With devotion and precision, the sacred initiation began. At the moment of union, the teacher performed worship and offered three oblations, his mind intent on guiding the disciple’s very self into the sanctified establishment. Once the establishment was invoked and every prescribed rite completed, he meditated upon its pervasion—contemplating the all-encompassing presence of Vāgīśānī, the goddess of speech, as well. He then visualized the establishment as radiant and complete as a full moon, and, just as before, invoked the command of Shiva, the Supreme Self, for Vishnu. With reverent knowledge, he dismissed Vishnu, contemplating the establishment within him as previously instructed. Continuing in this manner, he meditated on its pervasive power and on Vāgīśā in their proper sequence. At the culmination of the full offering into the blazing fire, he completed the remaining rites as before. Next, he presented Nīlarudra and performed worship and other necessary rites for this form, conducting the ritual and imparting Shiva’s command along the previously revealed path. After dismissing that austerity and performing the rites for its pacification, he established the art of knowledge and observed its pervasion. Again, he contemplated the pervasive aspect of his own self and of Vāgīśī, envisioning them shining in the ten directions, radiant like the young sun. Having completed the remaining rites as before, he invoked and worshipped the great Lord, offering oblations and imparting Shiva’s command mentally. When Maheshvara was thus dismissed, he established yet another sacred art, leading it beyond tranquility and contemplating its pervasion. In the same way, he meditated on the all-pervading nature of his own self and of Vāgīśā, vast and complete as the open sky. After performing all remaining rites, he worshipped Sadāśiva and imparted to him the limitless command of Śambhu. As before, he worshipped Śiva at the crown of the head, bowed to Vāgīśa, and then respectfully dismissed them. Sprinkling the disciple’s head with Śiva’s presence, he meditated on dissolution into the principle of Śakti, which is beyond peace. He contemplated the supreme Śakti, pervading all six paths, transcendent and luminous, shining like countless suns—the very power of Śiva. Bringing the disciple forward, pure and clear as crystal, he washed the ritual scissors as prescribed by the Śivaśāstra. The teacher then cut the disciple’s tuft of hair and sacred thread, placed them on cow dung, and consigned them to the sacred fire of Śiva. Chanting the root mantra ending in ‘vauṣaṭ’, he again washed the scissors and, by touch, restored the disciple’s consciousness to his body. Once the disciple had bathed and all auspicious rites were performed, the boy entered the maṇḍala and prostrated himself full-length like a staff. To purify any ritual deficiencies, the teacher performed worship and offered three oblations with the proper mantra. With whispered recitation, he offered three more oblations, worshipped the Lord of gods again, and purified any mantra deficiencies. Through mental recitation, he offered three further oblations. There, in the maṇḍala, he worshipped Śambhu together with Ambā, offered three oblations, and then prayed with folded hands: “O Lord, by your grace, the purification of his six paths is accomplished; therefore, lead him to your supreme, imperishable abode.” Thus informing the deity, he sealed the channels as before and purified the elements. Meditating on the unity and pervasion of the stable and unstable, of cold and heat in their rightful places, he performed the rite of element purification. He cut the knots of the elements, abandoned them and their presiding deities, and, by chanting in union with the supreme Śiva, purified the elements. Having thus purified, burned, and washed the body with drops of nectar, he established himself anew, creating a body composed of purified paths. At the outset, he placed the transcendent, all-pervading Śāntyatītā energy of his own path—pure and sublime—on the disciple’s head at the Śānti point. He placed knowledge within, moving down from the throat in order, establishing it at the knees and below, contemplating withdrawal at each stage. With his own seed-syllables and the thread-mantra, he installed the essence of Shiva using appropriate gestures, realized him within the lotus of the heart, invoked the deity, and worshipped him. Having invoked the constant presence and identity with Shiva in the disciple, the teacher imparted to this radiant child the divine qualities. He offered three oblations, praying, “May the perfections beginning with aṇimā be pleased,” and again imparted these qualities. He bestowed omniscience, satisfaction, endless knowledge, unimpeded power, independence, infinity, and indeed the very power itself. With the deity’s permission, he anointed the disciple with the principal and other ritual vessels, meditating in his heart on the Lord of Devas in the proper order. Then, seating the disciple and worshipping Shiva as before, and having received Shiva’s blessing, he instructed him in the Shaiva knowledge. There, he imparted the mantra, preceded by Om, ending with ‘namah’, united with Shiva and Shakti, and the corresponding Shakti-vidya. He explained the seer, the meter, the deity, the states of Shiva and Shakti, the offerings, and the seats of Śambhu. Once more, he worshipped the Lord of Devas and informed Shiva, “All the auspicious acts performed by me—may you accept them.” Together with the disciple, the teacher bowed to the deity, prostrating on the ground like a staff, and then dismissed him from the maṇḍala and the fire. Finally, all the assembled, worthy of worship, were honored in due order, marking the completion of the sacred rite.