With deep devotion and reverence, the worshipper prepares to honor Lord Rudra, following the sacred Vedic procedure. First, a beautiful seat is arranged for the Lord, accompanied by the mantra, “To that Rudra,” inviting His presence with all due respect. The invocation is performed with the mantra, “You are great in honor,” and the Lord is respectfully seated with the words, “O Rudra, proceed.” Next, the devotee performs the ritual placement, or nyāsa, for Śiva using the mantra, “I come with the arrow.” With loving intent, the consecration is carried out, reciting, “He declared.” The deities are then installed with the mantra, “With vital force,” and any obstacles are removed by chanting, “He who moves.” Arghya, the ceremonial water offering, is presented with the Rudra Gāyatrī, and the devotee performs the ritual sipping of water with the Tryambaka mantra. The bathing of the deity begins: with the mantra, “Milk is of the earth,” milk is poured, and with “Dadhikrāvan,” curds are offered. The bathing continues with honey and sugar, creating the sacred mixture known as the five nectars. Alternatively, the devotee may use the pādya mantra to bathe the Lord with these nectars. Lovingly, the girdle is tied with the mantra, “O Mind, in the child,” or the upper garment is placed with, “Salutation to the bold one.” Cloth is offered to Śiva, reciting with love and the four Vedic verses, “That weapon of yours.” Fragrance is presented with the mantra, “Salutation to the dogs,” and flowers are offered with “Salutation to Pārya,” or using the flower mantra. Bilva leaves, so dear to Śiva, are presented with “Salutation to Parṇya” or a similar mantra. Incense is offered as prescribed with, “Salutation to Kapardī,” and a lamp is presented with the verse, “Salutation to Āśava.” The finest food is placed before the Lord with “namojyeṣṭhāya,” and the devotee remembers to perform ācamana again with “tryambakam.” Fruits are offered with, “imā rudrāya,” and, with the verse, “namo vrajyāya,” all offerings are dedicated to Śambhu. The worship of the Rudras is performed with the mantras, “mano mahāntam” and “mānastoke,” using these two and eleven sacred syllables. For the giving of dakṣiṇā, the three verses beginning, “hiraṇyagarbha,” are recited, and the wise perform abhiṣeka with “devasyatve.” The rite of nirājana, waving the lamp before Śambhu, is done with the lamp mantra, and a handful of flowers is offered with devotion, using the three verses, “imā rudrāya.” Circumambulation is performed with the mantra, “mano mahāntam,” and a full prostration is made with, “mānastoke.” The gesture of fearlessness is shown with, “yatoyata,” and the gesture of knowledge with, “tryambaka.” The great mudrā is displayed with, “namaḥseneti,” the cow mudrā is shown, and the mudrā is indicated with, “namoge.” After displaying the five sacred mudrās, the worshipper recites the Śiva mantra, and those skilled in the Vedas chant the Śatarudriya hymn. The five limbs are recited, and with the mantra, “devāgāt,” the dismissal of Śambhu is performed. Thus, Vyāsa has described the Vedic procedure for Śiva worship. Now, the supreme Vedic rite is summarized. With the verse, “sadyojāta,” clay is taken; with “vāmadevāya,” water is sprinkled. The liṅga is shaped with “aghoreṇa,” and the invocation is performed with, “tatpuruṣāya.” Hara is joined to the altar with, “īśāna,” and all other procedures are concisely completed by the wise. With the five-syllable mantra given by the guru, the devotee worships with sixteen offerings, following the prescribed method. One contemplates Bhava, the destroyer of existence, the great god—fierce, yet the destroyer of fierceness, Śarva, the one adorned with the moon. With this mantra, or another suitable one, the wise worship Śaṃkara. With pure devotion, free from error, Śiva grants the fruits of worship solely through devotion. Thus, the Vedic sequence of worship has been explained. Now, the general procedure is set forth for the twice-born. The worship of the earthly liṅga is prescribed, using the sacred names of Śiva: Hara, Maheśvara, Śaṃbhu, Śūlapāṇi, Pinākadhṛk, Śiva, Paśupati, and Mahādeva—these names are to be used in the proper order. The acts of collecting clay, shaping, establishing, invoking, bathing, worshipping, and dismissal are all to be performed. Each rite is carried out, in sequence, with the names ending in the fourth case, beginning with “aṃ,” with utmost devotion and reverence. After performing the rite of nyāsa on both hands with the sixfold mantra, the worshipper meditates upon the Lord. One visualizes the Lord seated at the center of the Kailāsa throne, worshipped by devotees like Sananda, blazing like fire that consumes all sorrows, adorned with the ornaments of the universe, and embraced by Umā. One meditates upon Maheśa, shining like a silver mountain, adorned with a beautiful crescent moon, his radiant limbs decorated with jewels. In his hands, he holds the axe, deer, boon, and the gesture of fearlessness. He is gracious, seated upon a lotus, surrounded by immortals, clad in tiger skin, the origin and seed of the universe, remover of all fear, five-faced, and three-eyed. Having meditated thus and worshipped the supreme earthly liṅga, the devotee recites the five-syllabled mantra given by the guru, according to the prescribed method. With hymns, the wise praise the Lord of gods, bowing down; the best of Brāhmaṇas recite the various names and the Śatarudriya hymn. Finally, with hands joined in reverence and holding fresh flowers, the devotee prays to Śaṃkara with these mantras, offering deep devotion and love.