With utmost reverence, the practitioner begins by bringing forth a suitable sacred fire, honoring it with due respect. He circumambulates the fire-pit three times, moving in the prescribed manner, to establish the sanctity of the space. Reciting the seed-mantra of fire, he places the fire upon its seat, either through the yoni path or facing himself, as tradition allows. The adept arranges the fire-pit completely, envisioning the fire as if it arises from his own navel, emerging like a spark from that center. Once the fire is manifest, he meditates upon the external fire, visualizing it as a shining disk, and continues with the preliminary rites until the purification of the ghee is accomplished. Following the order of his lineage, the knower of mantras proceeds with the rites, using the root-mantra and worshipping the form of Shiva. He begins the ritual from the southern side. Placing the mantra upon the ghee, he displays the gesture known as 'cow' and takes up the sacrificial ladles, which are preferably made of gold—never bronze, iron, or stone. If tradition allows, the ladles may also be fashioned from sacred wood, or from an unbroken leaf rising from the center of a holy tree, crafted according to scriptural guidance. He binds the ladles with darbha grass, heats them in the fire, and sprinkles them again in the prescribed order, always beginning with the rites to Shiva. For the purification of the fire, he offers oblations using eight seed-mantras, such as ‘bhruṃ’, ‘stuṃ’, ‘bruśruṃ’, ‘puṃḍraṃ’, ‘dram’, and others, each corresponding to the seven tongues of fire. The central tongue, ‘triśikhā’, is renowned for its manifold forms. The tongues of fire are named: red (raktā), fiery (āgneyī), of Nirṛti (nairṛtī), black (kṛṣṇā), ‘suprabhā’, and ‘marutjihvā’, each shining with its own splendor. After each seed-mantra, he utters ‘svāhā’, offering ghee with these mantras to each tongue in turn. In the center, he makes three offerings with ‘raṃ’, ‘vahnaye’, and ‘svāhā’, then sprinkles with ghee or sacred wood sticks. Having thus completed the offering, the fire of Shiva is established. He meditates upon the seat of Shiva, invokes the deity, and worships Ardhanarishvara Shiva. He sprinkles up to the lamp and kindles the sacred homa fire. The sticks for the sacrifice, preferably from the Palāśa tree or another suitable kind, are prepared twelve finger-breadths long, straight, with intact bark, unblemished, and uniform. Alternatively, they may be ten finger-breadths long, measured by the little finger, or the length of a palm—all are offered into the fire. Afterward, he offers a portion of clarified butter, shaped like a blade of Dūrvā grass and four fingers long, followed by food equal to a single grain. If available, he offers puffed rice, mustard seeds, barley, sesame, and other foods—whether to be eaten, licked, or sucked—all mixed with ghee. According to his means, he may make ten, five, or three offerings, or even a single one, all with faith. The clarified butter is offered with a ladle, or, if none is available, with the hand, a divine vessel, or water sanctified by a seer. If only one substance is at hand, he offers it with devotion; for atonement, he recites the mantra and makes three more offerings. Then, filling the ladle with specially prepared ghee and placing a flower at its tip, he holds it downward. Covered with darbha grass, root end raised in joined palms, he pours the offering in a stream as thin as a barley stalk, intoning ‘Vauṣaṭ.’ After the full offering, he sprinkles water as before. He then respectfully dismisses the Lord of gods and protects the sacrificial fire. Once the fire is dismissed, he worships at the navel, arranging the implements daily, or brings the fire as prescribed in the Śiva scriptures. Having prepared the fire born of speech and mind, he worships according to the rules, placing fuel and arranging the enclosing sticks. He arranges the vessels in pairs, worships Śiva, purifies the sprinkling vessel, and sprinkles water over the implements. The water vessel is set in the northeast, filled, and the rites proceed up to the consecration of the ghee, followed by the purification of the garland and ladle. He performs the rites of conception, quickening, and parting of the hair, offering each separately, and meditates upon the newly kindled fire. He envisions the fire as having three feet, seven hands, four horns, two heads, honey-colored, three-eyed, with matted hair and the crescent moon as a crest. The fire is red, adorned with red garments, unguents, garlands, and ornaments, marked with all auspicious signs, wearing the sacred thread and three girdles. It is powerful, holding the ladle and spoon in the right hand, a spear, a palm-leaf fan, a vessel of ghee, and other implements. Having meditated on this divine form at birth, he performs the birth rites. After removing the impurity of birth and purifying the area, he omits the naming ceremony. He makes the mouth radiant like Shiva’s fire and, having made the first offering, conducts the ancestral rites, the ceremonies of shaving, and initiation. Upon completing all rites up to the conclusion of the Aptoryāma sacrifice, he performs sanctification, offering clarified butter and the sviṣṭakṛt oblation. With the seed-mantra ‘ram’, he sprinkles again, then offers for Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, the Lords of the worlds, and the guardians. He creates weapons all around for protection and performs worship in proper sequence. For incense, lamps, and other offerings, the ritual expert kindles the fire. Having prepared the substances, beginning with clarified butter, and arranged the seat, he invokes the fire as before. Worshipping both god and goddess, he completes the final rite, or, according to his āśrama, dedicates the fire ritual to Shiva. Understanding the significance, the one established in Shiva performs the rite, for there is no other procedure. Finally, he collects the ashes of the Shiva fire, or those from the agnihotra, as the ritual concludes in sanctity and devotion.