With deep reverence for the sacred tradition, the teacher began the holy rite of initiation. He took up a purified, full vessel, his mind absorbed in meditation upon Lord Shiva. With this sanctified water, he anointed the disciple, marking the beginning of the sacred journey. After this, the disciple bathed and dressed himself in spotless white garments. He performed his own ritual purification and adorned himself appropriately. With palms joined in humility and devotion, he approached the pavilion where the ceremony would unfold. As before, the teacher seated the disciple upon a seat made of darbha grass. There, within the consecrated mandala, the teacher worshipped the deity, performing the prescribed ritual gestures with his hands, each movement filled with meaning. With his mind fixed on Shiva, the teacher envisioned sacred ashes and, in this meditative state, touched the disciple gently, uttering the holy name “Shiva.” Then, following the path of the matrika-nyasa, he completed the necessary rites—burning, washing, and all other acts required for purity. Next, the teacher meditated upon Shiva’s divine seat, invoking the presence of the Lord upon the disciple’s head. He worshipped Shiva mentally there, following the proper method, and with hands joined in prayer, he entreated the deity, “Always remain present here.” Remembering the brilliance of Shambhu, he offered his heartfelt request. Having worshipped Shiva and received the Shaiva command—the very essence of Shiva—the teacher softly whispered the Shiva-mantra into the disciple’s ear. The disciple, palms joined and mind wholly absorbed in the mantra, listened intently and then began to recite it slowly, just as his teacher instructed. The teacher, expert in the sacred mantras, then instructed the disciple in the Shakta mantra, pronouncing it with care and blessing him with well-being. He explained the meanings of the mantras, illuminating the relationship between the expressed and its expression, revealing the form of the Lord, and prescribing the correct posture for meditation. At the teacher’s command, the disciple, standing before Shiva, the sacred fire, and the guru, spoke the words of initiation with deep devotion, firmly resolving in his heart to uphold them. It was taught that it is better to give up one’s very life, even beheaded, than to partake of anything without first worshipping the Blessed Three-Eyed One. The disciple was instructed to give and act with discipline as long as delusion and error persisted in the world, remaining steadfast and devoted in worshipping the deity. This marked the beginning of the ‘samaya’ stage in the Shiva hermitage, where, having attained authority, the disciple became subject to the teacher’s guidance and command. Following this, the teacher placed his hands down and gave the disciple sacred ashes from his own hand, along with a Rudraksha bead empowered by mantra. If possible, he also provided a representation of the deity or a concealed body, as well as the means for worship, offerings, recitation, and meditation. With great respect, the disciple received these sacred items from the Shiva teacher, accepting them only at the teacher’s command. He placed everything upon his head with devotion, vowing to protect them and to worship Shambhu, whether in the monastery or at home. The teacher then instructed the disciple in the conduct befitting a devotee of Shiva, tailoring his guidance to the disciple’s devotion, faith, and understanding. All that had been spoken, all that had been understood, and all else declared by the Shiva teacher in the samaya rite, the disciple was to hold upon his head—cherishing and upholding these teachings. The study, recitation, and hearing of the Shiva scriptures were to be done only according to the teacher’s guidance, never by one’s own wish or otherwise. Thus, in brief, the sacred ‘samaya’ rite was described, the supreme means for people to attain the direct path to the city of Shiva. After this initiation, the teacher examined the disciple’s fitness and prepared to perform the purification of the six paths, a rite for liberation from all bonds. These six paths—kala, tattva, bhuvana, varna, pada, and mantra—were briefly enumerated. The wise know the path of kala as the five kalas, beginning with nivritti, each pervading the other five paths. The path of tattva extends from the Shiva principle down to the lowest realm, comprising twenty-six elements in both pure and impure forms. The path of bhuvana encompasses sixty realms, from the base to the highest, set aside from distinctions and subdivisions. The fifty Rudra-forms are the letters, forming the path of varna, while the path of words (pada) is manifold in its varieties. The path of mantras is pervaded by all supreme mantras through the highest knowledge, just as Shiva, being their Lord, is not counted among the tattvas. In the mantra path, Shiva is not counted, for he is the Lord of mantras; the path of kalas is pervasiveness, while the other paths are those pervaded. One who does not know the true nature of each path is not fit for their purification, for the form of the sixfold path remains unknown to him. Without this knowledge, the reality of pervading and being pervaded cannot be understood. Therefore, understanding properly, one should perform the purification of the path, extending up to the boundary of the altar-circle, as before. A circle, two cubits in size, was drawn for the water-pots to the east. The Shiva-ācārya, having bathed and performed the daily rites with his disciples, entered the circle. There, he worshipped Shambhu as before. He prepared pāyasa—sweet rice—fit for offering. Half was offered as oblation; the remainder was set aside. In the prepared circle, or one marked with letters, the teacher placed five water-pots in the four directions and one in the center. Into these pots, he established the Brahman mantras with their root letters, endowed with bindu and nāda, beginning and ending with salutations of ‘ya.’ In the central pot, he invoked Īśāna; in the front, Puruṣa; on the right, Aghora; on the left, Vāma; and in the west, Sadya. Having established protection and formed the ritual mudrā, he consecrated the pots with the appropriate mantras, thus completing this sacred portion of the rite.