Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

वितस्तिद्विगुणोन्नत्या नाभिमन्तः प्रचक्षते मध्यं च मध्यमांगुल्या मध्यमोत्तमपर्वणोः

Its height is said to be twice the width of a span, not exceeding the navel; the center is measured by the middle finger, between its middle and upper joints.

अंगुलैः कथ्यते सद्भिश्चतुर्विंशतिभिः करः मेखलानां त्रयं वापि द्वयमेकमथापि वा

According to the wise, the hand is measured by twenty-four fingers; there may be three, two, or one belt (mekhalā) around it.

यथाशोभं प्रकुर्वीत श्लक्ष्णमिष्टं मृदा स्थिरम् अश्वत्थपत्रवद्योनिं गजाधारवदेव वा

One should fashion it as pleasing, smooth, and firm with clay, resembling the shape of a fig leaf or the support of an elephant.

मेखलामध्यतः कुर्यात्पश्चिमे दक्षिणे ऽपि वा शोभनामग्नितः किंचिन्निम्नामुन्मीलिकां शनैः

One should make the belt in the middle, either on the west or south side, beautiful and slightly lower than the fire, with a gentle opening.

अग्रेण कुण्डाभिमुखीं किंचिदुत्सृज्य मेखलाम् नोत्सेधनियमो वेद्याः सा मार्दी वाथ सैकती

The belt should be left slightly open toward the fire pit in front; there is no fixed rule for the altar's elevation, whether soft or sandy.

मंडलं गोशकृत्तोयैर्मानं पात्रस्य नोदितम् कुण्डं च मृन्मयं वेदिमालिपेद्गोमयांबुना

The circle should be made with cow dung and water; the measure of the vessel is not specified. The fire-pit should be of clay, and the altar should be smeared with cow dung and water.

प्रक्षाल्य तापयेत्पात्रं प्रोक्षयेदन्यदंभसा स्वसूत्रोक्तप्रकारेण कुण्डादौ विल्लिखेत्ततः

After washing, the vessel should be heated and sprinkled with other water. Then, according to the procedure stated in one's own tradition, one should inscribe (the marks) on the fire-pit and so on.

संप्रोक्ष्य कल्पयेद्दर्भैः पुष्पैर्वा वह्निविष्टरम् अर्चनार्थं च होमार्थं सर्वद्रव्याणि साधयेत्

Having sprinkled (the area), one should arrange the seat for the fire with darbha grass or flowers, and prepare all the materials needed for worship and for the fire offering.

प्रक्षाल्यक्षालनीयानि प्रोक्षण्या प्रोक्ष्य शोधयेत् मणिजं काष्ठजं वाथ श्रोत्रियागारसम्भवम्

After washing, the items to be washed should be purified by sprinkling; whether made of gems or wood, or originating from a house of a learned Brahmin.

अन्यं वाभ्यर्हितं वह्निं ततः साधारमानयेत् त्रिः प्रदक्षिणमावृत्य कुण्डादेरुपरि क्रमात्

Or, having brought another suitable fire, one should bring it with due respect, circumambulating three times in order over the fire-pit and so on.

वह्निबीजं समुच्चार्य त्वादधीताग्निमासने योनिमार्गेण वा तद्वदात्मनः संमुखेन वा

Reciting the seed-mantra of fire, one should place the fire on the seat, either through the path of the yoni or, similarly, facing oneself.

नियोगः प्रदेश सर्वं कुंडं कुर्याद्विचक्षणः स्वनाभ्यंतःस्थितं वह्निं तद्रंध्राद्विस्फुलिंगवद्

The skilled one should perform the entire arrangement of the fire-pit, placing the fire as if it were within his own navel, emerging from that opening like a spark.

निर्गम्य पावके बह्ये लीनं बिंबाकृति स्मरेत् आज्यसंस्कारपर्यंतमन्वाधानपुरस्सरम्

Having emerged, one should meditate on the external fire as merged and having the form of a disk, up to the completion of the ghee purification, following the preliminary rites.

स्वसूत्रोक्तक्रमात्कुर्यान्मूलमन्त्रेण मन्त्रवित् शिवमूर्तिं समभ्यर्च्य ततो दक्षिणपार्श्वतः

According to the order stated in one's own tradition, the knower of mantra should perform the rites with the root-mantra, having worshipped the form of Shiva, then (proceed) from the southern side.

न्यस्य मन्त्रं घृते मुद्रां दर्शयेद्धेनुसंज्ञिताम् स्रुक्स्रुवौ तैजसौ ग्राह्यौ न कांस्यायससैसकौ

Having placed the mantra on the ghee, one should show the gesture called 'cow' and take up the ladles, which should be made of gold, not of bronze, iron, or stone.

यज्ञदारुमयौ वापि स्मार्तौ वा शिल्पसम्मतौ पर्णे वा ब्रह्मवृक्षादेरच्छिद्रे मध्य उत्थिते

Or, they may be made of sacrificial wood, or, according to tradition, as approved by the craft, or of a leaf from a sacred tree, unbroken and rising from the middle.

संसृज्य दर्भैस्तौ वह्नौ संताप्य प्रोक्षयेत्पुनः पारार्षर्च्यस्वसूत्रोक्तक्रमेण शिवपूर्वकैः

Having joined them with darbha grass, one should heat them in the fire and sprinkle them again, following the order prescribed in one's own tradition, beginning with the rites to Shiva.

जुहुयादष्टभिर्बीजैरग्निसंस्कारसिद्धये भ्रुंस्तुंब्रुश्रुं क्रमेणैव पुंड्रंद्रमित्यतः परम्

One should offer oblations with eight seed-mantras for the accomplishment of the fire-purification, in order: 'bhruṃ', 'stuṃ', 'bruśruṃ', 'puṃḍraṃ', 'dram', and so on.

बीजानि सप्त सप्तानां जिह्वानामनुपूर्वशः त्रिशिखा मध्यमा जिह्वा बहुरूपसमाह्वया

There are seven seed-mantras for the seven tongues (of fire), in sequence; the middle tongue is called 'triśikhā', and is known as having many forms.

रक्ताग्नेयी नैरृती च कृष्णान्या सुप्रभा मता अतिरिक्ता मरुज्जिह्वा स्वनामानुगुणप्रभा

The tongues are: red (raktā), fiery (āgneyī), belonging to Nirṛti (nairṛtī), black (kṛṣṇā), another called 'suprabhā', and the additional one, 'marutjihvā', each shining according to its own name.

स्वबिजानन्तरं वाच्या स्वाहांतञ्च यथाक्रमम् जिह्वामंत्रैस्तु तैर्हुत्वाज्यं जिह्वास्त्वेकैकश क्रमात्

After each seed-mantra, one should recite 'svāhā' in order; having offered ghee with those tongue-mantras, one should offer to each tongue in sequence.

रं वह्नयेति स्वाहेति मध्ये हुत्वाहुतित्रयम् सर्पिषा वा समिद्भिर्वा परिषेचनमाचरेत्

Having offered three oblations in the middle with 'raṃ', 'vahnaye', and 'svāhā', one should perform the sprinkling either with ghee or with sticks of sacred wood.

एवं कृते शिवाग्निः स्यात्स्मरेत्तत्र शिवासनम् तत्रावाह्य यजेद्देवमर्धनारीश्वरं शिवम् दीपान्तं परिषिच्याथ समिद्धोमं समाचरेत्

When this is done, the fire of Shiva is established; one should meditate there on the seat of Shiva. Having invoked the deity there, one should worship Ardhanarishvara Shiva, sprinkle up to the lamp, and then perform the well-kindled homa.

ताः पालाश्यः परा वापि याज्ञिया द्वादशांगुलाः अवक्रा न स्वयं शुष्कास्सत्वचो निर्व्रणाः समाः

Those (sticks) of the Palāśa tree, or of another suitable kind, intended for sacrifice, should be twelve finger-breadths long, straight, not naturally dry, with intact bark, without blemishes, and of uniform size.

दशांगुला वा विहिताः कनिष्ठांगुलिसंमिताः प्रादेशमात्रा वालाभे होतव्याः सकला अपि

Alternatively, they may be ten finger-breadths in length, measured by the little finger, or of the length of a palm; all of them should be offered in the fire.

दूर्वापत्रसमाकारां चतुरंगुलमायताम् दद्यादाज्याहुतिं पश्चादन्नमक्षप्रमाणतः

Afterwards, one should offer a portion of clarified butter, shaped like a blade of Dūrvā grass and four fingers long, and then food equal in measure to a single grain.

लाजांस्तथा सर्षपांश्च यवांश्चैव तिलांस्तथा सर्पिषाक्तानि भक्ष्याणि लेह्यचोष्याणि सम्भवे

Likewise, puffed rice, mustard seeds, barley, and sesame, as well as foods that are to be eaten, licked, or sucked, all mixed with ghee, may be used if available.

दशैवाहुतयस्तत्र पञ्च वा त्रितयं च वा होतव्याः शक्तितो दद्यादेकमेवाथ वाहुतिम्

There, ten offerings should be made, or five, or three, according to one's ability; or even a single offering may be given.

श्रुवेणाज्यं समित्याद्यास्रुचाशेषात्करेण वा तत्र दिव्येन होतव्यं तीर्थेनार्षेण वा तथा

The clarified butter should be offered with a ladle, or with the hand if a ladle is not available, using a divine or prescribed vessel, or with water sanctified by a seer.