Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

न्यासस्तु त्रिविधः प्रोक्तः स्थित्युत्पत्तिलयक्रमात् स्थितिर्न्यासो गृहस्थानामुत्पत्तिर्ब्रह्मचारिणाम्

Nyasa is said to be threefold, according to the order of maintenance, creation, and dissolution; maintenance-nyasa is for householders, creation-nyasa for celibates.

यतीनां संहृतिन्यासो वनस्थानां तथैव च स एव भर्तृहीनायाः कुटुंबिन्याः स्थितिर्भवेत्

For ascetics, dissolution-nyasa is prescribed, and likewise for forest-dwellers; for a married woman without a husband, maintenance-nyasa applies.

कन्यायाः पुनरुत्पत्तिं वक्ष्ये न्यासस्य लक्षणम् अंगुष्ठादिकनिष्ठांतं स्थितिन्यास उदाहृतः

For a maiden, I will now describe creation-nyasa and its characteristics: from the thumb to the little finger is called maintenance-nyasa.

दक्षिणांगुष्ठमारभ्य वामांगुष्ठान्तमेव च उत्पत्तिन्यास आख्यातो विपरीतस्तु संहृतिः

Beginning from the right thumb and ending at the left thumb is known as creation-nyasa; the reverse is dissolution-nyasa.

सबिंदुकान्नकारादीन्वर्णान्न्यस्येदनुक्रमात् अंगुलीषु शिवं न्यस्येत्तलयोरप्यनामयोः

One should place the syllables from 'na' to 'ma' with bindu, in order, on the fingers, and place Shiva on the palms and ring fingers.

अस्त्रन्यासं ततः कृत्वा दशदिक्ष्वस्त्रमंत्रतः निवृत्त्यादिकलाः पञ्च पञ्चभूतस्वरूपिणीः

Then, having performed the weapon-nyasa, one should place the weapon-mantra in the ten directions; the five kalas beginning with nivritti, embodying the five elements,

पञ्चभूताधिपैस्सार्धं ततच्चिह्नसमन्विताः हृत्कण्टतालुभ्रूमध्यब्रह्मरन्ध्रसमाश्रयाः

Together with the lords of the five elements, marked with their respective signs, they are established in the heart, throat, palate, between the brows, and the crown of the head.

तद्तद्बीजेन संग्रंथीस्तद्तद्बीजेषु भावयेत् तासां विशोधनार्थाय विद्यां पञ्चाक्षरीं जपेत्

Binding each with its respective seed-syllable, one should contemplate them in their respective seeds; for their purification, one should recite the five-syllabled mantra.

निरुद्ध्वा प्राणवायुं च गुणसंख्यानुसारतः भूतग्रंथिं ततश्छिद्यादस्त्रेणैवास्त्रमुद्रया

Restraining the breath according to the number of gunas, one should then cut the elemental knots with the weapon-mantra and the gesture of the weapon.

नाड्या सुषुम्नयात्मानं प्रेरितं प्राणवायुना निर्गतं ब्रह्मरन्ध्रेण योजयेच्छिवतेजसा

With the breath directed through the suṣumnā channel, having sent the self upward, one should unite it, having exited through the crown, with the radiance of Shiva.

विशोष्य वायुना पश्चाद्देहं कालाग्निना दहेत् ततश्चोपरिभावेन कलास्संहृत्य वायुना

After drying the body with the breath, one should burn it with the fire of time; then, by the upward movement, gather the kalas with the breath.

देहं संहृत्य वै दग्धं कलास्स्पृष्ट्वा सहाब्धिना प्लावयित्वामृतैर्देहं यथास्थानं निवेशयेत्

Having dissolved and burned the body, touching the kalas with the ocean, one should flood the body with nectar and restore it to its proper place.

अथ संहृत्य वै दग्धः कलासर्गं विनैव तु अमृतप्लावनं कुर्याद्भस्मीभूतस्य वै ततः

Then, having dissolved and burned, without the creation of kalas, one should flood with nectar even what has become ashes.

ततो विद्यामये तस्मिन्देहे दीपशिखाकृतिम् शिवान्निर्गतमात्मानं ब्रह्मरंध्रेण योजयेत्

Then, within that body composed of knowledge, one should unite the self, which is of the form of a lamp's flame and which has emerged from Śiva, with the Brahmarandhra.

देहस्यान्तः प्रविष्टं तं ध्यात्वा हृदयपंकजे पुनश्चामृतवर्षेण सिंचेद्विद्यामयं वपुः

Meditating on that which has entered within the body, in the lotus of the heart, one should again anoint the body made of knowledge with a shower of nectar.

ततः कुर्यात्करन्यासं करशोधनपूर्वकम् देहन्यासं ततः पश्चान्महत्या मुद्रया चरेत्

Then one should perform the assignment of the hands, preceded by their purification, and afterwards the assignment of the body, employing the great seal.

अंगन्यासं ततः कृत्वा शिवोक्तेन तु वर्त्मना वर्णन्यासं ततः कुर्याद्धस्तपादादिसंधिषु

After performing the assignment of the limbs according to the method taught by Śiva, one should then assign the letters at the joints of the hands, feet, and other places.

षडंगानि ततो न्यस्य जातिषट्कयुतानि च दिग्बंधमाचरेत्पश्चादाग्नेयादि यथाक्रमम्

Next, one should assign the six limbs, together with the six classes, and then perform the binding of the directions in order, beginning with the southeast.

यद्वा मूर्धादिपञ्चांगं न्यासमेव समाचरेत् तथा षडंगन्यासं च भूतशुद्ध्यादिकं विना

Alternatively, one may perform only the assignment of the five limbs, beginning with the head, and likewise the assignment of the six limbs, omitting the purification of the elements and the like.

एवं समासरूपेण कृत्वा देहात्मशोधनम् शिवभावमुपागम्य पूजयेत्परमेश्वरम्

Having thus performed the purification of body and self in this concise manner, and having attained the state of Śiva, one should worship the Supreme Lord.

अथ यस्यास्त्यवसरो नास्ति वा मतिविभ्रमः स विस्तीर्णेन कल्पेन न्यासकर्म समाचरेत्

But if one has time or not, or if the mind is disturbed, one should perform the rite of assignment in detail according to the prescribed method.

तत्राद्यो मातृकान्यासो ब्रह्मन्यासस्ततः परः तृतीयः प्रणवन्यासो हंसन्यासस्तदुत्तरः

There, the first is the assignment of the letters, the next is the assignment of Brahman, the third is the assignment of Praṇava, and after that, the assignment of Haṃsa.

पञ्चमः कथ्यते सद्भिर्न्यासः पञ्चाक्षरात्मकः एतेष्वेकमनेकं वा कुर्यात्पूजादि कर्मसु

The fifth, as declared by the wise, is the assignment consisting of the five-syllabled mantra; among these, one may perform one or many in acts of worship and the like.

अकारं मूर्ध्नि विन्यस्य आकारं च ललाटके इं ईं च नेत्रयोस्तद्वत् उं ऊं श्रवणयोस्तथा

One should assign 'a' on the head, 'ā' on the forehead, 'i' and 'ī' on the two eyes in the same way, 'u' and 'ū' on the two ears likewise.

ऋं ःं कपोलयोश्चैव ऌं ॡं नासापुटद्वये एमेमोष्ठद्वयोरोमौं दंतपंक्तिद्वयोः क्रमात्

'ṛ' and 'ṝ' on the two cheeks, 'ḷ' and 'ḹ' on the two nostrils, 'e' and 'ai' on the two lips, 'o' and 'au' on the two rows of teeth, in order.

अं जिह्वायामथो तालुन्यः प्रयोज्यो यथाक्रमम् कवर्गं दक्षिणे हस्ते न्यसेत्पञ्चसु संधिषु

'aṃ' on the tongue, and then on the palate as appropriate; the group beginning with 'ka' should be placed at the five joints of the right hand.

चवर्गं च तथा वामहस्तसंधिषु विन्यसेत् टवर्गं च तवर्गं च पादयोरुभयोरपि

In the same way, the group beginning with 'ca' should be assigned at the joints of the left hand, and the groups beginning with 'ṭa' and 'ta' at the joints of both feet.

पफौ तु पार्श्वयोः पृष्ठे नाभौ चापि बभौ ततः न्यसेन्मकारं हृदये त्वगादिषु यथाक्रमम्

'pa' and 'pha' on the sides and back, 'ba' and 'bha' on the navel, then 'ma' on the heart and so on, in order, on the skin and other places.

यकरादिसकारांतान्न्यसेत्सप्तसु धातुषु हंकारं हृदयस्यांतः क्षकारं भ्रूयुगांतरे

The letters from 'ya' to 'sa' should be assigned to the seven bodily substances; 'haṃ' within the heart, and 'kṣa' between the eyebrows.