As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 148

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Not only the purification of an earnest disciple wanting to attain Shiva is the subject of monk’s dialogue but also it speaks about the greatness of five-syllable mantra.

Monk describes the procedure preceptor should adopt while consecrating a devotee wanting liberation. At the same time, the monk emphasises the significance of great five-syllable mantra. The monk tells about the process of consecration of the devotee engaged in intense tapa while concentrating on the lord with chant of mantra. Before doing so, a devotee must worship the great lord on a properly constructed rostrum – the mandala with the sacred vessel as prescribed. Rituals need strictness as a prelude to prayer and worship. The devotee must pour oblations without headdress. He explains the consecratory rites to the devotee and tells about the magnitude of mantra.

He must perform initial rites – worship of mandala, the sacred site, the kalash and oblations until the completion of yagya. It is path to the sanctification of disciple through performance of various rites. Guru is the cause who imparts knowledge because blessing and grace of supreme with japa of mantra will grant siddhis to the devotee in this world and in future, the true liberation. The great monk tells that the disciple ought to follow each word of preceptor, and howsoever difficult is the path to consecration he must adhere to instructions to delight the great lord and perform japa of mantra after taking bath properly with water or with sacred ashes, bhasma.

Japa of five-syllable mantra with a pure and clean heart and mind, with hair tied up and sacred thread on the body and sacred pavitra (kusha) round the finger, tripundra marks on the forehead even as he wears rosary of Rudraksa make it effective and so, it delights the Supreme. A devotee, who is engaged in incantation of the five-syllable mantra and concentrates on the great lord Shiva, attains everything in this world and the world beyond.

To be Continued