Agni Purana

पीठपद्मद्वयं तारा द्विभुजा वा चतुर्भजा । सिंहस्था वा वृकस्था वा अष्टाष्टादशसत्करा ।। ३२६.

Tara is with two lotus seats, two arms or four arms, seated on a lion or a wolf, with eight, eighteen, or sixty-four hands.

स्रगक्षसूत्रकलिका गलकोत्पलपिण्डिका । शरं धनुर्व्वा सव्येन पाणिनान्यतमं वहत् ।। ३२६.

She bears a garland, a rosary, a bud, a cluster of lotuses at her throat, or a bundle of lotuses, and in her left hand she holds either an arrow or a bow.

वामेन पुस्तताम्बूलदण्डाभयकमण्डलुम् । गणेशदर्पणेष्वासान्दद्यादेकैकशः क्रमात् ।। ३२६.

In her left hand she holds a book, a water-pot, a staff, a gesture of fearlessness, or a water-jug; in order, she may also hold the emblems of Ganesha, a mirror, or a bow.

व्यक्ताऽथवाकार्य्या षद्ममुद्रा स्मृतासने । तिङ्गमुद्रा शिवस्योक्ता मुदा चावाहनी द्वयोः ।। ३२६.

She is manifest or to be depicted; the six-petaled lotus is the seat, the Tiṅga mudra is said to be Shiva’s, and with joy, the invocation mudra is for both.

शक्तिमुद्रा तु योन्याख्या चतुरस्रन्तु मण्डलं । चतुरस्रं त्रिपत्राब्जं मध्यकोष्ठचतुष्टये ।। ३२६.

The Shakti mudra is called Yoni; the mandala is square, with a three-petaled lotus in the center and four central compartments.

त्र्यश्रोर्द्धे चार्द्धेचन्द्रस्तु द्विपदं द्विगुणं क्रमात् । द्विगुणं द्वारकण्ठन्तु द्विगुणादुपकण्ठतः ।। ३२६.

Above the triangle is a half-moon; the two sides are doubled in order, the doorway and its threshold are doubled, and so is the inner threshold.

द्वारत्रयं त्रयं दिक्षु अथ वा भद्रके यजेत् । स्थण्डिले वाथ संस्थाप्य पञ्चगव्यामृतादिना ।। ३२६.

There are three doorways in three directions, or one may worship at the auspicious place; or, having established it on the altar, with five products of the cow and nectar, one should proceed.

रक्तपुष्पाणि देयानि पूजयित्वा ह्युदङ्‌मुखः । शतं हुत्वामृताज्यञ्च चपूर्णादः सर्व्वसिद्धिभाक् ।। ३२६.१८ बलिन्दत्वा कुमारीश्च तिस्रो वा चाष्ट भोजयेत् । नैवह्यं शिवभक्तेषु दद्यान्न स्वयमाचरेत् ।। ३२६.

Red flowers should be offered, worshipping while facing north; after offering a hundred libations with nectar and ghee, one who completes the ritual attains all accomplishments.

कन्यार्थी लभते कन्यां अपुत्रः पुत्रमाप्नुयात् । दुर्भगा चैव सौभाग्यं राजा राज्यं जयं रणे ।। ३२६.

One desiring a maiden obtains a maiden; one without a son obtains a son; the unfortunate gain good fortune, and a king gains sovereignty and victory in battle.

अष्टलक्षैश्च वाक्सिद्धिर्देवाद्या वश्माप्नुयुः । न निवेद्य न चास्नीयाद्वामहस्तेन चार्च्चयेत् ।। ३२६.

With eight lakhs, speech is perfected; gods and others obtain mastery. One should neither offer nor eat without informing, and worship should be done with the left hand.

अष्टम्याञ्च चतुर्दश्यां तृतीयायां विशेषतः । मृत्युञ्जयार्च्चनं वक्ष्ये पूजयेत् कलसोदरे ।। ३२६.

On the eighth, fourteenth, and especially the third day, I will explain the worship of Mrityunjaya, which should be performed within a pot.

हूयमानञ्च प्रणवो मूर्त्तिरोजस ईदृशं । मूलञ्च वौषडन्तेन कुम्भमुद्रां प्रदर्शयेत् ।। ३२६.

While offering oblations, the syllable Om is recited; the form is thus established. The root mantra ends with 'vauṣaṭ,' and the kumbha mudra should be shown.

होमयेत् क्षीरदूर्वाज्यममृताञ्च पुनर्नवाम् । पायसञ्च पुरोडासमयुतन्तु पजेन्मनुं ।। ३२६.

One should offer milk, sacred grass, ghee, nectar, and punarnava; also rice pudding and sacrificial cakes, reciting the prescribed mantra.

चतुर्मुखं चतुर्वाहुं द्वाभ्याञ्च कलसन्दधत् । वरदाभयकं द्वाभ्यां स्नायाद्वै कुम्भमुद्रया ।। ३२६.

He is four-faced, four-armed, holding two pots; with two hands he grants boons and fearlessness, and should be bathed with the kumbha mudra.

आरोग्यैश्वर्य्यदीर्घायुरौषधं मन्त्रितं शुभम् । अपमृत्युहरो ध्यातः पूजितोऽद्भुत एव सः ।। ३२६.

For health, wealth, and long life, the consecrated medicine is auspicious; meditated upon and worshipped, he is truly a remover of untimely death.

ईश्वर उवाच व्रतेश्वरांश्च सत्यादीनिष्ट्वा व्रतसम्र्पणम्। अरिष्टशमने शस्तमरिष्टं सूत्रनायकम् ।। ३२७.

Ishvara said: Having worshipped the Lords of vows such as Satya, one should dedicate the vow; for the removal of misfortune, the best is the thread-leader for averting calamity.

हेमरत्नमयं भूत्यै महाशङ्खञ्च मारणे । आप्यायने शङ्खसूत्रं मौक्तिकं पूत्रवर्द्धनम् ।। ३२७.

For prosperity, a golden or jeweled one; for destruction, a great conch; for increase, a conch-thread; for the growth of sons, a pearl-thread.

स्फाटिकं भूतिदं कौशं मुक्तिदं रुद्रनेत्रजं । धात्रीफलप्रमाणेन रुद्राक्षँ चोत्तमन्ततः ।। ३२७.

A crystal is life-giving, silk grants liberation, and the Rudrākṣa, born from Rudra’s eye, is supreme when it is the size of an amla fruit.

समेरुं मेरुहीनं वा सूत्रं जप्यन्तु मानसम् । अनामाङ्गुष्ठमाक्रम्य जपं भाष्यन्तु कारयेत् ।। ३२७.

Whether the rosary has a Meru bead or not, one should recite the mantra mentally, moving from the ring finger to the thumb, and speak the japa accordingly.

तर्ज्जन्यङ्गुष्ठमाक्रम्य न मेरुं लङ्घयेज्जपे । प्रमादात् पतिते सूत्रे जप्तव्यन्तु शतद्वयम् ।। ३२७.

Moving from the index finger to the thumb, one must not cross the Meru bead during japa; if the rosary falls out of negligence, one should recite the mantra two hundred times.

सर्ववाद्यमयी घण्टा तस्या वादनमर्थकृत् । गोशकृन्मूत्रवल्मीकमृत्तिकाभस्मवारिभिः ।। ३२७.

A bell made of all kinds of metals is proper; its sounding is purposeful, and it should be purified with cow dung, urine, anthill earth, ashes, and water.

वेस्मायतनलिङ्गादेः कार्य्यमेवं विशोधनम् । स्कन्दो नमः शिवायेति मन्त्रः सर्व्वार्थसाधकः ।। ३२७.

In the case of a house, temple, or liṅga, purification should be done in this way; the mantra 'Skanda, obeisance to Śiva' accomplishes all purposes.

गीतः पञ्चाक्षरो वेदे लोके गीतः षड़क्षरः । ओमित्यन्ते स्थितः शम्भुर्म्मुद्रार्थं वटवीजवत् ।। ३२७.

The five-syllable mantra is sung in the Veda, and the six-syllable one is sung in the world; Śambhu stands at the end as 'Om', like the seed of the banyan for the purpose of the mudrā.

क्रमान्नमः शिवायेति ईशानाद्यानि वै विदुः । षड़क्षरस्य सूत्रस्य भाष्यद्विद्याकदम्बकं ।। ३२७.

In order, 'Obeisance to Śiva' and the mantras beginning with Īśāna are known; the six-syllable sūtra is a cluster of commentary and knowledge.

यदोँनमः शिवायेति एतावत् परमं पदम् । अनेन पूजयेल्लिङ्गं लिङ्गे यस्मात् स्थितः शिवः ।। ३२७.

Indeed, 'Obeisance to Śiva' is the highest state; with this, one should worship the liṅga, for Śiva abides in the liṅga.

अनुग्रहाय लोकानां धर्म्मकामार्थमुक्तिदः । यो न पूजयते लिङ्गन्न स धर्म्मादिभाजनं ।। ३२७.

For the blessing of the worlds, granting dharma, desire, and liberation—he who does not worship the liṅga is not a recipient of dharma and the rest.

लिङ्गार्च्चनाद्भुक्तिमुक्तिर्यावज्जीवमतो यजेत् । वरं प्राणपरित्यागो भुञ्जीतापूज्य नैव तं ।। ३२७.

From worship of the liṅga comes enjoyment and liberation as long as one lives; therefore, one should worship—even giving up life is preferable to not worshipping it.

रुद्रस्य पूजनाद्रुद्रो विष्णुः स्याद्विष्णुपूजनात् । सूर्य्यः स्यात् सूर्य्यपूजातः शक्त्यादिः शक्तिपूजनात् ।। ३२७.

By worshipping Rudra, one becomes Rudra; by worshipping Viṣṇu, one becomes Viṣṇu; by worshipping Sūrya, one becomes Sūrya; by worshipping Śakti and others, one becomes them.

सर्वयज्ञतपोदाने तीर्थे वेदेषु यत् फलं । तत् फलं कोटिगुणितं स्थाप्य लिङ्गं लभेन्नरः ।। ३२७.

Whatever fruit is obtained from all sacrifices, austerities, gifts, holy places, and the Vedas, a man obtains that fruit multiplied a crore times by installing a liṅga.