Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

अथ गुर्वाज्ञया शिष्यः शिवाग्निगुरुसन्निधौ भक्त्यैवमभिसंधाय दीक्षावाक्यमुदीरयेत्

Next, by the command of the teacher, the disciple, in the presence of Shiva, fire, and the guru, should utter the words of initiation with devotion, having thus resolved in mind.

वरं प्राणपरित्यागश्छेदनं शिरसो ऽपि वा न त्वनभ्यर्च्य भुंजीय भगवन्तं त्रिलोचनम्

It is better to give up one's life, or even to have one's head cut off, than to partake of anything without first worshipping the Blessed Three-Eyed One.

स एव दद्यान्नियतो यावन्मोहविपर्ययः तावदाराधयेद्देवं तन्निष्ठस्तत्परायणः

He alone should give, with discipline, as long as delusion and error persist; so long, he should worship the deity, steadfast and devoted to that purpose.

ततः स समयो नाम भविष्यति शिवाश्रमे लब्धाधिकारो गुर्वाज्ञापालकस्तद्वशो भवेत्

Thereafter, that is called the 'samaya' stage in the Shiva hermitage; having obtained authority, he becomes subject to the teacher's command and remains under his guidance.

अतः परं न्यस्तकरो भस्मादाय स्वहस्ततः दद्याच्छिष्याय मूलेन रुद्राक्षं चाभिमंत्रितम्

After this, with hands placed down, he should take ashes from his own hand and give them to the disciple, along with a Rudraksha bead empowered by mantra.

प्रतिमा वापि देवस्य गूढदेहमथापि वा पूजाहोमजपध्यानसाधनानि च संभवे

If possible, a representation of the deity, or a concealed body, and also the means of worship, offering, recitation, and meditation should be provided.

सोपि शिष्यः शिवाचार्याल्लब्धानि बहुमानतः आददीताज्ञया तस्य देशिकस्य न चान्यथा

The disciple, having received these from the Shiva teacher with great respect, should accept them by the teacher's command, and not otherwise.

आचार्यादाप्तमखिलं शिरस्याधाय भक्तितः रक्षयेत्पूजयेच्छंभुं मठे वा गृह एववा

Having received everything from the teacher, he should place it on his head with devotion, protect it, and worship Shambhu either in the monastery or at home.

अतः परं शिवाचारमादिशेदस्य देशिकः भक्तिश्रद्धानुसारेण प्रज्ञायाश्चानुसारतः

After this, the teacher should instruct him in the conduct of Shiva, according to his devotion, faith, and also according to his understanding.

यदुक्तं यत्समाज्ञातं यच्चैवान्यत्प्रकीर्तितम् शिवाचार्येण समये तत्सर्वं शिरसा वहेत्

Whatever has been said, whatever has been understood, and whatever else has been declared by the Shiva teacher in the samaya, all this he should bear upon his head.

शिवागमस्य ग्रहणं वाचनं श्रवणं तथा देशिकदेशतः कुर्यान्न स्वेच्छातो न चान्यतः

The study, recitation, and hearing of the Shiva scriptures should be done according to the teacher's guidance, not by one's own wish nor otherwise.

इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तः संस्कारः समयाह्वयः साक्षाच्छिवपुरप्राप्तौ नृणां परमसाधनम्

Thus, in brief, the rite called 'samaya' has been described, which is the supreme means for people to attain the city of Shiva directly.

अतः परं समावेक्ष्य गुरुः शिष्यस्य योग्यताम् षडध्वशुद्धिं कुर्वीत सर्वबंधविमुक्तये

After this, the teacher, having examined the disciple's fitness, should perform the purification of the six paths for the liberation from all bonds.

कलां तत्त्वं च भुवनं वर्णं पदमतः परम् मंत्रश्चेति समासेन षडध्वा परिपठ्यते

Kala, tattva, bhuvana, varna, pada, and mantra—these are briefly enumerated as the six paths.

निवृत्त्याद्याः कलाः पञ्च कलाध्वा कथ्यते बुधैः व्याप्ताः कलाभिरितरे त्वध्वानः पञ्च पञ्चभिः

The five kalas beginning with nivritti are called the path of kala by the wise; the other five paths are pervaded by the kalas, each by five.

शिवतत्त्वादिभूम्यंतं तत्त्वाध्वा समुदाहृतः षड्विंशत्संख्ययोपेतः शुद्धाशुद्धोभयात्मकः

The path of tattva is said to extend from the Shiva principle to the lowest realm, consisting of twenty-six elements, having both pure and impure aspects.

आधाराद्युन्मनांतश्च भुवनाध्वा प्रकीर्तितः विना भेदोपभेदाभ्यां षष्टिसंख्यासमन्वितः

The path of bhuvana is described as ranging from the base to the highest state, consisting of sixty in number, excluding distinctions and subdivisions.

पञ्चाशद्रुद्ररूपास्तु वर्णा वर्णाध्वसंज्ञिताः अनेकभेदसंपन्नः पदाध्वा समुदाहृतः

The fifty Rudra-forms are the letters, known as the path of letters; the path of words, possessing many varieties, is thus declared.

सर्वोपमंत्रैर्मंत्राध्वा व्याप्तः परमविद्यया यथा शिवो न तत्त्वेषु गण्यते तत्त्वनायकः

The path of mantras is pervaded by all supreme mantras through the highest knowledge, just as Shiva is not counted among the tattvas, being their Lord.

मंत्राध्वनि न गण्येत तथासौ मंत्रनायकः कलाध्वनो व्यापकत्वं व्याप्यत्वं चेतराध्वनाम्

In the path of mantras, he is not counted, thus he is the Lord of mantras; the path of kalās is pervasiveness, and being pervaded is of the other paths.

न वेत्ति तत्त्वतो यस्य नैवार्हत्यध्वशोधनम् षड्विधस्याध्वनो रूपं न येन विदितं भवेत्

He who does not know the true nature of whose path, does not deserve the purification of the path; the form of the sixfold path is not known by him.

व्याप्यव्यापकता तेन ज्ञातुमेव न शक्यते तस्मादध्वस्वरूपं च व्याप्यव्यापकतां तथा

By him, the state of pervading and being pervaded cannot truly be known; therefore, the true nature of the path and its pervading and pervaded states likewise.

यथावदवगम्यैव कुर्यादध्वविशोधनम् कुंडमंडलपर्यंतं तत्र कृत्वा यथा पुरा

Having understood properly, one should perform the purification of the path, making it up to the boundary of the altar-circle, as before.

द्विहस्तमानं कुर्वीत प्राच्यां कलशमंडलम् ततः स्नातश्शिवाचार्यः सशिष्यः कृतनैत्यकः

One should make a circle for the water-pots, two cubits in size, to the east; then, the Śiva-ācārya, having bathed, with his disciples, having performed the daily rites—

प्रविश्य मंडलं शंभोः पूजां पूर्ववदाचरेत् तत्राढकावरैस्सिद्धं तंदुलैः पायसं प्रभोः

Entering the circle, he should perform the worship of Śambhu as before; there, having prepared pāyasa with rice fit for offering, O Lord—

अर्धं निवेद्य होमार्थं शेषं समुपकल्पयेत् पुरतः कल्पिते वाथ मंडले वर्णिमंडिते

Having offered half for the purpose of oblation, the remainder should be set aside; in the prepared circle, or in one marked with letters,

स्थापयेत्पञ्चकलशान्दिक्षु मध्ये च देशिकः तेषु ब्रह्माणि मूलार्णैर्बिन्दुनादसमन्वितैः

The teacher should place five water-pots in the directions and one in the center; in them, the Brahman mantras with root letters, endowed with bindu and nāda,

नम आद्यैर्यकरांतैः कल्पयेत्कल्पवित्तमः ईशानं मध्यमे कुंभे पुरुषं पुरतः स्थिते

With salutations beginning and ending with 'ya', the knower of the ritual should establish them; Īśāna in the central pot, Puruṣa in the one placed in front,

अघोरं दक्षिणे वामे वामं सद्यं च पश्चिमे रक्षां विधाय मुद्रा च बद्ध्वा कुंभाभिमंत्रणम्

Aghora on the right, Vāma on the left, Sadya in the west; having established protection and formed the mudrā, he should consecrate the pots with mantras.