta would be the ninth, the hṛd and other (mantras) (taken) from the second. The mantras consisting of the (above said) ten syllables should end with phaṭ. This astra (mantra) should be raised.

32-34. The subordinate mantras (in the above) should be coupled with obeisance. It is not done in any other way. From the second to the eighth are considered as the Vidyeśvaras (the lords of the mantras)—Ananteśa, Sūkṣma, Śivottama the third, Ekamūrti, Ekarūpa, Trimūrti the next one, Śrīkaṇṭha and Śikhaṇḍī are known to be the eight Vidyeśvaras. The ends of the mantras from that of Śikhaṇḍī to the end of Ananta are said to be the embodied form.