O Lord, I long to hear about the supreme procedure for installation, and how the sacred liṅga and image were established by Śiva Himself. The procedure unfolds thus: On an auspicious day during the bright fortnight, one should follow the path prescribed in the Śiva scriptures to properly establish the liṅga. The first step is to select a place of good fortune and to examine the ground carefully. Once the site is chosen, the ten rites of worship are performed, beginning with the examination of auspicious marks. After purifying the site and carrying out the necessary preliminary rites, the liṅga is brought to the bathing place. There, as taught in the treatises on iconography, the prescribed marks are inscribed upon it. The liṅga, together with its pedestal, is then purified with either eight or five kinds of clay and water, as well as with the five sacred products of the cow. Following this purification, the liṅga and its pedestal are worshipped and brought to a vessel filled with divine water, where the consecration is performed. The consecration chamber must be pure and adorned in every way: with an archway, an enclosure, and garlands of darbha grass. It is furnished with eight guardian elephants, eight pots for the guardians of the directions, eight auspicious articles, and is worshipped by the guardians themselves. At the very center, a seat marked with a lotus—crafted from gold or wood—is set upon a large platform. The doorkeepers, Samudra, Vibhadra, Sunanda, and Vinandaka, are worshipped in due order. After bathing and worshipping the liṅga and its pedestal, the liṅga is wrapped all around with two cloths and two rings of kusa grass. Slowly, water is poured as the liṅga is laid upon the platform, with its head to the east, a cord below, and the pedestal set to the west. The liṅga, now bearing all auspicious marks, is consecrated there for five nights, or three, or even just one, as circumstances allow. When this period is complete, and after worshipping and purifying as before, the liṅga is brought, according to the festival procedure, to the sleeping chamber. There, in the center of the chamber, a resting place is established. The liṅga is bathed with pure waters and worshipped in the proper order. In the northeast of the chamber, a lotus is drawn on the purified ground. After purifying the Śiva-pot, Śiva is invoked and worshipped there. In the center of the altar, a white lotus is drawn, and to its west, the Caṇḍikā-lotus is inscribed as well. A bed is prepared with fine cloths—linen, flowers, or darbha grass—and a golden flower is placed upon it. The liṅga is brought forth amid all auspicious sounds, wrapped in a pair of red cloths and kusa grass rings. Together with the pedestal, the liṅga is laid down as before, with a lotus drawn in front and upon each petal in order. In the center, the vessels of the vidyās are placed, along with the Śaivī and Vardhanī. After circling the three lotuses, the best of the twice-born offer oblations in sequence. The eight forms are established, positioned around the liṅga beginning from the east, and four are recited in the proper directions by those learned in mantras. The forms beginning with Virin̄ci are remembered, and oblations are offered to them, with the teacher performing the ritual first in the northeast or west. The principal homa is performed with seven substances in order; the other twice-born may offer a quarter or half as much as the teacher. Only one principal offering is required, or the teacher may first offer a full oblation, followed by one hundred and eight with ghee. The hand of Śiva is placed at the root on the top of the liṅga, with a hundred, or half, or a quarter of that, in order, with the seven substances. Having offered and offered again, the liṅga and altar are touched repeatedly. After the full oblation, the ritual fee is distributed in proper order: a quarter or half as much as the teacher for the officiants and master of ceremonies, and the rest to others according to their role and ability. A golden bull or a tuft of grass is then placed in the pit, with earth and water, the five products of the cow, and again pure water. Into this pit, the purified, sandal-anointed Brahmaśilā is set. The hand-nyāsa is performed with the nine names of the Śaktis. Upon the Brahmaśilā, haritāla and other minerals, seeds, fragrant substances, and herbs are placed, according to the procedure taught in the Śiva scriptures. Having established the secondary liṅga, milk produced from a tree is poured, and once it is set, that is abandoned and the main liṅga is placed upon the Brahmaśilā. A little of the best eastern water is placed with the root mantra, and, after joining the pedestal, the Śākta root mantra is remembered. The binding is tied with the prescribed materials, the place is purified, and arghya and flowers are offered. The curtain is then set up again. From this point, in front of the liṅga, the vessels from the resting place are brought and arranged in order. The great worship begins: the ten vessels are worshipped, the Śiva mantra is remembered, and this is all performed within the water of the Śiva pot. With the thumb and ring finger joined, the mantra is recited and placed in the middle of the northeast part of the liṅga by one skilled in mantras. The Śakti, then the Vidyā, and the Lords of Vidyā are placed in due order at the base of the liṅga, which is then consecrated with Śiva-water. If the pedestal is to be enlarged, both pedestal and liṅga are again anointed with the pitchers of the Lords of Vidyā. Afterwards, the seat is prepared, beginning with the support, and thus the sacred installation is completed in accordance with the command of Śiva.