When one worships the liṅga—no matter whether it is crafted from gold, silver, other metals, or even the humble earth—knowledge arises effortlessly within the devotee. If a person draws a liṅga by their own hand, accompanied by the pure sound of the praṇava mantra, this is known as a yantra-liṅga. After drawing it, one should perform the rites of installation and invocation, inviting the divine presence into the form. There is also a subtle liṅga, composed of bindu and nāda, the primal point and sound, which may be established in a fixed or movable manner through deep contemplation. This form is perceived by Śiva himself, leaving no room for doubt. Wherever Śambhu is sincerely invoked—be it upon a hand-drawn yantra, a fixed image, or a naturally occurring form—there he bestows his blessings. To honor Śambhu, one should invoke and worship him with sixteen offerings. Through one’s own dedicated effort, lordship is gained, and persistent practice leads to the blossoming of knowledge. For the sake of self-realization, even gods and sages, using mantras and their own hands, create a pure liṅga within a sanctified circle, or maṇḍala. The liṅga that is established through pure contemplation is regarded as the highest of all; this is called the pauruṣa liṅga, a truly established form. By constant worship of such a liṅga, one attains sovereignty among men, a truth realized even by brāhmaṇas, kings, and the wealthy alike. A liṅga fashioned by an artisan and established with mantras is termed both established and natural, and it grants all the enjoyments and powers available in the natural world. Of these, the powerful and enduring are called pauruṣa, while those that are weak and impermanent are called natural, or prākṛta. Within the body, the liṅga is present at the navel, tongue, tip of the nose, crown of the head, waist, and in other places throughout the three worlds—this is the internal, moving liṅga. In the external world, the mountain is considered pauruṣa, while the earth is seen as natural; likewise, trees are pauruṣa, while shrubs and similar plants are natural. The ṣāṣṭika, or sixty-fold, is to be understood as natural, while the śāli, godhūma, and pauruṣa types are also recognized. The pauruṣa liṅga is considered divine, bestowing the eight great siddhis, beginning with aṇimā, the power to become minute. Natural forms are said by the faithful to pertain to good women, wealth, and other objects. Among the moving liṅgas, the rasa-liṅga is described first. The rasa-liṅga grants all blessings desired by brāhmaṇas, while the auspicious bāṇa-liṅga, conferring great sovereignty, is meant for kṣatriyas. The golden liṅga brings wealth and lordship to vaiśyas, and the auspicious, purifying stone liṅga is prescribed for śūdras. Both the sphāṭika and bāṇa liṅgas grant all desires to everyone. If one’s own liṅga is not available, it is permitted to worship with another’s; there is no prohibition in this regard. For women, the earthly liṅga is especially recommended. For widows who are active, the sphāṭika liṅga is praised, while for those who are inactive, the rasa-liṅga is distinguished. Regardless of age—be it childhood, youth, or old age—those who observe good vows benefit from these forms. The pure sphāṭika liṅga grants all enjoyments to women, and for those who are active, worship upon a pedestal bestows every desired blessing on earth. Those who are active should perform all worship using a vessel, including abhiṣeka and offerings of rice food. At the end of worship, the liṅga should be placed in a container or in a separate house. For those who are inactive, their own food should be offered. For the inactive, the subtle liṅga is especially esteemed; worship should be performed with vibhūti, and vibhūti should be offered as well. After worship, the liṅga should always be placed upon the head. Vibhūti, or sacred ash, is said to be threefold: produced from worldly fire, from Vedic fire, and from the Shiva fire. Ash from worldly fire is used for purifying substances—those made of clay, wood, metal, grains, and similar materials. It is also used for sesame and other substances, for cloth and the like, and even for items that have become stale; purification by ash is desired in these cases. For those defiled by contact with dogs or similar impurities, purification by ash is again prescribed, and it may be applied with or without water as appropriate. Ash produced from the Vedic fire should be worn at the conclusion of rituals; this ash is generated by mantra and ritual, taken from the sacred fire. By wearing this ash, the ritual is established within oneself. With the aghora mantra, one should burn bilva wood, creating what is called the Shiva fire. The ash produced from this fire is Shiva-fire ash. First, the dung of a tawny cow, or simply cow dung, is used. Ashes produced from burning the wood of shami, asvattha, palasha, audumbara, vata, bilva, and similar trees in the sacred Shiva fire, after proper purification, are known as bhasma, born from Shiva’s fire. Alternatively, burning darbha grass or other suitable wood in the fire while reciting the Shiva mantra, then purifying the fresh ashes with a clean cloth and placing them in a new vessel, is also proper. For the sake of brilliance, this ash should be collected and is worthy of worship, for this is the meaning of ‘bhasma’: Shiva himself once did thus. Just as a king in his own realm takes for himself the essence that is useful, and as people, after burning grains, partake of the finest part, or as the digestive fire in the belly, after burning many foods, nourishes the body with their essence, so too does Shiva, the Supreme Lord and creator of the universe. After burning up the essence of the manifest world under his control, he takes up that pure essence. Having burned the universe, Shiva smeared the ash upon himself; under the pretext of smearing, he has absorbed the very essence of the world. He established his own jewel, or essence, within his body: his hair with the essence of space, his face with the essence of wind, turned away from the world; his heart with the essence of fire, his skin with the essence of earth, his knees with the essence of water, and so with all his limbs. The essence of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra is the tripundra, the three sacred lines of ash. As a mark upon the forehead, Maheshvara, the Great Lord, wears this sign, embodying the unity of all divinity in himself.