With great care and reverence, the ritualist begins the sacred work of preparing the fire pit, the very heart of the yajña. The pit is made broad and deep, and in its center, an eight-petaled lotus is shaped, rising either four fingers high or, if needed, two fingers. Its height must not exceed the navel, and is measured as twice the width of a span. The very center is marked with the middle finger, between its middle and upper joints, as tradition prescribes. The wise measure the hand as twenty-four fingers in length, and around the fire pit, one may place three, two, or even a single belt—known as mekhalā. The pit itself is shaped to be pleasing to the eye, smooth, and firm, crafted from clay to resemble either a fig leaf or the sturdy support of an elephant. The belt is set in the middle, either on the western or southern side of the pit, and is made beautiful and slightly lower than the fire, with a gentle opening. This opening faces toward the fire pit, and while there are no strict rules for the altar’s elevation—be it soft or sandy—the circle itself is made pure with cow dung and water. There is no fixed measure for the vessel, but the fire pit must be of clay, and the altar is smeared with cow dung and water for sanctity. After washing, the vessel is heated and sprinkled with fresh water. In accordance with one’s lineage and tradition, sacred marks are then inscribed upon the fire pit and its surroundings. Once the area is purified, a seat for the fire is arranged using darbha grass or flowers. All materials needed for worship and the fire offering are gathered and prepared. Any items to be used—whether made of gems, wood, or from the home of a learned Brahmin—are washed and further purified by sprinkling. If a suitable fire is to be brought from elsewhere, it is carried with utmost respect, circumambulating the pit three times in proper order. With the recitation of the fire’s seed-mantra, the sacred fire is placed upon its seat—either through the yoni path or facing oneself. The skilled practitioner arranges the entire fire pit, envisioning the fire as if it were within his own navel, emerging like a spark from that opening. Once the fire emerges, he meditates upon it as an external disk of radiance, merging with the inner flame, up to the completion of the ghee purification and the preliminary rites. Following the order of his own tradition, the knower of mantras performs the rites with the root-mantra, first worshipping the form of Shiva, and then proceeding from the southern side. The mantra is placed upon the ghee, the 'cow' gesture is shown, and the ladles are taken up. These ladles should be of gold—not of bronze, iron, or stone—but may also be made of sacrificial wood, or, as tradition allows, of a sacred leaf, unbroken and rising from the middle. The ladles are joined with darbha grass, heated in the fire, and sprinkled anew, all according to tradition, beginning with rites to Shiva. Oblations are then offered with eight seed-mantras, in order to purify the fire: ‘bhruṃ’, ‘stuṃ’, ‘bruśruṃ’, ‘puṃḍraṃ’, ‘dram’, and others. For the seven tongues of fire, there are seven seed-mantras, each corresponding to a tongue: the middle tongue, ‘triśikhā’, is of many forms; the others are red (raktā), fiery (āgneyī), of Nirṛti (nairṛtī), black (kṛṣṇā), ‘suprabhā’, and ‘marutjihvā’, each shining with its own brilliance. After each seed-mantra, ‘svāhā’ is recited, and ghee is offered to each tongue in turn. In the center, three oblations are given with ‘raṃ’, ‘vahnaye’, and ‘svāhā’, followed by sprinkling with ghee or sacred wood sticks. When these offerings are complete, the fire of Shiva is established. There, the seat of Shiva is meditated upon, and the deity is invoked. Ardhanarishvara Shiva is worshipped, the space is sprinkled up to the lamp, and the well-kindled homa is performed. The sticks for sacrifice, usually from the Palāśa tree or another suitable kind, are prepared: twelve finger-breadths long, straight, not naturally dry, with intact bark, free from blemishes, and uniform in size. They may also be ten finger-breadths (measured by the little finger) or the length of a palm, and all are offered into the fire. Afterwards, clarified butter shaped like a blade of Dūrvā grass and four fingers long is offered, followed by food equal in size to a single grain. If available, puffed rice, mustard seeds, barley, sesame, and other foods to be eaten, licked, or sucked, all mixed with ghee, may be used. Ten offerings are made, or five, or three, according to one’s means—or even a single offering if that is all one can give. Ghee is offered with a ladle, or, if none is available, with the hand, using a divine or prescribed vessel, or water sanctified by a seer. If only one substance is at hand, it is offered with faith; for atonement, the mantra is recited and three more offerings are made. Then, the ladle is filled with specially prepared ghee for the sacrifice, and a flower is placed at its tip. The ladle is held downward, covered with darbha grass with the root ends raised in joined palms, and the offering is poured in a stream as thin as a barley stalk, with the utterance of ‘Vauṣaṭ.’ Having made the full offering, water is sprinkled as before. After dismissing the Lord of gods, the sacrificial fire is protected. Once the fire is dismissed, worship is performed at the navel, the implements are arranged daily, or, if the fire is brought, the rites proceed as prescribed in the Śiva scriptures. The fire, born of the womb of speech and mind, is properly prepared, and worship is performed according to the rules, with fuel and enclosing sticks arranged anew. The vessels are placed in pairs, and after worshipping Śiva, the sprinkling vessel is purified and the implements are sprinkled with water. A vessel filled with water is placed in the northeast, and the rites are performed up to the consecration of the ghee, after which the garland and ladle are purified. The rites of conception, quickening, and parting of the hair are performed, each offered separately, and then the newly kindled fire is meditated upon. This fire is conceived as having three feet, seven hands, four horns, and two heads. Its form is honey-colored, with three eyes, matted hair, and the crescent moon as its crest—an awe-inspiring vision, embodying the very presence of the divine.