युवाभ्यां हि मया दत्ता कारणत्वप्रसिद्धये मंत्ररत्नं च सूत्राख्यं पञ्चाक्षरमयं परम्
For, to establish your fame as causes, I gave you both the supreme mantra-jewel, known as the Sūtra, composed of five syllables.
मयोपदिष्टं सर्वं तद्युवयोरद्य विस्मृतम् ददामि च पुनः सर्वं यथापूर्वं ममाज्ञया
All that I instructed you has today been forgotten by you both; I now give it again, entirely as before, by my command.
यतो विना युवां तेन न क्षमौ सृष्टिरक्षणे एवमुक्त्वा महादेवो नारायणपितामहौ
For without that, you two are not able to create or protect; having said this, the great Lord addressed Nārāyaṇa and the Grandsire.
मंत्रराजं ददौ ताभ्यां ज्ञानसंहितया सह तौ लब्ध्वा महतीं दिव्यामाज्ञां माहेश्वरीं पराम्
He gave them the king of mantras, together with the collection of knowledge; having received the supreme, divine command of Maheśvara,
महार्थं मंत्ररत्नं च तथैव सकलाः कलाः दंडवत्प्रणतिं कृत्वा देवदेवस्य पादयोः
The great mantra-jewel and all the arts as before, they, having made prostration like a staff at the feet of the God of gods,
अतिष्ठतां वीतभयावानंदास्तिमितौ तदा एतस्मिन्नंतरे चित्रमिंद्रजालवदैश्वरम्
Stood there, free from fear, filled with joy and calm; at that moment, a wondrous, magical, divine liṅga disappeared somewhere.
लिंगं क्वापि तिरोभूतं न ताभ्यामुपलभ्यते ततो विलप्य हाहेति सद्यःप्रणयभंगतः
The liṅga was not found by them anywhere; then, lamenting with cries of 'Alas!', their affection was suddenly broken.
किमसत्यमिदं वृत्तमिति चोक्त्वा परस्परम् अचिंत्यवैभवं शंभोर्विचिंत्य च गतव्यथौ
Saying to each other, 'What is this strange event?', and reflecting on the inconceivable greatness of Śambhu, their distress vanished.
अभ्युपेत्य परां मैत्रीमालिंग्य च परस्परम् जगद्व्यापारमुद्दिश्य जग्मतुर्देवपुंगवौ
Having attained supreme friendship, embracing each other, those foremost of gods departed, intent on the activity of the world.
ततः प्रभृति शक्राद्याः सर्व एव सुरासुराः ऋषयश्च नरा नागा नार्यश्चापि विधानतः लिंगप्रतिष्ठा कुर्वंति लिंगे तं पूजयंति च
From that time onward, all the gods and asuras, beginning with Indra, as well as sages, men, nāgas, and women, according to rule, establish the liṅga and worship him in the liṅga.
भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि प्रतिष्ठाविधिमुत्तमम् लिंगस्यापि च बेरस्य शिवेन विहितं यथा
O Lord, I wish to hear the supreme procedure for installation, and how the image and the liṅga were established by Śiva.
अनात्मप्रतिकूले तु दिवसे शुक्लपक्षके शिवशास्त्रोक्तमार्गेण कुर्याल्लिंगं प्रमाणवत्
On an auspicious day, during the bright fortnight, following the path prescribed by the Śiva scriptures, one should properly establish the liṅga.
स्वीकृत्याथ शुभस्थानं भूपरीक्षां विधाय च दशोपचारान्कुर्वीत लक्षणोद्धारपूर्वकान्
Having selected an auspicious place and examined the ground, one should perform the ten rites of worship, preceded by the examination of auspicious marks.
स्थानशुद्ध्यादिकं कृत्वालिंगं स्नानालयं नयेत्
After purifying the site and performing related rites, the liṅga should be taken to the bathing place.
लक्षितं लक्षणं शिल्पशास्त्रेण विलिखेत्ततः
The prescribed marks, as set forth in the treatise on iconography, should then be inscribed.
अष्टमृत्सलिलैर्वाथ पञ्चमृत्सलिलैस्तथा लिङ्गं पिंडिकया सार्धं पञ्चगव्यैश्च शोधयेत्
The liṅga together with its pedestal should be purified with eight or five kinds of clay and water, as well as with the five products of the cow.
सवेदिकं समभ्यर्च्य दिव्याद्यं तु जलाशयम् नीत्वाधिवासयेत्तत्र लिंगं पिंडिकया सह
Having worshipped it along with the pedestal, and bringing it to a divine water vessel, one should then perform the consecration there.
अधिवासालये शुद्धे सर्वशोभासमन्विते सतोरणे सावरणे दर्भमालासमावृते
In a pure consecration chamber, adorned in every way, with an archway and enclosure, and garlanded with darbha grass,
दिग्गजाष्टकसंपन्ने दिक्पालाष्टघटान्विते अष्टमंगलकैर्युक्ते कृतदिक्पालकार्चिते
Furnished with eight guardian elephants, eight pots for the guardians of the directions, equipped with eight auspicious articles, and worshipped by the guardians of the directions,
तेजसं दारवं वापि कृत्वा पद्मासनांकितम् विन्यसेन्मध्यतस्तत्र विपुलं पीठकालयम्
A seat marked with a lotus, made of gold or wood, should be placed in the center there, along with a large platform.
द्वारपालान्समभ्यर्च्य भद्रादींश्चतुरःक्रमात् समुद्रश्च विभद्रश्च सुनंदश्च विनंदकः
Having worshipped the doorkeepers in order—Samudra, Vibhadra, Sunanda, and Vinandaka—
स्नापयित्वा समभ्यर्च्य लिंगं वेदिकया सह सकूर्चाभ्यां तु वस्त्राभ्यां समावेष्ट्यं समंततः
After bathing and worshipping the liṅga together with the pedestal, it should be wrapped all around with two cloths and two kusa grass rings.
प्रापय्य शनकैस्तोयं पीठिकोपरि शाययेत् प्राक्शिरस्कमधःसूत्रं पिंडिकां चास्य पश्चिमे
Slowly pouring water, one should lay it upon the platform; with its head to the east, a cord below, and the pedestal to its west.
सर्वमंगलसंयुक्तं लिंगं तत्राधिवासयेत् पञ्चरात्रं त्रिरात्रं वाप्येकरात्रमथापि वा
The liṅga, endowed with all auspicious marks, should be consecrated there for five nights, or three nights, or even just one night.
विसृज्य पूजितं तत्र शोधयित्वा च पूर्ववत् संपूज्योत्सवमार्गेण शयनालयमानयेत्
After worshipping it there and purifying as before, one should, following the festival procedure, bring it to the sleeping chamber.
तत्रापि शयनस्थानं कुर्यान्मंडलमध्यतः शुद्धैर्जलैः स्नापयित्वा लिंगमभ्यर्चयेत्क्रमात्
There too, in the center of the chamber, one should establish the place for resting; after bathing the liṅga with pure waters, one should worship it in order.
ऐशान्यां पद्ममालिख्य शुद्धलिप्ते महीतले शिवकुंभं शोधयित्वा तत्रावाह्य शिवं यजेत्
In the northeast, drawing a lotus on the purified ground, and after purifying the Śiva-pot, one should invoke Śiva there and worship him.
वेदीमध्ये सितं पद्मं परिकल्प्य विधानतः तस्य पश्चिमतश्चापि चंडिकापद्ममालिखेत्
In the center of the altar, a white lotus should be properly drawn; and to its west, the Caṇḍikā-lotus should also be inscribed.
क्षौमाद्यैर्वाहतैर्वस्त्रैः पुष्पैर्दर्भैरथापि वा प्रकल्प्य शयनं तस्मिन्हेमपुष्पं विनिक्षिपेत्
A bed should be prepared there with cloths such as linen, or with flowers or darbha grass, and a golden flower should be placed upon it.
तत्र लिंगं समानीय सर्वमंगलनिःस्वनैः रक्तेन वस्त्रयुग्मेन सकूर्चेन समंततः
There, bringing the liṅga with all auspicious sounds, it should be wrapped all around with a pair of red cloths and with kusa grass rings.