With deep reverence and careful attention to sacred procedure, the ritual for invoking divine blessings upon a child unfolds step by step. At the outset, the practitioner takes up the heart-mantra, offering three oblations as prescribed. When the rite is performed for the purpose of begetting a son, worship is conducted with the left hand during the third month. Three more oblations follow, with drops of water gently sprinkled upon the head. When the time comes for the parting of the hair, worship is offered to the form in the sixth month. As the ritual progresses, three oblations are made, each accompanied by the presence of the topknot, and the features of the mouth are arranged with care. The rites for the opening and purification of the mouth are then performed. In the tenth month, both the birth-rite and the rite for shaping the person are conducted as previously instructed. The fire is kindled with darbha grass, and the practitioner bathes, removing all impurities of the womb. Meditating upon the golden binding crafted for the goddess, worship is performed with a focused heart. To swiftly remove any impurity following birth, the practitioner sprinkles water empowered by the missile mantra. The ritual continues with the striking of the pot outside using the missile, purifying it with the armor mantra. The upper and lower ends of the girdle are touched with the missile, and kuśa grass is placed outside. Once these elements are established, the practitioner expands the sacred enclosure with the heart’s intent. Using the missile-mantra, the officiants are addressed at the three ends of the stalk. Five kindling sticks, each dipped in ghee, are offered at the ends and roots, while Brahma, Shankara, Vishnu, and Ananta are worshipped in the heart. Taking dūrvā grass and unbroken rice, the practitioner circumambulates the enclosure in the prescribed order, moving from Indra to Īśāna, honoring each direction in turn. Those associated with Agni in their respective directions are worshipped with heartfelt devotion, a practice that wards off obstacles and protects the child. At the conclusion of these acts, the Śaiva command is proclaimed. The ladle and spoon are then taken up, their mouths facing upward and downward in sequence. After heating them in the fire, the practitioner touches the root, middle, and tip of the darbha grass. At the spot touched by the kuśa grass, the knowledge of the self and the nature of Shiva is invoked. The three principles are placed in order, each associated with the syllables hāṃ, hīṃ, hūṃ, saṃ, and ra. In the ladle, the power of Shambhu is praised, the heart’s essence placed within. The two deities, whose necks are adorned with three cords, are worshipped with flowers and similar offerings, and placed above the kuśa grass on the practitioner’s right side. Clarified butter from a cow, purified by inspection and other methods, is now taken. The practitioner envisions his own form as composed of Brahman before taking the ghee. This ghee is whirled above the altar at heart level, within the domain of the fire, while the form of Vishnu is meditated upon and the ghee is placed within the sphere of Ishana. With the tip of a sacred blade of grass, and a gentle bow of the head, the practitioner utters ‘svaha’ and offers a drop of ghee to Vishnu, immediately followed by an offering to Rudra. Contemplating the self and holding the offering at the navel, the practitioner then performs the floating ritual, using blades of darbha grass a span in length, held by the tips of the thumb and ring finger. Both hands grasp the darbha grass, and facing the fire, the act of floating is performed with the weapon gesture. This is repeated, facing the heart and the self. Darbha grass that has been scorched at the heart is purified by casting it with the weapon mantra, and another blazing darbha is used to sweep and ignite. With the weapon mantra, the scorched darbha is cast again into the fire. Afterward, a knotted blade of kuśa grass, measuring a span, is placed into the ghee. The practitioner envisions two wings and three bodies for Ida and the others in the ghee, then takes three portions of ghee in order with the ladle and offers them into the fire. The portion of ghee is thus offered to the fire, followed by the remaining ghee in sequence: “Om ham to Agni, svaha; Om ham to Soma, svaha; Om ham to Agni and Soma, svaha”—each for the opening of the eyes, directed to the three eyes of Agni. With a ladle full of ghee, the fourth oblation is made: “Om ham to Agni Svishtakrit, svaha.” Meditating upon the six limbs, the practitioner awakens the ritual with the gesture of the cow. The ghee is covered with the threefold body and protected with the arrow gesture. A drop of ghee from the heart is sprinkled for purification. The unification and joining of the mouths is then performed: “Om ham to Sadyojata, svaha; Om ham to Vamadeva, svaha; Om ham to Aghora, svaha; Om tatpurusha, svaha; Om ham to Ishana, svaha.” With each offering, the mouths are touched. The connection of the mouths continues in order with these mantras: “Om ham to Sadyojata and Vamadeva, svaha; Om ham to Vamadeva and Aghora, svaha; Om ham to Aghora and Tatpurusha, svaha; Om ham to Tatpurusha and Ishana, svaha”—moving from Agni to Vayu and concluding with Shiva. The unity of the mouths is established with a stream of ghee from the ladle: “Om ham to Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha, Ishana, svaha.” In this way, the desired mouth is included in the form. Having worshipped the fire with Ishana and offered three oblations with the weapon, the practitioner proclaims with full intent: “You are Shiva-fire, O Hutashana.” Once the fire has been worshipped at the heart and released, and the two ancestors have been properly honored, the complete oblation is offered with the root and the prescribed ending “vauṣuḍa.” In the lotus of the heart, with all its limbs and retinue, shining and supreme, the practitioner worships as before, invokes the presence, and offers his desired request to Shiva. The connection between the sacrificial fire and Shiva is established through the channels within oneself, and the homa is performed with the root and the weapon, offering one-tenth portions with the limbs. The clarified butter is offered in a kārṣika measure, as is milk and honey. For curd, a śukti measure is used; for rice pudding, a prasṛti measure. For all edible items, a handful of roasted rice is the proper measure; for roots, three pieces; for fruits, their appropriate measure. For cooked food, half a mouthful is offered; for fine items, five offerings are made. Sugarcane is offered in an aparvika measure; for creepers, two finger-widths. Flowers and leaves are offered in their own measure; fuel sticks should be ten finger-widths. For moonstone, sandalwood, kashmir resin, musk, and yak resin, the proper offering is determined. Guggulu is offered in a measure equal to a kalaya, as with the stone of the jujube fruit; for tubers, one-eighth part is the rule. Thus, the homa is performed with the seed-words of Brahma, placing a full ladle of ghee with the ladle facing downward. A flower is placed at the tip of the ladle and held with the left hand; then, both are held with the right hand, forming a gesture resembling a conch. Rising, with half the body elevated and feet together, the flower is placed at the navel, with the tip of the ladle directed toward the eyes—thus concluding the sacred sequence, each act performed with devotion and precision, invoking the blessings and protection of the divine.