With utmost reverence and careful preparation, the devotee begins the sacred installation of the liṅga. First, a purified Brahmaśilā stone, anointed with fragrant sandal paste, is placed gently within the prepared pit. Then, with devotion and precision, the practitioner performs the hand-nyāsa, invoking the nine names of the Śaktis upon his fingers, sanctifying his actions. Upon the Brahmaśilā, he arranges haritāla and other holy minerals, seeds, fragrant substances, and sacred herbs, just as the Śiva scriptures prescribe. These offerings are carefully placed, sprinkled, or anointed, each according to the ancient tradition. Next, a secondary liṅga is established, and milk derived from a tree is poured over it. Once the devotee knows this liṅga is properly set, he respectfully removes it and places the main liṅga upon the Brahmaśilā. A small amount of the purest eastern water is then poured, accompanied by the root mantra, and the pedestal is joined to the liṅga as the Śākta root mantra is remembered in the heart. With prescribed materials, the devotee binds and purifies the sacred space, offering arghya and flowers in worship. The curtain is then drawn once more, veiling the holy mystery. In front of the liṅga, the devotee brings forth the consecrated vessels from their resting place, arranging them with care and order for the great worship to come. The worship begins with the ten sacred vessels, each honored with the remembrance of the Śiva mantra, especially within the water of the Śiva pot. With skillful hands, joining thumb and ring finger, the devotee recites the mantra and places its power in the northeast part of the liṅga, imbuing it with divine energy. At the base of the liṅga, the Śakti, the Vidyā, and the Lords of Vidyā are placed in their proper order, and the liṅga is consecrated with Śiva-water. If the pedestal must be enlarged, both pedestal and liṅga are again anointed with the water from the pitchers of the Lords of Vidyā. The seat is prepared, beginning with its support. After installing the five sacred parts, the devotee meditates upon the resplendent liṅga, facing east or north, hands joined in deep prayer. With pure intention, he directly invokes the presence of Śiva and the Goddess. In his mind’s eye, he beholds Śiva, radiant and adorned, arriving either on the lord of bulls or in a celestial chariot from the heavens, the Goddess beside Him, both resplendent with auspicious ornaments and accompanied by the sounds of divine music. Around them gather Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, the Sun, Indra, and other gods and even demons, their bodies filled with bliss, bowing in reverence, hands and heads lowered. All these celestial beings praise Śiva, dance before Him, and call upon His many names from all sides. Having performed the five great offerings, the devotee completes the worship, for there is no rite higher than these five offerings. The same procedure of installation is to be performed for images as for liṅgas. When marking the auspicious characteristics, the opening of the eyes ceremony takes place. After the image is immersed in water, it is laid to rest face down. With sacred mantras, the presence of the deity is united in the heart as if lying on a water-pot. An image with a prepared abode is known as 'installed'; otherwise, it is not. One who is able should prepare the abode and then perform the rite of installation; if not, the liṅga or image should still be installed as best as possible. Afterwards, according to one’s capacity, a temple for Śiva should be constructed. Further instructions on home worship and the supreme rite of installation are then promised. When making a small image or liṅga with proper marks, the installation should be performed 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 at the center. Four more pitchers are placed in the cardinal directions, and within these five vessels, the five Brahmas are installed with their respective seed-mantras. After placing and worshipping them, showing the proper mudrās and offering protection, the liṅga or image is purified with clay, water, and other substances. Covered in flowers, it is set on an excellent seat to the north, a flower is placed upon its head, and it is sprinkled with consecration water. The image is again worshipped with flowers, accompanied by auspicious sounds of victory. It is bathed with water from pitchers, using the mantras of Īśāna, Vidyā, and the root mantra. The five-part placement and worship are performed as before, and there, the devotee always worships the three-eyed God with the Goddess. Alternatively, a single pot, endowed with form and mantra, may be placed within the lotus, and all other rites are performed as before. If a liṅga becomes utterly damaged, it should be purified and then reinstalled; if only slightly damaged, it should be sprinkled and worshipped. Bāṇa liṅgas may or may not be installed, but those previously consecrated by Śiva Himself are to be treated accordingly. Other liṅgas, whether resembling bāṇa, self-manifested, divine, or crafted by sages, should likewise be installed. If there is no pedestal, one should provide one, perform the prescribed sprinkling, and worship Śiva there; for these, formal installation is not required. A liṅga that is burned, loosened, or broken should be respectfully consigned to a water reservoir; if it can be repaired, it is to be restored and the installation rite performed anew. If an image or liṅga is found defective, the deity’s presence is removed with proper worship, then either united in the heart or abandoned, as appropriate. If daily worship is interrupted for one day, double worship is required; if for two days, great worship and sprinkling are necessary. If worship lapses for more than a month, some authorities prescribe reinstallation, while others require only the sprinkling rite. In the sprinkling rite, after removing the deity from the liṅga as before, the liṅga is bathed with mud-water according to the eighty-fivefold method. Then, it is bathed with cow products, purified with darbha water, and sprinkled with consecration water, while the root mantra is recited one hundred and eight times. With flowers and sacred kusa grass placed on the liṅga’s head, the root mantra is recited one hundred and eight times, five times in succession. Then, touching the liṅga from head to pedestal with the root mantra, the devotee performs a great worship, invoking the deity as before. And if, for any reason, a liṅga cannot be installed, one should worship the blessed Śiva in water, fire, the sun, or the sky, for these too are His abodes. Thus, the sacred rites are fulfilled, and the devotee’s heart is united with the Lord.