The method of adoration and sacrifice of animals
Narayana said – О virtuous one, I am going to narrate to you the way in which the king adored the goddess. The same routine rituals have been described in the Vedas.
The king after taking a bath and sipping water performed the Icaranyasa, hrdayanyasa and anganyasa. He completed the same after reciting the mantra and purification from the Bhutas.
Thereafter, he performed Pranayama and purifying his limbs, he performed dhyanam and by making the image of the goddess in clay invoked her.
Thereafter he adored her with devotion and consecrated LaksmI towards her right side and adored her with great devotion. Thereafter the extremely religious king invoked six gods in the six pitchers filled with water.
О Narada, the king then, with his mind filled with devotion, adored Ganes’a, Surya, Agni, Vishnu, Siva and Parvati.
After adoring the six gods, the intelligent king meditated upon MahadevI reciting the same dhyanam.
О sage, the said dhyanam has been described in the Samaveda and serves like the wish- fulfilling tree. It runs like this. I adore MahadevI daily, who happens to be Mulaprakrti, Isvarl, adorable by Brahma, Visnu and Siva, eternal, NarayanI, Visnumaya, Vaisnavl, the one who bestows the devotion of Visnu, the form of all, the base of all, is beyond everything, combines all the knowledge, is the form of all the mantras and all the prowess, is formless and also with form, the form of truth, the best of all, moves according to her wishes, the chaste one, the mother of Mahavisnu, the one who emerged out of the body of lord Krsna, the beloved of Krsna, the prowess of lord Krsna, his intelligence, adored by lord Krsna who offered prayers to her and bowed before her. She is all merciful.
She has the complexion of molten gold. She has the lustre of crores of suns, wears a serene smile on the face, is compassionate to the devotees, has hundred arms, relieves one of all the great miseries, beloved of three-eyed lord Siva and the chaste one. She has three types of virtues, three eye and she is the beloved of lord Siva. She is the better-half of lord Siva who is also known as Candrasekhara. She is adorned with the white jasmine flower on her beautifully arranged hair-do. She has a beautiful round face, is the attraction of lord Siva and wears two ornamental kundalas besides having beautiful cheeks.
She wears Gajamukta on the right side of the nose and is adorned with invaluable ornaments studded with gems. She has the line of teeth which shine like jewels. Her lips resemble the ripe wood-apples; she is delightful and provides welfare to all; her cheeks are decorated with beautiful paintings. She wears beautiful armlets and wristlets. She has anklets studded with gems, besides Cudamani and other ornaments. She also wears gem-studded rings on her fingers which shine in the hand and the nail-polish applied on the nails looks quite fine. She is clad in the garment which has the lustre of fire and sanctified with the sandal-paste.
She has a spot of kashlri placed on her breasts. She is all virtuous and moves slowly but gracefully like an elephant. She is quite attractive, peaceful and is always engaged in performing yogic practices. She is the strength of Brahma, the creator and is known as Parvatl the base of all.
She has the face like the full moon of winter season. She is quite pleasant. She has a spot of kastiirl on her forehead accompanied by a small spot of sandal-paste which looks quite prominent, she has beautiful eyes resembling the lotus flowers of the winter season. The collyrium decorates her eyes. She puts to shame the beauty of crores of gods of love and has a charming body. She is seated on the gem-studded lion- throne wearing a beautiful crown emitting lustre. She is the art of creation for Brahma, the compassionate one for Visnu who preserves the universe and is the source of destruction for Siva. She killed Nisumbha, Sumbha besides Mahis asura.
In the earlier times, during the battle with Tripura, she was associated with Siva and at the time of the battle with Mtfdhukaitabha, she served as the strength of lord Visnu.
She is the one who destroys all the demons, the destroyer of Raktablja, Hiranyakas’ipu in the fonn of Narasimha, the killer of Hiranyaksa in the form of Varaha. I therefore adore the strength of great Varaha who represented the form of eternal Brahmana. I therefore adore Druga who is all powerful in the universe.
Thus meditating upon her, the intelligent person should place flowers on his head and with his mind filled with devotion he should again meditate upon the goddess invoking her.
Where after holding the image of the goddess, one should recite the mantra and by reciting this mantra one should perform jivanyasa.
О goddess, О mother, О eternal Prakrti, О goddess of the gods, you kindly accept our adoration after descending from the Sivaloka.
You are adored by the world, О Mahes’varl, you arrive here and take your seat. О mother, you stay on at this place during the performing of my pitjci. О infallible one, you should arrive here in person along with all of your saktis.
О spouse of lord Sadas’iva, I recite the mantra Aum Hreem Shreem Kleem Durgaaye Swaahaa One should recite this mantra and thereafter speak, “O Siva I should always remain alive.”
О Candika, the lord of all the organs of senses should arrive here, О Candika, all your saktis and lords should arrive here.
О best of the Brahmanas, the goddess should be thus invoked and then the mantra which should be recited thereafter, is being told by me. You listen to me attentively. О Bhagavatl, О mother, О beloved of Siva, you arrive here from Sivaloka, I welcome you, О noble one, be merciful towards me. О Bhadrakali, I bow in reverence to you.
О Durga, О Mahesvarl, we have become graceful and indebted to you because my life has met with success because of your arrival in my house. My birth and life has met with success because I adore the goddess Durga in this merit- bestowing place of Bharata.
In the sacred land of Bharata, such an intelligent one who adores the goddess Durga, achieving all the riches ultimately proceeds to Goloka.
An intelligent person who adores Vaisnavi, achieves Visnuloka and after Mahesvarl, one achieves Sivaloka.
The adoration of Bhagavatl according to the provisions of the Vedas with Sattvik, Rajas and Tamas intentions, bestows the highest, middle and the lower position respectively to the devotees.
Out of them the Vaisnavas achieves the Sattvika position, the saktas achieve the Rajasl position and those devoid of dlksa achieve the lower position which is also called Tamasl.
The adoration of Vaisnava is considered to be the best, because it does not invoke the killing of anyone. By offering the sacrifice Vaisnavas achieves the Goloka, by adoring Mahes’varl with Rajasl intentions and by making the offering, they achieve the Rajasl-s’akti and Kailasa. The Kiratas on the other hand, adoring the Tamasl goddess achieve heaven. You are the one who bestows, dharma, artha, kama and moksa and you are the illusion of the universe.
You are the sole energy of lord Krsna and are free from the birth, death, old age and ailments. You are the best of all, provide pleasure and salvation. You bestow welfare and the devotion of lord Krsna.
О Narayan!, О virtuous one, О Durga, О destroyer of the miseries, you be merciful. Thus with the reciting of the name of Durga all the difficulties of the people vanish.
Thereafter, thus adoring the goddess, the devotees would place the conch to the left of the goddess placing Diirva-grass, flowers and sandal-paste together with water. Then holding it in the right hand, he should recite the mantra saying, “O conch, you are full of merit and the bestower of welfare. О purifier, in the earlier kalpa you were created by Sarhkhacuda.
Thereafter the priest should consecrate the vase in a similar manner and adore the goddess with sixteen types of offerings.
Making a triangle of kus’a-grass one should draw the figure of a tortoise, the serpent Sesa and the goddess earth, who should all be adored.
Thereafter the conch should be placed over a three-legged pedestal. Three crores of the Samkha would be filled with water and the devotee should say. О Ganga, О Yamuna, О Godavari, О Sarasvatl, О Narmada, О Sindhu, О Kaverl, О Candrabhaga, О Kaus’ikI, О Svarnarekha, О Kanakhala, О Paribhadra, О GandakI, О Svetaganga, О Candrarekha, О CampS, О Gomatl, О Padmavatl, О TriparnasT, О Vipasa, О Viraja, О Prabha, О Satahrida, О Celaganga, you come and reside in this water.
Thereafter, one should adore Agni, Surya, Candrama, Visnu, Varuna and Siva by pouring TulasI leaves in that water, offering naivedya at the same time. Thereafter, all gods should be given the sixteen types of offerings, including the seed, the cloth, water for sipping, the paste, madhuparka, fragrance, arghya, flower, naivedya, water for sipping, betel, gem-studded ornaments, essence, the lamp and the bed.
О beloved of Siva, you accept this lion-throne which is studded with the best of gems and decorated with several paintings.
О Parvatl, you accept this cloth which is made of countless strings and by the grace of god, and which is sanctified by the fire.
О goddess Durga, you accept his vase of gems maintaining the spotless water for the washing of the feet. О Paramesvarl, you accept the juice of fragrant mylobaran and the sanctified Visnu-oil.
О mother of the universe, you accept this paste which is made of kastiirl, saffron and fragrant sandal-wood.
О Mahadevi, you accept this vase of gems filled with honey, which is sanctified and bestows welfare.
О goddess, you accept this fragrance which is the cause of all the fragrance and is scented with the best of the material.
О Candi, you accept the arghya of the sacred water of the Ganga mixed with DUrva-grass, the flower and the rice kept in the conch. О mother of the universe, you kindly accept the garland made of the best of Parijata and other fragrant flowers.
О Siva, I offer you the divine food, unbaked cereals, the mixed stuff and pdyasam, besides the sweet balls for your eating which may kindly be accepted by you.
О daughter of the mountain, I offer you the cool water sanctified with camphor, with devotion; you kindly accept it. О goddess, I offer you the charming betel containing the powder of betel-nut trees, camphor and other scented materials, you kindly accept it.
О goddess, you kindly accept the ornaments which have been studded with the best of gems and are invaluable.
О goddess, you accept this dhiipa which is made of the powder of the gum of the trees, the scented material and sanctified by fire.
О Paramesvarl, I am offering you the lamp made of gems which removes darkness and is quite sacred. О goddess, you accept this excellent bed which is made of various types of gems and sewed by fine cloths.
О sage, thus adoring the goddess Durga, one should offer the flowers to her. Thereafter, all the eight Nayikas should be adored carefully.
These include Ugracanda, Pracanda, Caiidogra, Candanayika, Aticanda, Camunda, Canda and Candavatl. Thereafter, one should adore with an eight petalled lotus in the eastern and other directions, making five types of
offerings including a Bhairavas.
First of all Mahabhairava, Samharabhairava, the black-bhairava, Rurubhairava, Kalabhairava, Krodhabhairava, Tamracudabhairava and Candarciidabhairava should be adored together with the nine s a let is to the centre point with the eight petalled lotus. They include Brahmani, Vaisnvavls, Raudri, Mahesvarl, Narsimhl, Varahl, IndranI and Kartiki and all powerful Sarvamangala. All the nine saktis should be adored and thereafter the gods should be adored who are invoked in the vases.
The gods include Siva, Karttikeya, SQrya, Candrama, Agni, Vayu, Varuna, the attendant of the goddess, Batuka and the sixty four Yoginls. They should all be adored making offerings to them and prayers.
The kavaca should be tied around the neck and one should recite the mantra regularly with devotion bowing before same.
Thereafter, I now recite the method of sacrifice; you please listen to it. Maydti, a buffalo, a goat and a sheep should be offered as sacrificed because by giving away Maydti, one enjoys the heaven for a thousand years; by offering a buffalo, one enjoys, the heaven for a hundred years; by offering a goat one achieves the heaven for ten years and by offering a sheep one enjoys the heaven for one year. By offering a bird and a deer one enjoys the heaven for one year. By offering a black-buck one enjoys heaven for ten years; by offering a rhinoceros for one thousand years. By offering artificial animals made of flour for six months, by offering beautiful ripe fruits, the goddess Durga is pleased for one month. О Narada, only such an animal should be selected for sacrifice which is quite healthy, without ailment, young, having horns, possessing good symbols, without blemish and with perfect limbs, having beautiful complexion and well built.
With the offering of a young one Candika destroys the son of the worshipper. Similarly the animal belonging to old person or a teacher or the weak relatives or the one having additional limbs, the one having short limbs, the one having only one eye when offered in sacrifice destroys the brothers of the worshipper.
If the ankle of the animal selected for sacrifice is broken the worshipper dies. In case the head of the animal is painted it creates obstruction, the one having the back of the complexion of the copper results in the destruction of the friend and the one having a severed tail results in the destruction of the glory.
О best of the sages, now I am narrating to you the form of Maydti described in the Atharvaveda and you please listen to it. Any change in the same results in the obstruction of the merit accruing thereof.
The one who has no parents, is quite healthy, married, intellectual, without any attachment with an other woman, having no legitimate progeny, pure and brought up by noble people should be selected for sanctified offering. Enough of compensation should be paid to his relatives.
After bathing him, the worshipper should apply the sandal-paste and giving the costumes, garlands, essence, vermilion, curd gorocana etc. adoring him. He should then be taken on a pilgrimage for a year and thereafter he should be sacrificed before the goddess.
Mayatl should be sacrificed on the eight and ninth day of the moon, thus I have narrated to you in detail all about the sacrifices. After the sacrifice one should adore the kavaca prostrating before her and offering daksina to the Brahmanas at the same time.
