Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

एवं वृत्तसमोपेता वाङ्मनःकायकर्मभिः शोध्या बोध्या यथान्यायमिति शास्त्रेषु निश्चयः

Those endowed with such conduct, purified in speech, mind, and body, should be purified and instructed according to proper method; so is the determination in the scriptures.

नाधिकारः स्वतो नार्याः शिवसंस्कारकर्मणि नियोगाद्भर्तुरस्त्येव भक्तियुक्ता यदीश्वरे

A woman does not have authority in Shiva's rites by herself; it exists only by her husband's command, if she is devoted to the Lord.

तथैव भर्तृहीनाया पुत्रादेरभ्यनुज्ञया अधिकारो भवत्येव कन्यायाः पितुराज्ञया शूद्राणां मर्त्यजातीनां पतितानां विशेषतः

Likewise, for one without a husband, authority comes by permission from her son or others; for a maiden, by her father's command; for Shudras, mortals, and especially the fallen—

तथा संकरजातीनां नाध्वशुद्धिर्विधीयते तैप्यकृत्रिमभावश्चेच्छिवे परमकारणे

For those of mixed birth, ritual purity is not prescribed; but if they have artificial status, in Shiva, the supreme cause—

पादोदकप्रदानाद्यैः कुर्युः पापविशोधनम् अत्रानुलोमजाता ये युक्ता एव द्विजातिषु

They should perform purification from sin by giving water for the feet and other acts; among them, those of proper birth are fit among the twice-born.

तेषामध्वविशुद्ध्यादि कुर्यान्मातृकुलोचितम् या तु कन्या स्वपित्राद्यैश्शिवधर्मे नियोजिता

For them, ritual purity and other rites should be performed according to the mother's lineage; and a maiden appointed by her father or others to Shiva's dharma—

सा भक्ताय प्रदातव्या नापराय विरोधिने दत्ता चेत्प्रतिकूलाय प्रमादाद्बोधयेत्पतिम्

She should be given to a devotee, not to another or to an opponent; if given to an adversary by mistake, she should instruct her husband.

अशक्ता तं परित्यज्य मनसा धर्ममाचरेत् यथा मुनिवरं त्यक्त्वा पतिमत्रिं पतिव्रता

Unable to do so, she should abandon him and practice righteousness in her mind, just as a devoted wife, forsaking a great sage, remains faithful to her husband.

कृतकृत्या ऽभवत्पूर्वं तपसाराध्य शङ्करम् यथा नारायणं देवं तपसाराध्य पांडवान्

She had fulfilled her purpose before, worshipping Śaṅkara through austerity, just as the Pāṇḍavas worshipped the god Nārāyaṇa through austerity.

पतींल्लब्धवती धर्मे गुरुभिर्न नियोजिता अस्वातन्त्र्यकृतो दोषो नेहास्ति परमार्थतः

She attained husbands through righteousness, not by being appointed by elders; the fault arising from lack of independence does not truly exist here.

शिवधर्मे नियुक्तायाश्शिवशासनगौरवात् बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन यो ऽपि को ऽपि शिवाश्रयः

Appointed in the Dharma of Śiva, out of reverence for Śiva’s command—what need is there for much to be said here? Whoever takes refuge in Śiva, whoever he may be—

संस्कार्यो गुर्वधीनश्चेत्संस्क्रिया न प्रभिद्यते गुरोरालोकनादेव स्पर्शात्संभाषणादपि

If one is to be consecrated and dependent on the guru, the consecration is not broken; merely by the guru’s sight, touch, or even conversation.

यस्य संजायते प्रज्ञा तस्य नास्ति पराजयः मनसा यस्तु संस्कारः क्रियते योगवर्त्मना

For whom wisdom arises, defeat does not exist; and the consecration performed mentally, by the path of yoga—

स नेह कथितो गुह्यो गुरुवक्त्रैकगोचरः क्रियावान्यस्तु संस्कारः कुंडमंडपपूर्वकः स वक्ष्यते समासेन तस्य शक्यो न विस्तरः

That is not spoken of here, being secret and accessible only through the guru’s words. The consecration accompanied by ritual, preceded by the altar and pavilion, will be briefly described; its full detail cannot be given.

पुण्ये ऽहनि शुचौ देशे बहुदोषविवर्जिते देशिकः प्रथमं कुर्यात्संस्कारं समयाह्वयम्

On an auspicious day, in a pure place free from many faults, the teacher should first perform the consecration called 'samaya.'

परीक्ष्य भूमिं विधिवद्गंधवर्णरसादिभिः शिल्पिशास्त्रोक्तमार्गेण मण्डपं तत्र कल्पयेत्

Having examined the ground according to proper procedure, by fragrance, color, taste, and so on, following the method prescribed in the texts of artisans, he should construct a pavilion there.

कृत्वा वेदिं च तन्मध्ये कुण्डानि परिकल्पयेत् अष्टदिक्षु तथा दिक्षु तत्रैशान्यां पुनः क्रमात्

Having made the altar, he should arrange the fire pits in its center, in the eight directions and likewise in the intermediate directions, and again in the northeast, in order.

प्रधानकुंडं कुर्वीत यद्वा पश्चिमभागतः प्रधानमेकमेवाथ कृत्वा शोभां प्रकल्पयेत्

He should make the principal fire pit, or else in the western part; having made a single principal one, he should arrange its beauty.

वितानध्वजमालाभिर्विविधाभिरनेकशः वेदिमध्ये ततः कुर्यान्मंडलं शुभलक्षणम्

With canopies and garlands of flags, of various kinds and many times over, he should then make a circle with auspicious marks in the middle of the altar.

रक्तहेमादिभिश्चूर्णैरीश्वरावाहनोचितम् सिंदूरशालिनीवारचूर्णैरेवाथ निर्धनः

With powders of red, gold, and others, suitable for the invocation of the Lord; or, if impoverished, with powders of vermilion, rice, and barley.

एकहस्तं द्विहस्तं वा सितं वा रक्तमेव वा एकहस्तस्य पद्मस्य कर्णिकाष्टांगुला मता

One hand-span or two hand-spans, white or red; for a lotus of one hand-span, the pericarp is considered to be eight fingers.

केसराणि तदर्धानि शेषं चाष्टदलादिकम् द्विहस्तस्य तु पद्मस्य द्विगुणं कर्णिकादिकम्

Its filaments are half that, and the rest consists of eight petals and so on; for a lotus of two hand-spans, the pericarp and so forth are twice as much.

कृत्वा शोभोपशोभाढ्यमैशान्यां तस्य कल्पयेत् एकहस्तं तदर्धं वा पुनर्वेद्यः तु मंडलम्

Having made it adorned with beauty and embellishments, he should arrange it in the northeast; one hand-span or half that, again the circle on the altar.

व्रीहितंदुलसिद्धार्थतिलपुष्पकुशास्तृते तत्र लक्षणसंयुक्तं शिवकुंभं प्रसाधयेत्

Spread with rice, pounded grain, sesame, flowers, and sacred grass, he should prepare the Śiva pot there, endowed with proper marks.

सौवर्णं राजतं वापि ताम्रजं मृन्मयं तु वा गन्धपुष्पाक्षताकीर्णं कुशदूर्वांकुराचितम्

Made of gold, silver, copper, or clay, sprinkled with fragrance, flowers, and rice grains, and adorned with shoots of sacred grass and dūrvā.

सितसूत्रावृतं कंठे नववस्त्रयुगावृतम् शुद्धाम्बुपूर्णमुत्कूर्चं सद्रव्यं सपिधानकम्

With a white thread around the neck, clothed in two new garments, holding a pure water-filled vessel with offerings and a lid.

भृङ्गारं वर्धनीं चापि शंखं च चक्रमेव वा विना सूत्रादिकं सर्वं पद्मपत्रमथापि वा

A black antelope skin, a seat, a conch, or a disc may also be used, or instead of all these, a lotus leaf, without the thread and the rest.

तस्यासनारविंदस्य कल्पयेदुत्तरे दले अग्रतश्चंदनांभोभिरस्त्रराजस्य वर्धनीम्

On the northern petal of that lotus seat, one should arrange the vessel for the king of rituals, anointing it in front with sandalwood water.

मण्डलस्य ततः प्राच्यां मंत्रकुंभे च पूर्ववत् कृत्वा विधिवदीशस्य महापूजां समाचरेत्

Then, in the eastern part of the maṇḍala and at the mantra vessel as before, having performed all rites properly, one should conduct the great worship of the Lord.