ग्रहयज्ञत्रयं कुर्याद् यस् त्वकाम्येन मानवः स विष्णोः पदमाप्नोति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्
Whoever performs the three planetary sacrifices with desire, that person attains the abode of Vishnu, which is difficult to return from.
य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं श्रावयेद्वापि मानवः न तस्य ग्रहपीडा स्यान् न च बन्धुजनक्षयः
Whoever listens to this regularly, or has it recited, will not suffer planetary afflictions nor the loss of relatives.
ग्रहयज्ञत्रयं गेहे लिखितं यत्र तिष्ठति न पीडा तत्र बालानां न रोगो न च बन्धनम्
Where the three planetary sacrifices are written and kept in a house, there is no affliction for children there, nor disease, nor bondage.
अशेषयज्ञफलदं निःशेषाघविनाशनम् कोटिहोमं विदुः प्राज्ञा भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम्
It grants the full fruit of all sacrifices and destroys all sins; the wise know that a million-offering rite bestows both enjoyment and liberation.
अश्वमेधफलं प्राहुर् लक्षहोमं सुरोत्तमाः द्वादशाहमखस् तद्वन् नवग्रहमखः स्मृतः
The best of gods declare that a hundred-thousand-offering rite gives the fruit of an ashvamedha; a twelve-day sacrifice is likewise, and so is the nine-planet sacrifice.
इति कथितमिदानीमुत्सवानन्दहेतोः सकलकलुषहारी देवयज्ञाभिषेकः परिपठति य इत्थं यः शृणोति प्रसङ्गाद् अभिभवति स शत्रूनायुरारोग्ययुक्तः
Thus has been described, for the sake of festival and joy, the devayajña consecration which removes all impurities; whoever recites or hears this in due course overcomes enemies and is endowed with long life and health.
पद्मासनः पद्मकरः पद्मगर्भसमद्युतिः सप्ताश्वः सप्तरज्जुश्च द्विभुजः स्यात्सदा रविः
The Sun should always be depicted seated in the lotus posture, holding a lotus, with a radiance equal to the womb of a lotus, drawn by seven horses and seven reins, and having two arms.
श्वेतः श्वेताम्बरधरः श्वेताश्वः श्वेतवाहनः गदापाणिर्द्विबाहुश्च कर्तव्यो वरदः शशी
The Moon should be shown as white, clad in white garments, riding a white horse, with a white vehicle, holding a mace in his hand, having two arms, and bestowing boons.
रक्तमाल्याम्बरधरः शक्तिशूलगदाधरः चतुर्भुजः श्वेतरोमा वरदः स्याद् धरासुतः
Mars, the son of the Earth, should be depicted wearing red garlands and garments, holding a spear, trident, and mace, with four arms, white hair, and granting boons.
पीतमाल्याम्बरधरः कर्णिकारसमद्युतिः खड्गचर्मगदापाणिः सिंहस्थो वरदो बुधः
Mercury should be shown wearing yellow garlands and garments, with a radiance like the karnikara flower, holding a sword, shield, and mace, seated on a lion, and granting boons.
देवदैत्यगुरू तद्वत् पीतश्वेतौ चतुर्भुजौ दण्डिनौ वरदौ कार्यौ साक्षसूत्रकमण्डलू
The preceptors of gods and demons, too, should be depicted as yellow and white, with four arms, holding staffs, bestowing boons, and carrying prayer beads and water pots.
इन्द्रनीलद्युतिः शूली वरदो गृध्रवाहनः बाणबाणासनधरः कर्तव्यो ऽर्कसुतस् तथा
The son of the Sun, Saturn, should be depicted with the luster of a sapphire, holding a trident, bestowing boons, riding a vulture, and bearing arrows and a bow.
करालवदनः खड्गचर्मशूली वरप्रदः नीलसिंहासनस्थश्च राहुरत्र प्रशस्यते
Rahu is praised here as having a fierce face, holding a sword, shield, and trident, bestowing boons, and seated on a blue lion throne.
धूम्रा द्विबाहवः सर्वे गदिनो विकृताननाः गृध्रासनगता नित्यं केतवः स्युर्वरप्रदाः
All the Ketu figures should be smoky in color, two-armed, mace-bearing, with distorted faces, always seated on a vulture throne, and bestowing boons.
सर्वे किरीटिनः कार्या ग्रहा लोकहितावहाः स्वाङ्गुलेनोच्छ्रिताः सर्वे शतमष्टोत्तरं सदा
All the planets should be depicted as crowned, beneficent to the world, each raised by their own finger, always numbering one hundred and eight.
भगवन्भूतभव्येश तथान्यदपि यच्छ्रुतम् भुक्तिमुक्तिफलायालं तत्पुनर् वक्तुमर्हसि
O Lord, Master of past and future, please tell again, in full, whatever has been heard that leads to enjoyment and liberation.
एवमुक्तो ऽब्रवीच्छम्भुर् अयं वाङ्मयपारगः मत्समस्तपसा ब्रह्मन् पुराणश्रुतिविस्तरैः
Thus addressed, Shambhu, the master of speech, replied: O Brahman, by my penance and the vastness of the Purāṇas and Vedas, I shall speak.
धर्मो ऽयं वृषरूपेण नन्दी नाम गणाधिपः धर्मान्माहेश्वरान् वक्ष्यत् यतःप्रभृति नारद
This Dharma, in the form of a bull, is Nandi, the chief of the Gaṇas; from him I shall declare the Śaiva observances, O Nārada.
इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवेशस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत नारदो ऽपि हि शुश्रूषुर् अपृच्छन्नन्दिकेश्वरम् आदिष्टस्त्वं शिवेनेह वद माहेश्वरं व्रतम्
Having said this, the Lord of the gods disappeared right there; and Nārada, eager to hear, questioned Nandikeśvara, as instructed by Śiva: 'Tell me here the Śaiva observance.'
शृणुष्वावहितो ब्रह्मन् वक्ष्ये माहेश्वरं व्रतम् त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्याता नाम्ना शिवचतुर्दशी
Listen attentively, O Brahman, as I describe the Śaiva observance, renowned in the three worlds by the name Śivacaturdaśī.
मार्गशीर्षत्रयोदश्यां सितायामेकभोजनः प्रार्थयेद्देवदेवेशं त्वामहं शरणं गतः
On the bright thirteenth day of Mārgaśīrṣa, one should eat only once, and pray to the Lord of gods, saying, 'I have taken refuge in you.'
चतुर्दश्यां निराहारः सम्यगभ्यर्च्य शंकरम् सुवर्णवृषभं दत्त्वा भोक्ष्यामि च परे ऽहनि
On the fourteenth day, fasting, having duly worshipped Śaṅkara, one should give a golden bull and eat on the following day.
एवं नियमकृत्सुप्त्वा प्रातरुत्थाय मानवः कृतस्नानजपःपश्चाद् उमया सह शंकरम् पूजयेत्कमलैः शुभ्रैर् गन्धमाल्यानुलेपनैः
Thus observing the vow, after sleeping, a person should rise early, bathe, recite prayers, and then, together with Umā, worship Śaṅkara with pure lotuses, fragrant garlands, and ointments.
पादौ नमः शिवायेति शिरः सर्वात्मने नमः त्रिनेत्रायेति नेत्राणि ललाटं हरये नमः
One should bow at the feet, saying 'Obeisance to Śiva'; at the head, 'Obeisance to the all-pervading one'; at the eyes, 'Obeisance to the three-eyed one'; and at the forehead, 'Obeisance to Hara.'
मुखमिन्दुमुखायेति श्रीकण्ठायेति कंधराम् सद्योजाताय कर्णौ तु वामदेवाय वै भुजौ
One should worship the face as 'whose face is like the moon,' the throat as 'to Śrīkaṇṭha,' the ears as 'to Sadyojāta,' and the arms as 'to Vāmadeva.'
अघोरहृदयायेति हृदयं चाभिपूजयेत् स्तनौ तत्पुरुषायेति तथेशानाय चोदरम्
One should worship the heart as 'to Aghora's heart,' the breasts as 'to Tatpuruṣa,' and the abdomen as 'to Īśāna.'
पार्श्वौ चानन्तधर्माय ज्ञानभूताय वै कटिम् ऊरू चानन्तवैराग्यसिंहायेत्यभिपूजयेत्
One should worship the sides as 'to Anantadharma,' the waist as 'to the embodiment of knowledge,' and the thighs as 'to the lion of endless detachment.'
अनन्तैश्वर्यनाथाय जानुनी चार्चयेद्बुधः प्रधानाय नमो जङ्घे गुल्फौ व्योमात्मने नमः
A wise person should worship the knees as 'to the lord of infinite sovereignty,' the shanks as 'to the chief,' and the ankles as 'to the one whose essence is space.'
व्योमकेशात्मरूपाय केशान्पृष्ठं च पूजयेत् नमः पुष्ट्यै नमस्तुष्ट्यै पार्वतीं चापि पूजयेत्
One should worship the hair and back as 'to the one whose form is the essence of space,' offer salutations to Puṣṭi and Tuṣṭi, and also worship Pārvatī.
ततस्तु वृषभं हैमम् उदकुम्भसमन्वितम् शुक्लमाल्याम्बरधरं पञ्चरत्नसमन्वितम् भक्ष्यैर्नानाविधैर्युक्तं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्
Then, one should offer to a brāhmaṇa a golden bull furnished with a water pot, adorned with white garlands and garments, set with five jewels, and accompanied by various kinds of food.