With great reverence and care, the ritual for installing the liṅga unfolds step by step. First, the officiant wraps the liṅga together with its pedestal and lays it down as before, drawing a lotus in front and, in proper order, marking its petals. In the center of this lotus, he places the vessels of the vidyās—along with the Śaivī and Vardhanī vessels. After circling the three lotuses, the best among the twice-born proceeds to offer oblations in sequence. Around this sacred arrangement, the eight forms are established, beginning from the east, and four forms are recited by those who study and repeat the mantras, either in the cardinal directions or as prescribed. The forms starting with Virin̄ci receive their own oblations, and these four are remembered with devotion. The teacher, guiding the ceremony, first performs this ritual in the northeast or the west. The principal homa is then conducted with seven substances, each offered in proper order. The other twice-born may offer a quarter or half as much as the teacher. Only one principal offering is made, or the teacher may first offer a full oblation, followed by one hundred and eight offerings with ghee. At this point, the hand of Śiva is placed at the root, on the top of the liṅga, and a hundred, or half, or a quarter of that number of offerings are made in order, using the seven substances. Having made these offerings, the officiant touches the liṅga and altar again and again, reinforcing the sanctity. After the full oblation, he gives the ritual fee in proper order: a quarter or half as much as the teacher, and half of that for the officiants and master of the ceremony, with the remainder distributed among the other members according to their ability. Next, a golden bull or a tuft of grass is placed in the pit, followed by earth and water, the five products of the cow, and again pure water. Into this pit, the purified Brahmaśilā, anointed with sandal paste, is placed. 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 arranged, sprinkled, anointed, or installed, following the procedures taught in the Śiva scriptures. The secondary liṅga is then established, and milk produced from a tree is poured over it. Once it is understood to be set, it is abandoned, and the main liṅga is placed upon the Brahmaśilā. A little of the best eastern water is poured with the root mantra, and the pedestal is joined, while 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 again set up. In front of the liṅga, from the consecration onward, the vessels are brought from their resting place and arranged in order. The great worship begins. The ten vessels are worshipped, with remembrance of the Śiva mantra, within the water of the Śiva pot. Using the thumb and ring finger, the mantra is recited and placed in the middle of the northeast part of the liṅga, by one skilled in mantras. Next, 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 anointed again with pitchers belonging to the Lords of Vidyā, and the seat is prepared, beginning with its support. After the placement of the five parts, meditation is performed on the radiant liṅga. Facing east or north, with joined palms, the officiant directly invokes Śiva and the Goddess. In the mind’s eye, Śiva is seen mounted on the lord of bulls or in a celestial chariot descending from the sky, adorned and accompanied by the Goddess, resplendent with all ornaments and auspicious sounds. He is surrounded by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, the Sun, Indra, and other gods and demons, all their bodies filled with bliss, hands and heads bowed in reverence. Śiva is praised, danced before, and named by them from all sides. After performing the five offerings, the worship is completed. There is no rite higher than the five offerings; the installation should be performed for images in the same manner as for the liṅga. When marking the characteristics, the opening of the eyes of the image is done; after immersion in water, the image is laid to rest face down. With mantras, the image is united in the heart as if lying on a water-pot. An image with a prepared abode is called ‘installed’; otherwise, it is ‘not installed.’ Whoever is able, having prepared the abode, should then perform the rite of installation; if unable, one should still install the liṅga or image. Afterwards, the temple of Śiva should be constructed according to one’s capacity. The scripture promises to explain further the worship at home and the supreme rite of installation. For home worship, a small image or liṅga, endowed with proper marks, is made. When the sun enters its northern course, on an auspicious day in the bright fortnight, the Goddess is prepared in a pure place. A lotus is drawn as before, leaves and flowers are scattered, and a pot is placed in the center. Four pitchers are placed in the directions around it. In the five vessels, the five Brahmas are installed with their respective seed-mantras. These are placed and worshipped, mudrās are shown, and the vessels are protected. The liṅga or image is purified as before with clay, water, and so on. Covered with flowers, the image is placed on an excellent seat to the north, a flower is placed on its head, and it is sprinkled with consecration water. It is worshipped again with flowers, accompanied by sounds of victory and celebration. The image is bathed with pitchers, using the Īśāna and Vidyā mantras, and the root mantra. The placement of the five parts and worship is performed as before, and the three-eyed God with the Goddess is always worshipped there. Alternatively, a single pot, endowed with form and mantra, can be placed within the lotus, and the remaining rites performed as before. If a liṅga is utterly damaged, it should be purified and reinstalled; if only slightly damaged, it should be sprinkled and worshipped. Lingas known as ‘bāṇa’ may or may not be installed, and those previously consecrated by Śiva himself should be treated accordingly. The remaining lingas—those resembling bāṇa, self-manifested, divine, or sage-made—should likewise be installed with proper reverence.