THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the Dîk s â vidhi or on the rules of Initiation
1-3. Nârada said :— I have heard the one thousand names or nâma stotras equivalent in its fruits to S’rî Gâyatrî, highly potent in making a good fortune and tending to a splendid increase of the wealth and prosperity. Now I want to hear about how initiations in Mantrams are performed, without which nobody, be he a Brâhmi n, a K s attriya, a Vais’ya or a S’ûdra, is entitled to have the Devî Mantra. O Lord! Kindly describe the ordinary (Sâmânya) and the special (vis’e s a) rules thereof.
4-41. Nârâya n a said :— O Nârada! Listen. I am now telling you about the rules of initiation (Dîk s â) of the disciples, pure in heart. When they are initiated, they become entitled then and not before that, to worship the Devas, the Fire and the Guru. That method of instruction, and religious act and ceremony is called the Dîk s â (initiation) by which the Divine Knowledge is imparted; and at once flashes in the heart and mind of the initiated that Knowledge and all his sins are then destroyed. So the Pundits of the Vedas and the Tantras, say. (The Divine Knowledge is like lightning, fire, arising and permeating the body, mind, and spirit.) This Dîk s â ought to be taken by all means. This gives excellent merits and pure results. Both the Guru and the S’i s ya (disciple) ought to be very pure and true. (This is the first essential requisite. Then the results are instantaneous). First of all, the Guru is to perform all the morning duties, he is to take his bath and perform his Sandhyâ Vandanams. He is to return home from the banks of the river with his Kama nd alu and observe maunam (silence). Then, in order to give Dîk s â, he is to enter into the assigned room (Yâga Ma nd apa) and take his seat on an Âsana that is excellent and calculated to please all. He is to perform Âchanara and do Prâ n âyâma. Then he should take water in his Arghya vessel and putting scents and flowers in that, charge that water with Pha t kâra mantra (that is, condense electricity Spirit in that). Then uttering the Pha t mantra, he is to sprinkle the water on the doorways of the worshiproom and begin his Pûjâ. Firstly, on the top of the door at one end invoke the Deity Ga n anâthâ by His mantra, at the other end invoke Sarasvatî by Her mantra and at the middle, invoke Lak s mî Devî by Her mantra duly and worship them, with flowers. Then, on the right side worship Gangâ and Bigh n es’a; and on the left side worship K s ettrapâla and Yamunâ, the daughter of the Sun. Similarly, on the bottom of the door, worship the Astra Devatâ by the
Pha t mantra. Then consider the whole Ma nd apa as inspired with the presence of the Devî, and see the whole place as pervaded by Her through and through. Then, repeat the Pha t mantra and destroy the Celestial obstacles as well as those from the middle space (Antarîk s a); strike the ground thrice with the left heel and thus destroy the Terrene obstacles. Then touching the left branch on the left side of the choukâ t, put the right foot forward and enter into the Ma nd apa. Then instal the S’ânti Kumbha (the peace jar) and offer the ordinary Arghya (Sâmânyârgha). Next worship the Vâstunâtha and Padmayoni with flowers and Âtapa rice and the Arghya water, on the south-west and then purify the Pa n cha Gavya. Next sprinkle all the Ma nd apa and the entrance gate with that Arghya water. And, while sprinkling with Arghya water, consider the whole space right through as inspired with the presence of the Devî and repeat the Mûla Mantra with devotion and sprinkle with Pha t mantra. The Kartâ, then, uttering the mantra “Pha t,” is to drive away all the evils from the Ma nd apa and uttering the mantra “Hûm” sprinkle water, all around, thus pacifying the atmosphere and bringing peace into the hearts of all present.
Then burn the Dhûpa incense inside and scatter Vikira (water, sandal-paste, yava, ashes, Durba grass with roots, and Âtapa rice). Then collect all these rice, etc., again with a broom made of Kus’a grass to the north east corner of the Ma nd apa; making the Sankalpa and uttering Svasti vâchana (invocation of good), distribute and satisfy the poor and orphans with feeding, clothing and money. Then he should bow down to his own Guru and take his seat humbly on the soft Âsanam allotted to him with his face eastwards and meditate on the Deity (Î st a Deva) of the mantra that is to be imparted to the disciple. After meditating thus, he is to do the Bhûta s’ûddhi (purification of elements) and perform Nyâsa, etc., of the Deya mantra (the mantra that is to be imparted to the disciple) according to the rules stated below, i.e., the Ri s i on the head; the chhandas in the mouth, the Î st a Devatâ in the heart, Bîja on the anus and S’akti Nyâsa on the two legs. Then he is to make sound thrice by the clap of his palm and thus thwart off all the evils of the earth and the middle space and then make digbandhan (tieing up the quarters) by the mudrâ chho t ikâ three times (snapping the thumb and forefinger together ). Then perform the Prâ n âyâma with the Mûla mantra of the would-be-Î st a-Devatâ and do the Mâtrikâ Nyâsa in one’s own body, thus :— O m Am nama h s’irasi, O m Âm nama h on the face, O m Im nama h on the right eye, O m Îm nama h on the left eye, and so on, assign all the letters duly to their respective places. Then perform the Karânga Nyâsa on the fingers and the S a d a n ga Nyâsa thus :— Speak: O m Hridayâya nama h, touching on the heart, utter O m S’irase svâhâ, touching the head; O m
S’ikhâyai Va s at, touching the tuft; O m Kavachâya Hûm, touching on the Kavacha, “O m netratrayâya Vau s a t,” touching the eye, and “O m Astrâya Pha t” touching both the sides of the hand, the palm and its back. Then finish the Nayâsa by doing the Var n anyâsa of the Mûla mantra in those places that are said in the cognate kalpas (i.e., throat, heart, arms, legs, etc.).
O Nârada! Next consider within your body the seat of an auspicious Âsana (a seat) and make the Nyâsa of Dharma on the right side, Jñâna m on the left side, of Vairâgyam (dispassion) on the left thigh, prosperity and wealth on the right thigh, of non-Dharma in the mouth and of Non-Jñânam on the left side, Avairâgyam (passion) on the navel, and poverty on the right side. Then think of the feet of the Âsana (the body) as Dharma, etc., and all the limbs as Adharma (non-Dharma). In the middle of the Âsana (body), i.e., in the heart consider Ananta Deva as a gentle bed and on that a pure lotus representing this universe of five elements. Then make Nyâsa of the Sun, Moon, and Fire on this lotus and think the Sun as composed of twelve Kalâs (digits) the Moon composed of sixteen Kalâs (digits) and the Fire as composed of ten Kalâs. Over this make Nyâsa of Sâttva, Râja and Tâmo Gu n as, Âtmâ, Antarâtmâ, Paramâtmâ and Jñânâtmâ and then think of this as his Î st a’s altar where the devotee is to meditate on his Î st a Devatâ, the Highest Mother. Nyâsa-assignment of the various parts of the body to different deities which is usually accompanied with prayers and corresponding gesticulations. Next the devotee is to perform the mental worship of the Deya Mantra Devatâ according to the rules of his own Kalpa; next he is to show all the Mudrâs, stated in the Kalpa for the satisfaction of the Deva. The Devas become very pleased when all these Mudrâs are shown to them.
42-46. O Nârada! Now, on one’s left side, erect an hectagon; inside it a circular figure; inside this again a square and then draw within that square a triangle and over it show the S’ankha Mudrâ. After finishing the Pûjâ of the Six Deities at the six corners of the hectagon, Fire, etc., take the tripod of the S’ankha (conch-shell) and sprinkling it with Pha t mantra, place it within the triangle. Utter, then, the Mantra “Ma m Vahniman dalâya Das’a Kalâtmane Amuka Devyâ Arghyapâtrasthânâya nama h” and thus worshipping the S’ânkhya vessel place it within the ma nd ala. Then worship in the S’ankha pâtra, the ten Kalâs of Fire, beginning from the East, then south-east and so on. Sprinkle the S’ankha, conchshell, with the Mûla Mantra and meditating on it, place the S’ankha (conch shell) on the tripod. Repeating the mantra “Am Sûrya ma nd alâya Dvadas’akalâtmane Amukodevyâ
Arghyapâtrâya nama h” worship in the Arghyapâtra S’ankha, sprinkle water in the S’ankha with the Mantra “Sa m S’ankhya nama h.” Worship in due order the twelve Kalâs of the Sun Tapinî, Tâpinî, Dhûmrâ, etc., utter the fifty syllables of the Mâtrikâ in an inverse order (i.e., beginning, see the Sâradâ Tilaka, with K s a m, Ha m, S a m, Sam, S’a m, etc.,) and repeating the Mûla Mantra also in an inverse order, fill the S’ankha, three-fourths, with water. Next perform in it the Nyâsa of Chandrakalâ and uttering the Mantra “U m Soma ma nd alâya S o d as’akalâtmane Amukademtâyâ Arghyâ-mritâya nama h,” worship in this conchshell. Next with Ankus’a mudrâ, invoke all the tîrthas there, repeating the Mantra “Gange Cha Yamune chaiva, etc.,” and repeat eight times the Mûla Mantra (the basic Mantra). Then perform the S’a d amga Nyâsa in the water and with the Mantra “Hridâ nama h, etc.,” worship and, repeating eight times the Mûla Mantra, cover it with Matsyamundrâ. Next place on the right side of the S’ankha, the Prok s a n î Pâtra (the Kos’â vessel from which water is taken for sprinkling) and put a little water in it. By this water sprinkle and purify all the articles of worship as well as one’s own body and consider one’s Âtman as pure and holy.
47-81. After doing works thus far the until Vis’e s ârghya is placed, the devotee should erect Sarvato bhadra ma nd ala within the altar and put the S’âli rice within its pericarp. Next spread Kus’a grass on that Ma nd ala and put on one Kurcha, looking well and auspicious within it, made of twenty-seven Kus’a grass knotted with Venyagra granthi. Worship here the Âdhâra S’akti, Prakriti, Kûrma, S’e s a, K s amâ, Sudhâsindhu, Ma n ima nd ala, Kalpa vrik s a and Î st a devatâ and the Pî t ha. (Durgâ Devî yoga pî t hâya nama h). Then have an entire kumbha (waterjar) having no defect, wash it inside with Pha t mantra, and encircle it with the red thread thrice as symbolising the three Gu n as. Place within this jar the Nava ratna (nine jewels) with Kurcha and worshipping it with scents and flowers put them in the jar repeating the Pra n ava, and place that on the Pî t ha (seat). Next consider the Pîtha and Kumbha (waterjar) as one and the same and pour waters from the Tîrthas, repeating in an inverse order the Mâtrikâ Var n as (from K s a to Ka) and fill it, thinking of the Î st a Deva and repeating the basic mantra, put the new and fresh twigs (Pallavas) of As’vattha, Panasa and mango trees, etc., in the jar and cover its mouth and place over it fruits, rice, and cha s aka (honey) and wrap it with two red cloths. Then perform the Prâ n a-Prati st hâ and invoke the Spirit of the Devî by the Prâ n asthâpana Mantra and show the Mudrâs, Âvâhana, etc., and thus satisfy the Devî. Then do the S o d as’opachâra Pûjâ of the Devî after me-
ditating on the Parames’varî according to the rules of the Kalpa.
First offer “welcome” in front of the Devî and then duly offer the Pâdya, Arghya, Âchamanîya water, Madhuparka, and oils, etc., for the bath. Then offer nice red silken clothes and various jewels, ornaments; repeating the Mâtrikâ syllables electrified with the Deya Mantra, worship the whole body of the Devî with scents and flowers. Next offer to the Devî the sweet scent of Kalâguru mixed with camphor and the Kâs’mîri sandalpaste mixed with Kastûrî and various nice scented flowers, for example, the Ku nd a flowers, etc. Then offer the Dhûpa prepared from Aguru, Guggula, Us’îra, sandalpaste, sugar, and honey and know that the Dhûpa is very pleasing to the Devî. Next offer various lights and offerings of fruits, vegetables and fooding. Be particular to sprinkle everything with the water of the Kosâ, thus purifying, before it is offered to the Devî. Then complete the A n ga Pûjâ, and the Âvara n a-Pûjâ of the Devî, then perform the duty of Vais’vadeva. On the right side of the Devî erect an altar (sthan d ila) six feet square and instal Ag n i (Fire) there. Invoke there the Deity, thinking of Her Form and worship Her with scents and flowers. Then with the Vyârhiti Mantra with Svâhâ prefixed and Mûla (Deya) Mantra perform the Homa ceremony with oblations, charu and ghee, twenty five times. Next perform Homa again with Vyârhiti. Next worship the Devî with scents, etc., and consider the Devî and Pîtha Devatâ as one and the same. Then take leave of (visarjana) the Ag n i (Fire). Offer valis (sacrifices) all round to the Pârs’vadas of the Devî with the remnant charu of the Homa.
Now again worship the Devî with five offerings and offer betel, umbrella, châmara and others and repeat the Mûla mantra thousand times. After finishing the Japam, place Karkarî (a water-jar with small holes at the bottom, as in a sieve) on the rice in the north-eastern corner and invoke the Devî there and worship Her. Uttering the mantra “Rak s a Rak s a” moisten the place with water coming out of Karkarî, and repeat the Pha t mantra. After re-worshipping the Devî, place Karkarî in due position. Thus the Guru finishes the Adhivâsa (foregoing) ceremony and takes his meals with the disciple and sleeps that night on that altar.
82-106. O Nârada! Now I am describing briefly about the Homa Ku nd a (a round hole in the ground consecrated to the Deity) and the Samskâra ceremony of the Sthan d ila (the sacrificial altar). Uttering, first, the Mûla Mantra, see, fix your gaze on the Ku nd a; then sprinkle it with water and the Pha t mantra and drive away the evil-spirits from there. Then with mantra “Hûm” again sprinkle it with water.
Then draw within it three lines Prâgagra and Udagagra (on the eastern and northern sides). Sprinkling it with water and the Pra n ava, worship within the Pî t ha, uttering the mantras from Âdhâra S’aktaye nama h to Amuka Devî Yoga Pî t hâya nama h. Invoke, in that Pîtha, the Highest One, Who is S’iva S’ivâ with all one-ness of heart and worship Her with scents and offerings. Then think for a moment the Devî as having taken bath and as one with S’ankara. Bring then fire in a vessel and taking a flaming piece thereof throw that in the south-west corner. Then purifying it by the gaze and quitting the portions of Kravyâda h, impart the Chaitanya by “Ra m,” the Vah n ivîja repeat “O m” over it seven times. Shew, then, the Dhenumudrâ and protect it by Pha t Kâra and cover, veil, it with the mantra “Hûm.” Then turn the fire, thus worshipped with sandalpaste, etc., thrice over the Ku nd a and with both the knees on the ground and repeating the Pra n ava, consider the Ag n i as the Vîrya of S’iva and throw it on the yoni of the Devî in the Pîtha. Then offer Âchamana, etc., to the Deva and the Devî and worship. Then light the flame with the mantra “Chit Pingala Hana Hana Daha Daha Pacha Pacha Sarvajñâ Jñâpaya Svâhâ.” Then utter the stotra to the Ag n i Deva with great love, repeating the mantra “Agnim Prajvalitam vande Jâtavedam Hutâs’ana m suvar n a var n amamalam samiddham Visvatomukha m.” Then perform the S a d a m ganyâsa to the Ag n i Deva “Om Sahasrârchchi s e nama h, Om Svasti Pûr n âya Svâhâ,” “Om Utti st ha puru s âya va s at,” “Om Dhûma vyâpine Hû m Om Sapta Jihvâya vau s at” “Om Dhanur dharâya Pha t.” Repeating the above six mantras, perform the Nyâsa on the heart, etc., the six places. Now meditate on the Ag n i as of a golden colour, three-eyed, seated on a lotus and holding in His four hands signs of granting boons, S’akti, Svastika and sign of “no fear,” also meditate on Ag n i, as the seat of the greatest auspiciousness. Then moisten the Ku nd a on the top of the belt (mekhalâ) with water. Next spread the Kus’a grass all around and draw the Ag n i yantra over it, i.e., triangle, hectagon, circle, eight-petalled figure and Bhûpura; rather have this drawing before the Ag n isthâpanâ. Now meditate this only. Then, within the Yantra, recite “Vais’vânara Jâtaveda Lohitâk s a sarvakarmâ n i Sâdhaya Svâhâ” and worship Ag n i. Then worship in the centre and in the hectagon at the corners worship the Saptajihvâ (seven tongues Hira n ya, Gaganâ, Raktâ, Kri sn â, Suprabhâ, Bahurûpâ, Atiraktikâ) and next worship within the pericarp of the lotus the Anga Devatâs. Then recite the following mantras within the eight petals :— “O m Agnaye Jâtavedase nama h,” “ O m Agnaye Saptajihvâya namah,” “ O m Agnaye Havyavâhanâya
nama h,” “O m Agnaye As’vodarajâya nama h,” “O m Agnaye Vais’vânarâya nama h,” “O m Agnaye Kaumâra tejase nama h,” “O m Agnaye Vis’vamukhâya nama h,” “O m Agnaye Devamukhâya nama h” and considering the forms to hold S’akti and Svastik, worship them. Then consider Indra and the other Lokapâlas (Regents of the several quarters) situated in the east, south-east, and so on together with their weapons, the thunderbolt and the other weapons, and thus worship them.
107-134. O Nârada! Next purify the sacrificial ladles, etc., sruk, sruva, etc., and ghee; then, taking ghee by sruva, go on with the Homa ceremony. Divide the ghee of the Âjyasthâlî (the vessel in which the ghee for the Homa purposes is kept) in three parts; take ghee from the right side and saying “O m Agnaye Svâhâ” offer oblations on the right eye of the Ag n i; take ghee from the left side and saying “Om Somâye Svâhâ” offer oblations on the left eye of the Ag n i; take ghee from the centre and saying, “O m Agni s omâbhyâ m Svâhâ,” offer oblations on the central eye of the Agni. Take ghee again from the right side and saying “O m Agnaye Svi st ak r ite Svâhâ” offer oblations to the mouth of the Ag n i. Then the devotee is to repeat “O m Bhu h Svâhâ,” “O m Bhuva h Svâhâ,” “O m Sva h Svâhâ” and offer thrice the oblations; next he is to offer oblations thrice with the Ag n i mantra. After this, O Muni! for impregnation and each of the ten Samskâras, natal-ceremony, tonsure, etc., he is to repeat the Pra n ava Mantra and offer the eight oblations of ghee on each occasion. Now hear of the tenfold Sa m skâras :— (1) Impregnation, (2) Pu m savan (a ceremony performed as soon as a woman perceives the foetus to be quick), (3) Sîmantonnayana (a ceremony observed by women in the fourth, sixth or the eighth month of pregnancy), (4) Jâta Karma (ceremony at the birth of a child), (5) Nâmakara n a, (naming the child), (6) Ni s krâma n a (a ceremony performed when a new-born child is first taken out of the house into the open air usually in the fourth month), (7) Annaprâs’ana (when the rice is put in the mouth of the child), (8) Chû d âkara n a (the ceremony of the first tonsure), (9) Upanayana (holding the sacrificial thread; (10) Godâna and Udvâha (gift of cows and marriage). These are stated in the Vedas. Next worship S’iva Pârvatî, the Father and the Mother of Ag n i and take leave of them. Next in the name of Ag n i, offer five Samidhas (fuel) soaked in ghee and offer one oblation of ghee to each of the Âvara n a Devatâs.
Then take the ghee by the S’ruk and covering it with the S’ruva, offer ten oblations to Ag n i, and Mahâ Ganes’a with mantras ending in Vau s a t,
The Mahâ Ganes’a mantras run as follows :— (1) O m, O m Svâhâ (2) O m S’rîm Svâhâ, (3) O m S’rîm Hrîm Svâhâ, (4) O m S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Svâhâ, (5) O m S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Glau m Svâhâ, (6) O m S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Glau m Ga m Svâhâ, (7) O m S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Glau m ityanta h Ga m Ga n apataye Svâhâ, (8) O m Vara Varada ityanta h Svâhâ, (9) Sarvajana m me Vas’a m ityanto Svâhâ and (10) Ânaya Svâhâ ityanta h.
Next perform in the Ag n i the Pî t ha Pûjâ and meditate on the Deya Î st adeva and worship him. Next offer twenty-five oblations to his face, repeating the Mûla Mantra. Then think of that and Ag n i Deva as one and the same, and then again as one with Âtman. Then offer oblations to each of the S a d a m ga Devatâs separately. Then search for the Nâdis (veins) of Vah n i and Î st a Devatâ and offer twenty one oblations. Then offer oblations to each of the two Devatâs separately. Next offer one thousand and eight oblations to the Î st a Deva with Til soaked in ghee or with the materials enumerated in the Kalpa. O Muni! Thus finishing the Homa ceremony, consider that the Î st a Deva (the Devî), Ag n i and the Âvara n a Deities are all satisfied. Then, by the command of the Guru, the disciple is to take his bath and perform his Sandhyâ, etc., and put on new clothes (cloth and châdar) and golden ornaments. He is to come then, to the Ku nd a with Kama nd alu in his hand and with a pure heart. He is to bow down to the elders and superiors seated in the assembly and take his seat in his Âsana. S’rî Guru Deva then would look at the disciple with kind eyes and think the Chaitanya of the disciple within his own (the Guru’s) body. Then the Guru Deva would perform the Homa and look at the disciple with a divine gaze, so that the disciple becomes pure-hearted and able to get the favours of the Devas. Thus the Guru must purify all the Adhvas (the passages) of the body of the disciple.
Then the Guru is to touch respectively the feet, generative organ, navel, heart, forehead, and the head of the disciple with Kûrcha (a bundle of Kus’a grass) and til soaked in ghee, in his left hand and offer at each touch eight oblations, repeating the mantra “O m adya S’i s yasya Kalâdhvânam S’odhayâmi Svâhâ, etc.” Thus the Guru would purify Kalâdhva (in the feet) Tattvâdhva (in the generative organ), Bhûvanâdhva (in the navel), Var n âdhva (in the heart), Padâdhva (in the fore-head) and Mantrâdhva (on the head), the six Adhvâs and think these all to be dissolved in Brahmâ (Brahmalîna).
135-155. Then, again, the Guru would think all these to be re-born from Brahmâ and transfer the Chaitanya of the disciple that was in him to the disciple. Then the Guru must offer Pûr n âhuti and consider
the Î st a Devatâ, placed in the fire by the visarjana mantra for the Homa purposes, as entered into the water-jar. He is to perform again the Vyârhiti Homa and offer all the A m gâhutis (oblations to all the limbs) of the fire and take leave of the fire withdrawing the Deity from the jar, into his own body. Uttering then the Vau s a t Mantra he would tie the eyes of the disciple with a piece of cloth and would bring him from the Ku nd a to the ma nd ala and make the disciple offer pu s pâ n jali (flowers in his palm) to the Î st a deva. Then he would take away the bandage or piece of cloth from his eyes and ask him to take his seat in the seat Kusâsana. Thus the Guru, after having purified the elements of the body of the disciple and performed the Nyâsa of the Deya Mantra, would make the disciple sit in another ma nd ala. Then he would touch the head of the disciple with the twigs (Pallavas) of the Ku nd a and repeat the Mâtrikâ Mantra and make him have his bath with the water of the jar which is considered as the seat of the Î st a Deva. Then, for the protection of the disciple, he would sprinkle (abhi s eka) him with the water of the Vardhani vessel placed already in the north-east corner. Then the disciple would get up and put on the pair of new clothes and besmear his whole body with ashes and sit close by the Guru. When the merciful Guru would consider that the S’iva S’akti has now passed out of his own body and that Divine Force, the Devî, has entered into the body of the disciple, i.e., charged the disciple with the pass. Thinking now the disciple and the Devatâ to be one and the same, the Guru would now worship the disciple with flowers and scents. The Guru would then place his right hand on the head of the disciple and repeat clearly in his right ear the Mahâ Mantra of the Mahâ Devî . The disciple is to repeat also the Mahâ Mantra one hundred and eight times and fall prostrate on the ground before the Guru and thus bow down to the Guru, whom the disciple now thinks as the incarnate of the Deva.
The disciple, the devotee of the Guru, would now give as a Dak s i n â all his wealth and property for his whole life to the Guru. Then he would give Dak s i n â to the priests and make charities to the virgins; the Brâhma n as, the poor and the destitute and the orphans. Here he is not to be miserly in any way in the expenditure. O Nârada! Thus the disciple would consider himself blessed and he would daily remain engaged in repeating the Mahâ Mantra. Thus I have described to you above
The most excellent Dîk s â. Thinking all these, you are to remain ever engaged in worshipping the lotus feet of the Great Devî. There is no Dharma higher than this in this world for the Brâhma n as. The followers of the Vedas would impart this Mantra according to the rules stated respectively in their own Grihya Sûtras; and the Tântrikas
would also do the same according to their own Tantras. The Vaidiks should not follow the Tantra rules and the Tantriks are not to follow the Vaidik rules. Thus all the S’âstras say. And this is the Sanâtan Creed. Nârâya n a said :— O Nârada! I have described all about the ordinary Dîk s â that you questioned me. Now the essence in brief is this that you would remain always merged in worshipping the Parâ S’akti, the Highest Force, the Mahâ Devî. What more shall I say than this that I have got the highest pleasure and the Nirvâna, the peace, that passeth all understanding, from my daily worshipping That Lotus Feet duly. Vedavyâsa said :— O Mahârâja! O Janamejayan! After having said this Dîk s âtattva, the highest Yogi Bhagavân Nârâya n a, meditated by the Yogis, closed his eyes and remained merged in Samâdhi, in the meditation of the Lotus Feet of the Devî.
Knowing this Highest Tattva, Nârada, the chief of the Ri s is, bowed down at the feet of the Great Guru Nârâya n a and went away immediately to perform the tapasyâ so that he also might see the Mahâ Devî.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the Dîk s â vidhi or on the rules of Initiation in the Mahâpurâ n am S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahar s i Veda Vyâsa.