With deep reverence and focused mind, the teacher begins the sacred rite. He forms his hand in the gesture of Shiva and gently places it upon his own head, contemplating, “I am Shiva—the origin, the all-knowing one, and my sacrifice is supreme.” Holding the sword of knowledge, he turns his mind inward, meditating upon the deity. Facing north, he moves towards the southwest, casting the sword there as an act of sacred placement. He then sprinkles arghya water, the five holy products of the cow, and other purifying substances throughout the sacrificial pavilion, performing the prescribed rites at all four crossroads, his gaze attentive and his actions precise. Having scattered the offerings, he gathers blades of kuśa grass and prepares a seat for them in the northeast. At the thresholds of the southwest (Nairṛta) and northwest (Vāstu) directions, he worships Lakṣmī. The auspicious pot is always set above the others, facing west. With the sacred praṇava, he worships the deity who rides the bull, the goddess Varddhanī seated on a lion. Within the pot, he worships Śiva holding the bow, invoking the Varddhanī mantra. In all directions, he honors the guardians—Śakra and others—and the deities Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and Śiva, properly inviting Varddhanī, who follows the pot and the eight guardians. The priest proclaims Śiva’s command, from the east to Īśāna, pouring out the root mantra with a continuous stream of water. For protection, he moves her image all around, as if wielding a weapon, placing the pot first and the weapon to its left. He worships the deity in the pot, seated upon the complete seat, at the place of Varddhanī, at the position of praṇava, and then at the weapon, between the two. With the liṅga gesture, he establishes the union of liṅga and bhaga, offering it into the pot, awakening knowledge, and reciting the root mantra. Protection is then invoked in the Varddhanī at its tenth part. After worshipping Gaṇeśa and Vāyu, he worships Hara with the five nectars and other offerings. He bathes the image as before, worships once more, and in the fire-pit, he honors Śiva’s sacred fire, preparing the oblation with purity. With a ladle, he divides the offering into three portions: for the deity, the fire, and himself. He presents shares to Śiva and Agni, preserving one for his own part. Using a tooth-cleaning stick and armor, he first makes an offering in the east, then with fierce flames, he offers clay in the south and west. With the heart of Sadyojāta, he performs a left-handed rite in the north, pouring water with his left hand upon his own head, and to Īśa, he offers fragrant water. He offers pañcagavya and a palāśa leaf packet all around; in the northeast, a flower, and in the southeast, rocanā. In the southwest, he offers aguru, and in the northwest, a fourfold gift; all offerings for the fire sacrifice are made with kuśa grass of Sadyojāta. To the divine form, he offers staff, rosary, sacred thread, loincloth, and begging bowl, as well as collyrium, saffron oil, a stick, and a hair-cleaning implement. He presents betel, a mirror, and in the north, rocanā; a seat, sandals, vessel, yoga-belt, and umbrella. In the northeast, with the Īśa mantra, he offers for the satisfaction of Īśāna; in the east, caru with ghee, and in the new direction, fragrant substances. He gathers the purifiers, sprinkles them with arghya water, and, purified by collected mantras, brings them before the fire. Covering them with black antelope skin, he remembers the year-form—protector of all actions, auspicious and imperishable. Then, using the ‘sveti heti’ formula and a collection of mantras, he purifies the sacred threads twenty-one times with water. He wraps the house and other objects with threads, offers fragrant substances to the Sun, and after worship and sipping water, performs the nyāsa and arghya rites. He then worships Nandi and others, the deity of fragrance, and, after entering the house, the weapons, the guardians of the directions, and invokes his own name in the auspicious pot. Vardhanī, the Lord of Obstacles, the Guru, and the Self are all worshipped. He anoints with all herbs, fumigates with flowers and sacred grass, and invokes the sacred thread, placing it between his joined palms to complete any deficiencies in the rite, as prescribed. He calls out: “I invoke you, O powerful one, fulfiller of desires; grant success to the worshipper, O Lord of the sentient and insentient. O Śambhu, always and in every way, salutations to you; be gracious. You are invoked, O Lord of the gods, with the goddess and the leaders of the hosts. With the mantra-bearers, skull-bearers, and attendants, I invite you all; in the morning, the sacred thread.” He promises, “By your command, O Supreme Lord, I will observe the discipline.” Thus invoked, with exhalation made nectar, he utters the root mantra ending with ‘Śiva’ and offers it to Śiva. He recites japa, hymn, and prostration, and asks forgiveness from Śambhu. He offers the third portion of the oblation to the fire of Śiva, to the guardians of the directions, the lords of the quarters, and the groups of ancestral mothers. He makes obeisance and svāhā to the Rudras and guardians of the field; this is the offering. In the east, he offers to the lords of the quarters beginning with the elephants of the directions, to the field, and to Agni. He intones: “Om, to Agni, svāhā; svāhā to Soma as well; Om, to Agni and Soma, svāhā; and to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt, likewise.” Having given these four oblations, he performs the joining: the deity worshipped at the fire-pit and Śiva worshipped at the maṇḍala are united. By the proper method, he joins the channels, placing the sacred items in a vessel of bamboo or similar material, and applies the astra mantra at the heart. Placing the sacred threads, or using his fingers, he recites the mantras; with the six limbs and root mantras, he applies the heart, armor, and weapon. He wraps the sacred objects with threads, worships with mantras arising from the limbs, and, for protection, offers it all to the Lord of the universe, bowing with devotion.