Linga Purana

यतीनां संहृतिर् न्यासः सिद्धिर् भवति नान्यथा अङ्गन्यासः करन्यासो देहन्यास इति त्रिधा

For ascetics, dissolution is the nyāsa; success comes in no other way. There are three kinds: aṅganyāsa, karanyāsa, and dehanyāsa.

उत्पत्त्यादित्रिभेदेन वक्ष्यते ते वरानने न्यसेत्पूर्वं करन्यासं देहन्यासम् अनन्तरम्

O beautiful-faced one, I will explain to you the threefold division beginning with creation; first one should perform karanyāsa, then dehanyāsa.

अङ्गन्यासं ततः पश्चाद् अक्षराणां विधिक्रमात् मूर्धादिपादपर्यन्तम् उत्पत्तिन्यास उच्यते

Then, after that, aṅganyāsa is performed according to the proper order of the syllables, from the head down to the feet; this is called the nyāsa of creation.

पादादिमूर्धपर्यन्तं संहारो भवति प्रिये हृदयास्यगलन्यासः स्थितिन्यास उदाहृतः

From the feet up to the head is dissolution, dear one; nyāsa on the heart, mouth, and throat is called the nyāsa of maintenance.

ब्रह्मचारिगृहस्थानां यतीनां चैव शोभने सशिरस्कं ततो देहं सर्वमन्त्रेण संस्पृशेत्

For celibates, householders, and ascetics, O auspicious one, after touching the head, one should touch the whole body with the mantra.

स देहन्यास इत्युक्तः सर्वेषां सम एव स दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठमारभ्य वामाङ्गुष्ठान्त एव हि

This is called dehanyāsa, which is the same for all; beginning from the right thumb up to the left thumb.

न्यस्यते यत्तदुत्पत्तिर् विपरीतं तु संहृतिः अङ्गुष्ठादिकनिष्ठान्तं न्यस्यते हस्तयोर् द्वयोः

What is placed in this way is creation; the reverse is dissolution. From the thumb to the little finger, nyāsa is performed on both hands.

अतीव भोगदो देवि स्थितिन्यासः कुटुंबिनाम् करन्यासं पुरा कृत्वा देहन्यासम् अनन्तरम्

O Goddess, this placement of the limbs is especially fruitful for householders; after first performing the ritual placement on the hands, one should then proceed to the bodily placement.

अङ्गन्यासं न्यसेत्पश्चाद् एष साधारणो विधिः ओङ्कारं संपुटीकृत्य सर्वाङ्गेषु च विन्यसेत्

Afterwards, one should perform the placement on the limbs; this is the general procedure. Enclose the syllable Oṃ and place it upon all the limbs.

करयोरुभयोश्चैव दशाग्रांगुलिषु क्रमात् प्रक्षाल्य पादावाचम्य शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहितः

Then, on both hands, on the ten fingertips in order—having washed the feet, rinsed the mouth, become pure and focused—

प्राङ्मुखोदङ्मुखो वापि न्यासकर्म समाचरेत् स्मरेत् पूर्वम् ऋषिं छन्दो दैवतं बीजमेव च

Facing east or north, one should perform the ritual of placement, first remembering the seer, the meter, the deity, and the seed-syllable.

शक्तिं च परमात्मानं गुरुं चैव वरानने मन्त्रेण पाणी संमृज्य तलयोः प्रणवं न्यसेत्

And also the power, the Supreme Self, and the teacher, O beautiful-faced one; rubbing the hands with the mantra, one should place the praṇava on both palms.

अङ्गुलीनां च सर्वेषां तथा चाद्यन्तपर्वसु सबिन्दुकानि बीजानि पञ्च मध्यमपर्वसु

On all the fingers, at the base and tip joints, and on the five middle joints, the seed-syllables with a dot should be placed.

उत्पत्त्यादित्रिभेदेन न्यसेदाश्रमतः क्रमात् उभाभ्यामेव पाणिभ्याम् आपादतलमस्तकम्

According to the threefold origin and so on, one should place them in order as prescribed for each stage of life, with both hands, from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head.

मन्त्रेण संस्पृशेद्देहं प्रणवेनैव संपुटम् मूर्ध्नि वक्त्रे च कण्ठे च हृदये गुह्यके तथा

Touching the body with the mantra, and enclosing it with the praṇava, one should place it on the head, mouth, throat, heart, and also the secret part.

पादयोर् उभयोश्चैव गुह्ये च हृदये तथा कण्ठे च मुखमध्ये च मूर्ध्नि च प्रणवादिकम्

On both feet, the secret part, the heart, the throat, the center of the mouth, and the head, one should place the praṇava and the others.

हृदये गुह्यके चैव पादयोर्मूर्ध्नि वाचि वा कण्ठे चैव न्यसेदेव प्रणवादित्रिभेदतः

On the heart, the secret part, the feet, the head, the speech, and the throat, one should place the praṇava and the others, according to the threefold distinction.

कृत्वाङ्गन्यासमेवं हि मुखानि परिकल्पयेत् पूर्वादि चोर्ध्वपर्यन्तं नकारादि यथाक्रमम्

Having thus performed the limb placement, one should arrange the faces, from the east and so on up to the uppermost, beginning with 'na' and so forth, in order.

षडङ्गानि न्यसेत्पश्चाद् यथास्थानं च शोभनम् नमः स्वाहा वषड्ढुं च वौषट्फट्कारकैः सह

Then, one should place the six limbs, beautifully, in their proper places, together with the syllables namaḥ, svāhā, vaṣaṭ, hūṃ, vauṣaṭ, and phaṭ.

प्रणवं हृदयं विद्यान् नकारः शिर उच्यते शिखा मकार आख्यातः शिकारः कवचं तथा

Know the praṇava as the heart, 'na' as the head, 'ma' as the crest, 'śi' as the hair tuft, and 'ka' as the armor.

आकारो नेत्रमस्त्रं तु यकारः परिकीर्तितः इत्थमङ्गानि विन्यस्य ततो वै बन्धयेद्दिशः

'A' is the eye, the weapon is 'ya' as it is called; having placed the limbs in this way, one should then seal the directions.

विघ्नेशो मातरो दुर्गा क्षेत्रज्ञो देवता दिशः आग्नेयादिषु कोणेषु चतुर्ष्वपि यथाक्रमम्

Ganesha, the Mothers, Durgā, the field-knower, and the deities of the directions—at the corners, beginning with the southeast, in all four, in order.

अङ्गुष्ठतर्जन्यग्राभ्यां संस्थाप्य सुमुखं शुभम् रक्षध्वमिति चोक्त्वा तु नमस्कुर्यात्पृथक्पृथक्

With the tips of the thumb and forefinger, one should establish the auspicious and beautiful face; saying, 'Protect!' one should bow separately to each.

गले मध्ये तथाङ्गुष्ठे तर्जन्याद्याङ्गुलीषु च अङ्गुष्ठेन करन्यासं कुर्यादेव विचक्षणः

At the middle of the throat, on the thumb, and on the forefinger and other fingers, the wise should perform the hand placement with the thumb.

एवं न्यासमिमं प्रोक्तं सर्वपापहरं शुभम् सर्वसिद्धिकरं पुण्यं सर्वरक्षाकरं शिवम्

Thus this placement has been described, which removes all sins, is auspicious, grants all accomplishments, brings merit, bestows all protection, and is auspicious.

न्यस्ते मन्त्रे ऽथ सुभगे शङ्करप्रतिमो भवेत् जन्मान्तरकृतं पापम् अपि नश्यति तत्क्षणात्

When the mantra is placed, O fortunate one, one becomes like Śaṅkara; even sin committed in previous births is destroyed at that very moment.

एवं विन्यस्य मेधावी शुद्धकायो दृढव्रतः जपेत्पञ्चाक्षरं मन्त्रं लब्ध्वाचार्यप्रसादतः

Thus, having placed it, the intelligent one, pure in body and firm in vow, should recite the five-syllabled mantra, having obtained the grace of the teacher.

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि मन्त्रसंग्रहणं शुभे यं विना निष्फलं नित्यं येन वा सफलं भवेत्

Next, I shall explain the collection of mantras, O auspicious one, without which daily practice is fruitless, but with which it becomes fruitful.

आज्ञाहीनं क्रियाहीनं श्रद्धाहीनम् अमानसम् आज्ञप्तं दक्षिणाहीनं सदा जप्तं च निष्फलम्

A mantra recited without command, without proper action, without faith, without sincerity, without instruction, without offering, and always recited is fruitless.