||Om Nama: Shivaya||

 

Chapter – 52 – Rudra Samhitha/Shrishti Kanda – 11

 

Rishis speak “Oh! Sutha Oh! Mahabhaga, Oh! Vyasashishya, we shall repeatedly prostrate before you. Oh! Sutha, you have brilliantly narrated the origin of the Nirguna Swaroopa of Lord Shiva as Linga, the legend praising the splendor of Linga and worship of the same would destroy all the miseries of the worshiper. Oh! Dhayanidhe, kindly describe the conversation between Lord Bhrama and Narada which took place regarding the worship of the Linga of supreme Lord Mahadeva. The Supreme Lord Shiva is worshiped by all the Varnas/Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra reverentially. Oh! Sutha, you must have heard the method of veneration of Ling of Lord Mahadeva from your preceptor Maharishi Vedavyasa.”

 

Sutha Pauranika enthusiastically begins to speak “ Oh! Munishwara, you have raised a brilliant question, which was keeping highly confidential all these days. I shall reveal it to you as per my knowledge that I have learned from my preceptor.  Previously, Sanathkumara raised the same question to Sage Upamanyu, and he learned it all from him. Maharishi Vedavyasa learned it from Sage Upamanyu which was narrated by the supreme Lord Krishna and later it was taught it to me for the welfare of the people in the Universe. Further, it was narrated by Lord Bhrama to Narada."

 

Lord Bhrama speaks “Oh! Narada listen to me carefully, I shall briefly describe the veneration of the Linga. Oh! Mune, the adoration of the supreme Lord Shiva as Linga, cannot be described not even in the hundreds of years. The compassionate Lord Shiva who is unblemished and flawless showers an abundance of boons to his worshiper which is beyond words. The sufferings of poverty, various ailments, the threat of the enemy, and four types of sins like Bhramahathya would get destroyed with the worship of the Linga. It removes all the sufferings, miseries, and sorrows of the worldly existence; it would provide happiness and welfare, and liberation from the repeated births as well.  The childless couple would attain progeny with the grace of the worship of the Linga. The Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra worships Lord Shiva appropriately  according to their Varnna, and attains an abundance of piousness in their lives,  and all the desires get satisfied. I shall describe the process of veneration of Linga, which should be conducted during the Bhramamuhurtha, after the veneration of the preceptor, reciting the glorious hymns Shiva Ashtoththara, praising the sacred Theertha, Lord Hari and Lord Bhrama and deities are part of the veneration after performing the sun worship. The worship of Ling is performed with unbroken rice, fragrances, incense, earthen lamp and various ingredients, with the recitation, followed ‘Eshana: Sarvavidhyanam’ and ablutions of the Linga is performed with the Dhravyas like sandalwood paste, milk, Panchagavya, honey, curd, sugarcane juices, etc. performance of ablutions with the Ghee removes the sins of the worshiper. The adoration of Linga with the flowers like Kusha, Apamarga, camphor,  Champa, Trumpet flowers, Jasmine, lotuses, and various kinds of flowers with the sandalwood paste and water offered to Linga. The performance of ablutions with the recitation of Vedic chants provide meritorious rewards.”

 

Lord Bhrama continues “Oh! Vathsa, I shall briefly narrate what are the Manthras should be recited while performing the ablutions to the Linga. The Manthras that has been learned from the preceptor, the Manthras known by heart, Rudra Suktha, Nila Suktha, and the Manthras from the Shukla Yajurveda, Adharvasheersha, Shanthi Manthra, Aruna Manthra, Rama Manthra, Devaradhana Manthra, Pushpa Suktha, Rathanthara Manthra, Mrithyunjaya Manthra, Panchakshara Manthra, followed with the bathing of Linga with the sacred waters from thousands of streams or hundred and eight streams, according to one’s own capacity. These are the procedure to invoke the Linga, which is incomprehensible even for the Lord Bhrama, Vishnu, deities, Indra, Upendra. The supreme Lord Mahadeva is pure and eulogized by Veda and Vedantha, he is the essence of Veda, he has neither beginning nor end, he is eternal, he is the supreme cure for all the ailments. At the end of the veneration of Linga, the fruits, flowers, incense and betel leaves are offered to the deity and prostrated before the Linga, a final prayer is offered to the Lord to forgive all those mistakes done with the knowledge or without the knowledge, and appealing for the eternal grace of the Lord. Finally offering flowers at the feet of the Linga, recitation of Swasthivachana is performed to receive blessings from Bhramanas assembled. The recitation of Aghora Manthra is preformed with the prayer “Oh! Prabho, kindly shower your grace to remain your devotee in all my births. I shall take refugee at your lotus feet; kindly shower your eternal grace on us.” In this way, the supreme Lord Shiva should be worshiped, at the end of the worship, the sound of a male goat is uttered to please the Lord, and prostrate before the Lord with all the family members.  Whoever worships Lord Shiva with intense devotion and faith would achieve success in all endeavors, excellence in speech, all the desires get fulfilled, removes all the miseries, sufferings, ailments, sorrows, and grief, and the worshiper would achieve eternal grace of supreme Lord Shiva. The worshiper would achieve happiness and welfare, like the moon on the day of bright night, and achieve an abundance of meritorious rewards. Oh! Munisaththama, I have described all that briefly about the worship of the Linga. What else would you like to hear from me?”