O best of sages, listen as the sacred teachings unfold. Even a single encounter with the virtuous, or just one act of worship to the great Lord Śiva, grants a mortal the blessed world of Rudra. But those who lack devotion, wandering through the cycle of existence, are beset by misery and mercilessness, lost in the ultimate cause of suffering. Fortunate indeed are those devoted to Śiva, the God of gods and Supreme Lord. They enjoy pleasures in this world and, when their time here ends, attain liberation. For all people—whether their devotion arises from love for sons, wives, or homes—even a fleeting inclination toward the Supreme Deity, fostered by association, brings the world of the Supreme Lord near to them, accessible even to great ascetics. Yet, O greatly wise one, you wonder: how can mortals, weak and dull, with lifespans vast as a kalpa but little strength or substance, worship the great god, the Lord of creatures? Even the gods themselves, practicing austerities for thousands of years, rarely behold Śaṅkara; how then can they worship him? What you have spoken is true, O best of sages. Yet know this: with faith, Śiva is seen, worshipped, and spoken to. Even those lacking devotion, if they worship him by chance, the Lord grants results according to their disposition. If a degraded twice-born, impure in body, worships, he attains the realm of spirits; if his mind is deluded and angry, he reaches the place of demons. A wicked person who worships after eating forbidden food attains the state of a yakṣa. One who delights in singing attains the Gandharva realm, and one fond of dancing likewise. Those who seek fame attain the lunar realm; the lowest of men, attached to women and intoxication, worshipping Rudra, reach the place of Soma. Worshipping the god with the Gāyatrī mantra brings the world of the progenitors; with the Praṇava, the Brahman realm; honoring him as Viṣṇu grants the Vaiṣṇava realm. Even a god, worshipping the great Lord just once with faith, attains the world of Rudra and rejoices there with the Rudras. Now, hear the sacred procedure. Having purified the auspicious liṅga, worshipped by gods and demons alike, with pure water, and invoking the god on the seat with devotion, one should behold the god properly, bow to Śaṅkara, and seat him on a prepared, pure seat endowed with knowledge of righteousness. In the midst of the lotus of Oṃ, born of Soma, Sūrya, and Agni, endowed with detachment and sovereignty, worshipped by all worlds, one should offer water for washing the feet, for sipping, and for welcoming to Rudra, to Śaṃbhu, and bathe him with divine waters, ghee, and milk. Rudra should also be bathed with curds and purified according to the proper method. After bathing with pure water, worship him with sandal and other offerings. One should worship with rocanā and other substances, offering divine flowers, whole bilva leaves, and various kinds of lotuses: blue lotuses, water-lilies, nadyāvarta, jasmine, campaka, jati flowers, bakula, and karavira. Śamī flowers, bṛhat flowers, wild agastya, apāmārga, kadamba, and beautiful ornaments are also fitting. After offering five kinds of incense, present sweet rice, curd-rice, and food soaked in honey and ghee. Pure rice, mung-bean rice, and six kinds of food may be offered, or five kinds of food with ghee. Alternatively, simply cook one āḍhaka of pure rice; after circumambulating, bow repeatedly at the end. Praise the god Īśāna, and again worship Śaṅkara. Honor Īśāna, Puruṣa, Aghora, and Vāma, and recite the Sadyojāta mantra. With these five, worship Śiva, for by this method the great lord is pleased. Know that trees whose flowers and leaves are used in the worship of Śiva, as well as cows and the best of twice-born, attain the highest state. Whoever worships Śiva—whether as Rudra, Śarva, Bhava, or the Unborn—even once, attains union with Śiva, free from rebirth. If one worships Parameśāna, Bhava, Śarva, or the consort of Umā, or even sees him by chance, one is freed from all sins. If one worships or even sees Mahādeva being worshipped, that mortal surely goes to the world of Brahma—there can be no doubt. Even hearing and approving of such worship, one attains the highest state. Whoever offers a ghee lamp even once before the liṅga attains a state firm and difficult to obtain, even for those established in their own āśramas, whether the lamp is made of wood, earth, or any material in the abode of Śiva. Having given, along with his family, he is honored in the world of Śiva, whether the lamp is of iron, copper, silver, or gold. Whoever offers a lamp to Śiva, according to rule or with devotion, journeys to the city of Śiva in vehicles as splendid as ten thousand suns. Whoever offers a ghee lamp before Śiva in the month of Kārtika, or sees Parameśvara being worshipped according to rule, goes to the world of Brahmā, O best of sages, with faith. Invocation, presence, installation, and worship are likewise prescribed. The seat should be prepared with the Rudra Gāyatrī and the Praṇava; the ablution is performed five times, especially with Rudra and the others. Thus, one should worship daily the God of gods, the consort of Umā. To his right, Brahmā should be especially honored with the Praṇava; to the north, Viṣṇu, the Lord of gods, with the Gāyatrī. Offer oblations into the fire as prescribed, with the Praṇava five times. By worshipping Śaṅkara in this way, one attains union with Śiva. In summary, this is the procedure for worshipping the Liṅga, as revealed by the sacred scripture.