Listen now to the sacred arrangement of the worship of the Supreme Lord, as revealed in the scriptures. The petals of the divine seat are set in all directions: in the east lies Acquisition, the southern petal is Irresistible Will, the west is graced by Lordship in the realm of Nirṛti, and the north is Control within the domain of Wind. Omniscience shines forth in the northeast, while at the center, the pericarp is known as Soma, the moon. Beneath Soma is the radiant Sun, and below that, the Fire himself dwells. In the intermediate directions—between the cardinal points—abide Righteousness and other noble qualities. One is to contemplate the infinite expanse, beginning from the unmanifest, unfolding in the four main and four intermediate directions. At the boundary of Soma reside the three guṇas, the fundamental qualities. Above these are found the three aspects of the self, and at their summit is the seat of Śiva. To invoke the Supreme Lord, one begins with the mantra, “I approach Sadyojāta,” and establishes Him upon His seat using the Vāmadeva mantra. His presence is then called with the Rudra Gāyatrī, and His power is restrained with the Aghora mantra. With the invocation, “Īśānaḥ sarvavidyānām,” the worshipper offers water for washing the Lord’s feet, water for sipping, and the arghya—a respectful libation. The bathing of Rudra is performed with water perfumed by sandalwood and other fragrances, using the five sacred products of the cow, which are carefully taken and consecrated in a vessel. With the Praṇava—Om—these are offered, along with clarified butter, honey, and sugarcane juice. The worshipper anoints the Great God with these auspicious substances and the Praṇava, then pours pure water from sanctified vessels, reciting purifying mantras. After the prescribed purification, the devotee, clad in a white cloth, gathers kuśa grass, apāmārga, camphor, jātī flowers, and campaka blossoms. White oleander, jasmine, lotuses, and blue water-lilies, together with fragrant sandalwood, are added to the water, making it beautiful and pure. Into this water, mantras beginning with Sadyojāta are placed, using a vessel of gold or silver—or, if these are not available, a copper vessel, a lotus or palāśa leaf, a conch, a purified clay vessel, or any other auspicious container. With kuśa grass and flowers, the Lord is bathed with the proper mantras. These mantras are now revealed for the fulfillment of all desires: by bathing the liṅga even once with these sacred chants—such as the Pavamāna and Vāmīyaka mantras—a person is freed from bondage. The Rudra, Nīlarudra, Śrīsūkta, Rajanīsūkta, and Camaka are recited, as well as the Hotāra, Śirasa, Atharva, Śānti (repeated for peace), Bhāruṇḍa, and Aruṇa hymns. The Vāruṇa, Jyeṣṭha, Vedavrata, another auspicious hymn, and the Puruṣa hymn are also used in this worship. Then, in swift succession, Rudra—the one with matted hair—along with the monkey-faced one and Viṣṇu as Bṛhaccandra, are invoked with the Sāman, declaring, “Let it be established.” Virūpākṣa, Skanda, the many Śivas, the five Brahmas, the Sūtra, and the pure Praṇava are all called upon in this sacred act. The Lord of gods and lords is then bathed for the pacification of all sins, and offerings are made: a cloth, the sacred thread of Śiva, and water for sipping. In order, fragrance, flowers, incense, a lamp, food, more fragrant water, and again water for sipping are presented. A beautiful, covered crown and ornaments are offered, along with mouth-perfume and similar items, always accompanied by the Praṇava. The Lord, resplendent like crystal, without parts or decay, the imperishable cause of all the gods, pervading all worlds, and supreme above all, is to be contemplated. He is beyond the perception of Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and even the great seers and gods. As the Vedas declare, He is beyond even those who know the Vedas and Vedānta. He is without beginning, middle, or end—He is the remedy for all who suffer in worldly existence, known as the principle of Śiva, established in the Śivaliṅga. With the Praṇava, one worships the top of the Liṅga, recites hymns as prescribed, and performs obeisance and circumambulation. After offering arghya and scattering flowers at the feet of the Lord, bowing low, the devotee meditates upon Śiva, the Lord of gods, as established within one’s own heart. Thus has the supreme worship of the Liṅga been described in brief. Now, the internal worship is explained: The practitioner is to meditate upon the fiery, solar, and immortal disc within the heart. Above this, the three guṇas are envisioned, and then, in order, the three aspects of the self. Above these, the worshipper contemplates the Great God—formless, yet with all forms, whose body is half-occupied by His beloved. Whatever is to be contemplated there has been described in many ways, for as the devotee contemplates, so does realization arise; it cannot arise otherwise. Therefore, the worshipper should meditate and remember the purpose in this way, for otherwise true awakening does not occur. He, the Lord, dwells in the city of the body, and is thus called puruṣa. He is worshipped through sacrifice, and the worshipper is remembered as such. The Great Lord is to be meditated upon; meditation is contemplation, and its fruit is liberation. Thus, one attains the true nature of the Lord of Pradhāna and Puruṣa. Here, the twenty-sixth principle is to be meditated upon, the meditator is the twenty-fifth, the unmanifest is the twenty-fourth, and then the seven beginning with the great principle: the great principle (mahat), then ego, the five subtle elements, the five organs of action, the five organs of perception, the mind, and the five elements. In this way, Śiva is the twenty-sixth—He alone is the sustainer and the creator, the supreme Lord, even above Brahmā. Śankara, that Rudra, generated Hiranyagarbha. He surpasses the universe, is the very soul of the universe, and is remembered as the form of all. Just as, without a father and mother, children are not born, so too, without Soma, the three worlds do not exist. This is the sacred sequence and mystery of worship, as revealed in the scripture—a path of reverence, contemplation, and realization of the Supreme Lord.