In the sacred tradition, when certain ritual items are unavailable, barley and sesame seeds may be substituted, along with everyday household utensils. Two cloths are set aside for the deities and other participants, and essential items such as a pot, ladle, and cover are assembled. For the worship of the revered teacher, special care is taken: rings, crowns, garments, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are prepared, ensuring honesty and avoiding any deception regarding wealth. Should any of these offerings be lacking, the worship performed by those who recite, as well as priests, astrologers, and artisans, is regarded as equally effective. For the appeasement of Vajra and the Sun, blue sapphires and other blue gems, pearls, flowers, lotuses, conch shells, and the eighth gem, vaidurya, are prescribed. Various fragrant and medicinal herbs such as vetiver, madhavi creeper, kranta, red sandalwood, agaru, fine sandal, sarika, kankusta, shankhini, and others are gathered. Metals like gold, copper, red metal, silver, bell metal, and lead are included, along with orpiment and realgar. Eight minerals are specified: red ochre, gold, makshika, mercury, fire-colored ochre, sulphur, and mica, as well as different varieties of rice. Wheat, sesame, black gram, green gram, barley, nivara rice, shyamaka, and other grains complete the list of eight kinds of rice. Ishvara instructs that, after bathing and performing the two daily rites, the teacher—focused on the meaning of the sacred syllable—should proceed to the fire-hall accompanied by companions, images, and brahmins. Upon arrival, as before, he worships the gateways, beginning with Shanti and proceeding in order, circumambulating each and honoring the doorkeepers at every branch. At the eastern gate stand Nandi and Mahakala; in the south, Bhringi and Vinayaka; in the west, Vrishabha and Skanda; and in the north, Devi and Chanda. At the base of these branches are the tranquil and cool Ghata, Parjanya, Ashoka, Bhuta, Sanjivana, and Amrita. The teacher worships, in order, the pairs who bestow wealth and prosperity, invoking their names in the dative case, ending with the fourth and concluding with Om. He honors the guardians of the worlds, the gatekeepers of the earth, the two streams, the three suns, the yuga, the Veda, Lakshmi, and Ganesha. Thus, the gods stand at the sacrificial hall, at each gateway, dispelling obstacles and safeguarding the rite. Next, the teacher worships, in order, the thunderbolt, spear, staff, sword, noose, banner, mace, trident, discus, lotus, and flag. Using mantras such as 'o hrūṃ phaṭ namaḥ' and 'oṃ hrūṃ phaṭ, to the power at the gate, hrūṃ phaṭ namaḥ', he invokes Kumuda, Kumudākṣa, Puṇḍarīka, Vāmana, Śaṅkukarṇa, Sarvanetra, Sumukha, and Supratiṣṭhita. The eight deities of the banner are worshipped, beginning from the east, along with hosts of spirits, using mantras like 'oṃ kauṃ, salutations to Kumuda'. He continues with Hetuka, the destroyer of Tripura, Śakti, Yamajhvaka, Kāla, Karālina, Ekāṅghni, Bhīma, and Aṣṭaka. In the same manner, the guardians of the directions are worshipped with offerings, flowers, and incense, and honored when satisfied. On colored carpets and bamboo pillars placed in succession, the five elements beginning from earth are worshipped, along with Sadyojāta and other deities. The pavilion, pervading the realm of Sadāśiva—the abode of Śaṅkara—adorned with banners and powers, is contemplated according to the vision of the principles. Having driven away obstacles from the divine, atmospheric, and earthly realms as before, the teacher enters through the western gate and reveals the remaining gates. Proceeding clockwise, he sits at the southern side of the altar, facing north, and performs the purification of the elements as previously instructed. He then undertakes the internal offering, the special arghya, the purification of mantras and materials, and worships himself with the five products of the cow, as before. In the common seat, he places, especially for the Śiva principle, the three principles in succession: from the forehead, shoulder, and foot's end, the supreme essence of Śiva's knowledge—manifested as Rudra, Nārāyaṇa, and Brahma—each with their own movements. With the mantra 'oṃ haṃ hāṃ', he installs the form and its lord as before: the all-pervading Śiva with his limbs, and the Śiva hand upon the head. With radiance entering through the Brahmarandhra, both outward and inward, darkness is dispelled and the directions are illuminated. Adorned with garlands, cloth, flowers, and the like, and meditating 'I am Śiva', the teacher rises with the sword of knowledge. At the four corners, he consecrates the pavilion, scattering and gathering blades of kuśa grass and other materials. Seats are made upon the growth, and the site and others are worshipped as before. The Śiva pot and the growth pot are honored on stable seats. The guardians of the worlds are visualized, each upon a pot in their respective directions, and Indra, the thousand-eyed, holding the thunderbolt, is contemplated. Indra is envisioned mounted on the elephant Airavata, crowned with a golden diadem. Agni is remembered bearing seven flames, holding a rosary and water pot, wreathed in a garland of flames, red in color, holding a spear, and seated upon a goat. Yama is visualized standing on a buffalo, holding a staff, as the fire of time; Nairṛta, with red eyes, mounted on a donkey, holding a sword. Varuṇa, white and seated on a makara, holding a serpent-noose; Vāyu, blue and on a deer; Kubera, stationed upon a cloud—each is meditated upon. Śiva, trident in hand, upon a bull; Viṣṇu, with the discus, upon a tortoise and Ananta; Brahmā, four-faced and four-armed, riding a swan—these forms are contemplated. At the base of pillars, on pots, and on the altar, Dharma and others are worshipped; in the directions, some honor Ananta and the rest upon pots. The teacher proclaims Śiva's command, revolves the pot around his own back, and, as before, first places the pot and then the vessel of increase, completing the sacred preparations.