In the sacred tradition, the worship of Shiva is a path open to all, and its practices are both profound and accessible. The ritual begins with waving lights before the deity, offering betel leaves, making obeisance, and performing the dismissal. After presenting arghya and other customary offerings, one should properly offer food to Shiva. These acts—ablution, food offering, obeisance, and libation—should always be done in the right order, as one is able, for each leads the devotee closer to the state of Shiva. No matter the form of the liṅga—whether crafted by human hands, established through Vedic rites, divine in origin, self-manifested, newly installed, or unprecedented—each must be worshipped with appropriate offerings. Whatever implements are used in worship, some fruit is always attained; and by circumambulating and bowing in the proper manner, one draws nearer to Shiva. Even the mere sight of the liṅga, when approached with reverence and according to the rules, bestows Shiva’s grace. The liṅga can be worshipped with simple offerings: clay, cow dung, flowers, oleander, or fruits. Jaggery, fresh butter, ashes, or cooked rice may also be used as one desires. Having made the liṅga with effort, one should worship it accordingly. Some devotees even wish to worship the liṅga upon their thumb or other places; in the rites of the liṅga, there is never any prohibition. Shiva, the giver of results everywhere, rewards according to the effort made. One may also gift a liṅga or crown it, and if given with faith to a devotee of Shiva, it bestows the state of Shiva. Alternatively, one may always recite the praṇava (Om) ten thousand times, or a thousand times at each twilight, for this is known to grant the state of Shiva. During recitation, one should worship the praṇava ending with ‘ma’, which purifies the mind. In meditation, mental recitation is prescribed, while muttered recitation is suitable at all times. This praṇava, with bindu and nada, is to be known and revered. Next, the five-syllable mantra should be recited ten thousand times with devotion, or a thousand times at each twilight, as this too bestows the state of Shiva. For brahmins, the mantra joined at the beginning with praṇava is especially recommended, and should be received from the guru through proper initiation for the attainment of results. Bathing with a pot, mantra initiation, and installation of the sacred letters are the rites among brahmins, and the guru distinguished by truthfulness, purity of mind, and learning. For twice-borns, the mantra begins with ‘namah’; for others, ‘namah’ is placed at the end; and for women, the placement of ‘namah’ is chosen as appropriate. Some brahmin women desire ‘namah’ at the beginning. By performing five crore recitations, one becomes equal to Shiva. Reciting a hundred thousand syllables, or separately reciting the syllables, grants the state of Brahma and others, in numbers of one, two, three, or four crores. Alternatively, the recitation of a hundred thousand syllables is known to grant the state of Shiva, and a thousand times a thousand, multiplied by a thousand, may be accomplished within a single day. By reciting the mantra as prescribed, one attains success; and by daily feeding Brahmins, one should recite the Gayatri mantra eight thousand and eight times in the morning. A Brahmin should always recite, in proper order, the mantras that bestow the state of Shiva, observing discipline and reciting Vedic mantras and hymns. The numbers for mantra recitation are one, ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, and a hundred thousand—except for one hundred. The recitation of the Vedas is also known to grant the state of Shiva, and one should recite many other mantras, each with a hundred thousand syllables. Single-syllable mantras may be recited up to a crore of syllables, and then, with devotion, a thousand more. Thus, one should act according to one’s ability and gradually attain the state of Shiva. One mantra, pleasing and recited daily, should be continued until death. To fulfill all desires by Shiva’s command, one should recite ‘Om’ a thousand times, or else perform acts such as tending flower gardens or sweeping. When such acts are performed for Shiva or for Shiva’s purposes, one attains the state of Shiva. It is best to dwell always in a Shiva-kshetra with devotion. For both the dull and the wise, residing in a Shiva-kshetra grants both enjoyment and liberation. Therefore, the wise should remain in a Shiva-kshetra until death. Worshipping a liṅga in a human-made kshetra brings a hundredfold merit; in a sacred or ancient kshetra, the merit is equal to a thousand gold coins. In a divine liṅga, the merit is said to be a thousand gold coins, and in a self-manifested kshetra, the merit is a thousand times the measure of a bow. In these sacred places, tanks, wells, and ponds are to be known as Shiva-Ganga, as declared by Shiva himself. Bathing, giving, and reciting there lead one to attain Shiva. Having taken refuge in a Shiva-kshetra, one should dwell there until death. Whether cremation, ten-day rites, monthly, or annual offerings are performed in a Shiva-kshetra—even the simple offering of a rice-ball—one is freed from all sins and immediately attains the state of Shiva. Dwelling for seven nights or five nights, or even for three nights or one night, gradually leads one to the state of Shiva. Each person attains, according to their conduct and varna, the results appropriate to them. By reciting the syllables with devotion, one may instantly obtain all desired results, even surpassing the fruits of complete ritual acts. All acts performed without desire directly grant the state of Shiva; in the morning, midday, and evening, one should perform these acts in sequence, at least once in any of these three times. The morning rite fulfills duties, midday fulfills desires, and evening brings peace; the same applies at night. Midnight, the middle of the night, is especially auspicious for worshipping Shiva and grants the fulfillment of wishes. Knowing all this, if one acts accordingly, the described results are attained, and especially in the Kali age, the fruit of action is quickly obtained. Whoever performs as prescribed, according to their eligibility—even if only a little, with good conduct and fear of sin—will obtain the promised result.