Chapter 88 - Mode of initiation which secures Nirvāṇa (liberation from existence)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Lord said:

1. (The preceptor) should blend the beatific principle surpassing peace with the pure beatific principle of peace and write the principles of letters with that as before. Oṃ, hrīm, kṣauṃ, hauṃ, hāṃ (are the syllables used for) the union.

2-5. (Goddess) Śakti and (God) Śiva which are the two principles (of the universe), the eight perfections of the universe (known as) dīpaka (illuminating), rocika (brightening), mocaka (delivering from bonds), ūrdhvagāmi (ascending up), vyomarūpa (of the form of ether), anātha (not having any master), anāśrita (not being dependent) and the eighth the syllable of Oṃ, the mantra of (lord) Īśāna, the sixteen letters beginning with the letter ‘a’ and ending with visarga (aspirated sound), the principal mantra, the two (occult nerves) kuhū and śaṅkhinī which are the cause for the body and the two winds devadatta and dhanañjaya (should be contemplated as pervading the above). The senses of touch and hearing are considered as the materials of sense perception. The principle of sound is the predominating attribute. Its state is the fifth state exceeding that of the fourth state (the state in which the soul becomes one with the supreme soul).

6. Lord Sadāśiva should be known as the sole cause. Having meditated upon the collective beatific principles known as beyond (the beatific principle) of peace, (the rites of) stroking gently etc. should be performed.

7. Having gently beaten the beatific principle of the thread and dividing it (mentally) with (the recitation of the principal mantra) ending with phaṭ, (the preceptor should penetrate inside the noose (with the recitation of the above mantra) ending with (the pronunciation of) salutations and loosen (the beatific principle with the recitation of the above mantra) ending with phaṭ.

8. Then (the beatific principle of) the thread should be consecrated with (the recitation of) the mantras of the tuft (and) heart ending with “oblations” and should be drawn out of the head of the thread with the inhalation of breath and showing the sṛṇimudrā (posture with fingers denoting a goad).

9. Having gathered it with the retention of breath, it should be projected into the fire-receptacle with the exhalation of breath (and showing the mudrā known as) udbhava (posture with fingers denoting generation), after having consecrated with (the mantra of) the heart ending with “obeisance”.

10. All the worship etc. of this should be accomplished as (it would be done) for the beatitude of non-action after having invoked lord Sadāśiva and worshipping him and making offerings.

11. (The lord should be addressed by the preceptor as follows):

“Ininitiate this person (disciple) desirous of emancipation in this well-known mode of life. You should be beneficial (to him)”. I am submitting to you with devotion.

12. After having invoked the (divine) parents and having made offerings and achieving their presence, the disciple should gently be struck on the chest with the syllable consecrated by (the mantra of) the heart.

13. Oṃ, hāṃ, hūṃ, haṃ, phaṭ. Having entered (the heart) with (the repetition of) this (mantra), the psychic energy should be divided by showing the aṅkuśa mudrā (formation with the fingers denoting a goad) and with the weapon along with the noose.

14. Oṃ, hāṃ, haḥ, hrūṃ, phaṭ. Having drawn it (with this mantra) duly consecrated and ending with “oblations”, it should be united with his own soul by concluding with “obeisance”, after having seized it.

15. Oṃ, hāṃ, haṃ, hīṃ, obeisance to the soul. After having meditated on the union of the (divine) parents as before by (showing) the udbhava mudrā (posture with the fingers denoting generation), (the preceptor) should place (the psychic principle) in the womb of the goddess with the same (mantra) and by the left.

16. The (rites of) garbhādhāna etc. should be done as laid down earlier. One should repeat (the mantra of) release and the bondage is cut off with that of the principal (mantra).

17. As before five times five oblations should be done with (the mantra of) weapons for the sake of cutting the bonds.and to destroy the evil forces in the disciple.

18. With the repetition of the mantra of weapons seven times the principal mantra of beatitude the bonds should be cut, with the scissor.

19. Oṃ, hāṃ, to the noose of beatitude beyond that of peace haḥ, hūṃ, phaṭ. (Then the preceptor) should bid farewell to the noose as described earlier, make it into a circle, place it in the ladle filled with clarified butter and cast it into fire with the (mantra of) weapons and of beatitude.

20. Five oblations should be made with (the mantra of) the weapon for the removal of the goad of bonds. Eight oblations should be made for compensating atonements.

21. Having invoked lord Sadāśiva with (the mantra of) the weapon and done appeasement, one should submit suzerainty as laid down before.

22. “Oṃ, hāṃ, Sadāśiva, accept fees (in the form of) the principle of mind. Oblations. O (lord) Sadāśiva! You should never remain as a bond for this being whose all shackles have been destroyed. You hear the mandate of lord Śiva.”

23-24. The final oblation should be made with the principal (mantra). (Lord) Sadāśiva should be bid adieu. Then the preceptor should unite in his soul, the pure soul in the body of the pupil just risen like the autumnal moon by showing the saṃhāramudrā (posture made with the fingers denoting gathering), after having collected the same by (showing) the udbhava-mudrā (posture made with fingers denoting generation).

25. Then (the preceptor) should place drops of water of arghya (offered for washing) on the head of the disciple as completion. Having requested the divine parents with great devotion to forgive they should be bid adieu.

26. “O Parents! You have been put to trouble for the sake of initiating this disciple. Having discarded that gracefully depart with pleasure to your own place.”

27. (The preceptor) should then cut off the tuft (of the disciple) of the form of knowledge to a length of four fingerbreadths with the scissors, the weapon of lord Śiva, (duly) consecrated with the mantra of the tuft.

28. “Oṃ, klīṃ; to the tuft, hūm, phaṭ, Oṃ, haḥ, to the weapon, hūṃ, phaṭ.” Then those (cuttings) should be set in a ladle full of clarified butter in which a ball of cow-dung is kept in the middle and cast into fire with (the recitation of) the mantra of weapon ending with phaṭ.

29. After having washed the two kinds of ladles and after bathing the disciple, the self (preceptor) should sip waters and gently beat the soul thus blended with the mantra of the weapon.

30. It should be disjoined, drawn and worshipped as before to the end of twelve (kinds of worship) and placed in the petals of the lotus of his own heart.

31. The ladle is filled with clarified butter. The ladle should be held (in such a way that the cup of the ladle) faces downwards according to the rules of daily rites of worship and by showing the śaṅkhamudrā (posture made with fingers denoting a conch).

32. He should have his head and neck expanded in unison with the pronunciation of the nasal sound (oṃ), having his sight fixed and (the heart) filled with contemplation of the Supreme Being.

33. Having gathered the six paths^[1] in the form of nerves from the pitcher, the sacrificial pit, the pupil and from one’s own soul, (the preceptor) should place them at the head of the sacrificial ladle.

34-35. Having contemplated the soul-energy as a point it should be united with the (following) seven (principles) in turn. The first one is the union of the soul. Then follows the next one consisting of repetition of the mantras of the heart etc. after having done the inhalation and the retention of the breath with the mouth open a little.

36. The form of the sound (oṃ), which has permeated the suṣumnā (an artery of human body), is the third one. There would be calm absorption of the mind in the seventh cause by one’s renunciation.

37-38. The movements above the energy and the sound known as the discordant (are the fifth one). (The sound emitted) by the universal life, which cannot be measured by energy and which is the discordant of time is the sixth one. The seventh one is that beyond the (region of) energy. This is the proper place for union and is known as the discordant principle.

39. After having inhaled the breath and retaining it while keeping the mouth little open, (the preceptor) should utter the principal (mantra) and (accomplish) the repose of the soul of the disciple.

40. The letter ha (should be deemed as resting) in the lightning stream which is the life force of six paths. The letter u remains pervading above the navel for a length of twelve aṅgulas (an aṅgula is equal to four finger breadths).

41. Then above that the letter ma (should be made to occupy) four finger breadths over the heart. The syllable oṃ, expressive of lord Viṣṇu, occupies the region of the heart for eight aṅgulas still above.

42. The letter ma, expressive of (lord) Rudra, occupies the region of the palate for four aṅgulas. Similarly, the nasal phonetic sign, expressive of lord Iśvara should occupy the middle of the forehead.

43. The syllable oṃ, (the essence of) Lord Sadāśiva, should rest in the aperture on the head. The female energy should be located in the aperture on the head. These should always be rejected one by one.

44-45. After having experienced the divine minute contact therein, the preceptor should contemplate the soul of the disciple in that supreme twelfth principle, characterising extreme happi-ness, devoid of feelings, beyond the reach of mind, auspicious and giving rise to eternal qualities.

46. After having offered an oblation of clarified butter into the fire for lord Śiva with the mantra of lord Śiva ending with vauṣaṭ for the sake of stability of the union.

47-52. Having offered final oblation as laid down, (the preceptor) should do for the attainment of qualities. “Oṃ, hāṃ, oblations to the soul! Be omniscient! Oṃ, hāṃ, oblations to the soul! Be satisfied! Oṃ, hrūṃ, oblations to the soul! Be cognizant of originless existence! Oṃ, hauṃ, oblations to the soul! Be self-dependent! Oṃ, hauṃ, soul! Oblatioṇs! Be undiminished in energy! Oṃ, haḥ, oblations to the soul! Be of endless energy!” The self, possessing six qualities, should thus be taken out of Supreme Being and with contemplation united in the body of the disciple as laid down. Drops of ambrosia from the water-offering should be placed on the head of the disciple to alleviate sufferings due to the projection of powerful soul force (into the disciple). Having made obeisance to the sacrificial pitcher relating to lord Śiva, situated to the right of (lord) Śiva, and placing the disciple to the right of his self with a pleasing face, (the preceptor) should submit to the lord (as follows): “This (disciple) has been favoured by you only! Being present in this form of mine, increase his devotion to the lord, fire-god, and preceptor.” Having paid obeisance to the lord, the preceptor should himself bless the disciple affectionately by saying, “May you have bliss”. The sacrifice should be concluded after having offered eight flowers to the lord with extreme devotion and bathing the disciple with (the waters of) the pitcher of lord Śiva.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The six paths are mantra, pada, varṇa, bhuvana, tattva and kala of which the first three are related to the sound and the rest to the objects according to saṃhārakrama and the reverse way according to sṛṣṭikrama. See Śāradātilaka 5.79.8u.93.