With deep reverence, the ritual unfolds, guiding the devotee through the sacred practice of mantra-nyāsa. Beginning with the feet, then moving to the knees, thighs, abdomen, heart, chest, mouth, and head, the syllables of the mantra—starting with the auspicious Oṃ—are placed in order upon the body. The devotee offers salutations to Nārāyaṇa, and then, reversing the sequence, installs the twelve-syllable mantra upon the hands. Each joint of the thumb receives the syllables from praṇava to ya, Oṃ is placed at the heart, and the entire mantra is installed at the crown of the head. Oṃ is then placed between the eyebrows, at the crest, the eyes, and atop the head, with the mantra recited: “Oṃ for Viṣṇu.” The devotee meditates upon the supreme Self, endowed with all powers, seeking protection from Hari. The form of the fish guards in water; Trivikrama protects in the sky; Vāmana on land; Narasiṃha in the forest; and Rāma upon the mountain. Varāha shields upon earth, Nārāyaṇa in the sky; Kapila liberates from bondage, and Dattātreya defends against disease. Hayagrīva protects from the deities, Kumāra from the god of love; Nārada from other worships, and Kūrma always safeguards in the southwest. Dhanvantari wards off unwholesome things, Nāga calms anger; Yajña guards from disease and troubles, Vyāsa dispels ignorance. Buddha protects from heretical groups, Kalki from impurity; Viṣṇu stands guard at midday, Nārāyaṇa in the morning. Madhusūdana protects in the afternoon, Mādhava in the evening; Hṛṣīkeśa at dusk, Janārdana at dawn. Śrīdhara keeps watch at midnight, Padmanābha at the dead of night; may the discus, club, and arrows destroy enemies and demons. The conch and lotus shield from foes, the Śārṅga bow and Garuḍa as well; ornaments at the sides guard intellect, senses, mind, and breath. Śeṣa, in the form of a serpent, protects everywhere; Narasiṃha guards in all directions and intermediary spaces. Whoever wears this mantra-nyāsa, whatever he beholds, becomes master, free from evil and disease, and attains heaven. Dhanvantari then speaks: “I will declare the Garuḍa scripture, as spoken by Garuḍa to Kaśyapa, Sumitra, and the poison-removing Garuḍa. Earth, water, fire, air, and space—these are the five great elements; within them are groups, and these are the lords of the circles. The gods reside in these five principles, attained by devotees of Viṣṇu; they are distinguished by long sounds and lack neuter gender. Śiva is described with six limbs: heart, head, crest, armor, eye, and weapon, each installed in its own place. At the end of the giver of all accomplishments is the fire of time below, and air; the sixth sound is joined with the crescent moon, the supreme. Distinctions of higher and lower, as declared by Śiva, should be applied everywhere on the body, in limbs marked by the syllable ‘ra,’ performing proper nyāsa as prescribed. Nyāsa should be performed on the heart, palms, body, ears, and eyes; by reciting the mantra, all attainments are achieved, accompanied by the four-faced Brahmā. One should contemplate the earth as a broad, four-sided figure, yellow in color, with Indra as its deity, and in the center, the circle of Varuṇa. Within the center, a lotus is visualized, adorned with a crescent moon, cool and shining with sapphire luster, gentle—or else the circle of fire. The triangle, marked with svastikas, is meditated upon as a mass of flames, resembling split collyrium, circular in form, adorned with a bindu (dot). Ether is visualized as a wave of milk, brilliant like pure crystal, flooding the entire world, as the nectar of space. Vāsuki and Śaṅkhapāla are established in the earthly circle; Karkoṭa and Padmanābha in the watery circle. In the circle of fire are Kulika and Takṣaka, the great lotuses; in the circle of wind, the five elements are arranged. From thumb to little finger, in both forward and reverse order, and at the joints of the fingers, Jayā and Vijayā are placed. The Śiva syllables are installed at the mouth and other locations of the body; beginning with the little finger and the heart, and at the crown and on the hands, nyāsa is performed. The all-pervading mantra, preceded by the tattvas, is placed in sequence on the finger joints; again, nyāsa of the elements and likewise the limbs of Śiva. At the end, with the name beginning with praṇava and so on, and with the name itself, this procedure is taught for all mantras in establishment and worship. The first syllable of that name is declared to be the mantra; it is the mantra for the eight classes of nāgas, bringing about their presence. With ‘oṃ svāhā’ in sequence, preceded by the five elements, this becomes manifest, O Tārkṣya, as the accomplisher of all actions. Having performed kara-nyāsa with the vowels, nyāsa is again performed on the body. The vital breath is contemplated as blazing, purifying the self. Afterwards, the seed (bīja) is meditated upon, up to the end of the year, as being of the nature of nectar; having performed the filling, it is contemplated at the crown of the head. Earth is placed at the feet, shining like heated gold, filled with all worlds, accompanied by guardians of the directions. The wise install this divine earth within their own body, meditating on it as dark in color, and the earth becomes twice as powerful. The triangular solar mandala, encircled by a garland of flames, blazing and capable of consuming all worlds up to Brahma’s realm, is placed within the space between the navel and the throat. Finally, the fierce, wind-associated mandala is meditated upon, pervading everything, appearing like split collyrium, and established as the form of the self. Thus, the ritual is completed, each element and deity installed and contemplated, ensuring protection, purification, and the attainment of all blessings.