THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the Dîksâ 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 Srî 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 Brâhmin, a Ksattriya, a Vaisya or a Sûdra, is entitled to have the Devî Mantra. O Lord! Kindly describe the ordinary (Sâmânya) and the special (visesa) rules thereof.
4-41. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Listen. I am now telling you about the rules of initiation (Dîksâ) 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 Dîksâ (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 Dîksâ ought to be taken by all means. This gives excellent merits and pure results. Both the Guru and the Sisya (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 Kamandalu and observe maunam (silence). Then, in order to give Dîksâ, he is to enter into the assigned room (Yâga Mandapa) and take his seat on an Âsana that is excellent and calculated to please all. He is to perform Âchanara and do Prânâyâma. Then he should take water in his Arghya vessel and putting scents and flowers in that, charge that water with Phatkâra mantra (that is, condense electricity Spirit in that). Then uttering the Phat 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 Gananâthâ by His mantra, at the other end invoke Sarasvatî by Her mantra and at the middle, invoke Laksmî Devî by Her mantra duly and worship them, with flowers. Then, on the right side worship Gangâ and Bighnesa; and on the left side worship Ksettrapâla and Yamunâ, the daughter of the Sun. Similarly, on the bottom of the door, worship the Astra Devatâ by the
Phat mantra. Then consider the whole Mandapa as inspired with the presence of the Devî, and see the whole place as pervaded by Her through and through. Then, repeat the Phat mantra and destroy the Celestial obstacles as well as those from the middle space (Antarîksa); 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 choukât, put the right foot forward and enter into the Mandapa. Then instal the Sânti 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 Pancha Gavya. Next sprinkle all the Mandapa 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 Phat mantra. The Kartâ, then, uttering the mantra Phat, is to drive away all the evils from the Mandapa 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 Kusa grass to the north east corner of the Mandapa; 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 (Îsta Deva) of the mantra that is to be imparted to the disciple. After meditating thus, he is to do the Bhûta sûddhi (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 Risi on the head; the chhandas in the mouth, the Îsta Devatâ in the heart, Bîja on the anus and Sakti 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 chhotikâ three times (snapping the thumb and forefinger together ). Then perform the Prânâyâma with the Mûla mantra of the would-be-Îsta-Devatâ and do the Mâtrikâ Nyâsa in ones own body, thus :-- Om Am namah sirasi, Om Âm namah on the face, Om Im namah on the right eye, Om Îm namah 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 Sadanga Nyâsa thus :-- Speak: Om Hridayâya namah, touching on the heart, utter Om Sirase svâhâ, touching the head; Om
Sikhâyai Vasat, touching the tuft; Om Kavachâya Hûm, touching on the Kavacha, Om netratrayâya Vausat, touching the eye, and Om Astrâya Phat touching both the sides of the hand, the palm and its back. Then finish the Nayâsa by doing the Varnanyâsa 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, Jñânam 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 Gunas, Âtmâ, Antarâtmâ, Paramâtmâ and Jñânâtmâ and then think of this as his Îstas altar where the devotee is to meditate on his Îsta 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 ones 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 Sankha Mudrâ. After finishing the Pûjâ of the Six Deities at the six corners of the hectagon, Fire, etc., take the tripod of the Sankha (conch-shell) and sprinkling it with Phat mantra, place it within the triangle. Utter, then, the Mantra Mam Vahniman dalâya Dasa Kalâtmane Amuka Devyâ Arghyapâtrasthânâya namah and thus worshipping the Sânkhya vessel place it within the mandala. Then worship in the Sankha pâtra, the ten Kalâs of Fire, beginning from the East, then south-east and so on. Sprinkle the Sankha, conchshell, with the Mûla Mantra and meditating on it, place the Sankha (conch shell) on the tripod. Repeating the mantra Am Sûrya mandalâya Dvadasakalâtmane Amukodevyâ
Arghyapâtrâya namah worship in the Arghyapâtra Sankha, sprinkle water in the Sankha with the Mantra Sam Sankhya namah. 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 Ksam, Ham, Sam, Sam, Sam, etc.,) and repeating the Mûla Mantra also in an inverse order, fill the Sankha, three-fourths, with water. Next perform in it the Nyâsa of Chandrakalâ and uttering the Mantra Um Soma mandalâya Sodasakalâtmane Amukademtâyâ Arghyâ-mritâya namah, worship in this conchshell. Next with Ankusa 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 Sadamga Nyâsa in the water and with the Mantra Hridâ namah, etc., worship and, repeating eight times the Mûla Mantra, cover it with Matsyamundrâ. Next place on the right side of the Sankha, the Proksanî Pâtra (the Kosâ 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 ones own body and consider ones Âtman as pure and holy.
47-81. After doing works thus far the until Visesârghya is placed, the devotee should erect Sarvato bhadra mandala within the altar and put the Sâli rice within its pericarp. Next spread Kusa grass on that Mandala and put on one Kurcha, looking well and auspicious within it, made of twenty-seven Kusa grass knotted with Venyagra granthi. Worship here the Âdhâra Sakti, Prakriti, Kûrma, Sesa, Ksamâ, Sudhâsindhu, Manimandala, Kalpa vriksa and Îsta devatâ and the Pîtha. (Durgâ Devî yoga pîthâya namah). Then have an entire kumbha (waterjar) having no defect, wash it inside with Phat mantra, and encircle it with the red thread thrice as symbolising the three Gunas. 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 Pranava, and place that on the Pîtha (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 Varnas (from Ksa to Ka) and fill it, thinking of the Îsta Deva and repeating the basic mantra, put the new and fresh twigs (Pallavas) of Asvattha, Panasa and mango trees, etc., in the jar and cover its mouth and place over it fruits, rice, and chasaka (honey) and wrap it with two red cloths. Then perform the Prâna-Pratisthâ and invoke the Spirit of the Devî by the Prânasthâpana Mantra and show the Mudrâs, Âvâhana, etc., and thus satisfy the Devî. Then do the Sodasopachâra Pûjâ of the Devî after me-
ditating on the Paramesvarî 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 Kâsmîri sandalpaste mixed with Kastûrî and various nice scented flowers, for example, the Kunda flowers, etc. Then offer the Dhûpa prepared from Aguru, Guggula, Usîra, 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 Anga Pûjâ, and the Âvarana-Pûjâ of the Devî, then perform the duty of Vaisvadeva. On the right side of the Devî erect an altar (sthandila) six feet square and instal Agni (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 Agni (Fire). Offer valis (sacrifices) all round to the Pârsvadas 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 Raksa Raksa moisten the place with water coming out of Karkarî, and repeat the Phat 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 Kunda (a round hole in the ground consecrated to the Deity) and the Samskâra ceremony of the Sthandila (the sacrificial altar). Uttering, first, the Mûla Mantra, see, fix your gaze on the Kunda; then sprinkle it with water and the Phat 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 Pranava, worship within the Pîtha, uttering the mantras from Âdhâra Saktaye namah to Amuka Devî Yoga Pîthâya namah. Invoke, in that Pîtha, the Highest One, Who is Siva Sivâ 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 Sankara. 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 Kravyâdah, impart the Chaitanya by Ram, the Vahnivîja repeat Om over it seven times. Shew, then, the Dhenumudrâ and protect it by Phat Kâra and cover, veil, it with the mantra Hûm. Then turn the fire, thus worshipped with sandalpaste, etc., thrice over the Kunda and with both the knees on the ground and repeating the Pranava, consider the Agni as the Vîrya of Siva 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 Agni Deva with great love, repeating the mantra Agnim Prajvalitam vande Jâtavedam Hutâsanam suvarna varnamamalam samiddham Visvatomukham. Then perform the Sadamganyâsa to the Agni Deva Om Sahasrârchchise namah, Om Svasti Pûrnâya Svâhâ, Om Uttistha purusâya vasat, Om Dhûma vyâpine Hûm Om Sapta Jihvâya vausat Om Dhanur dharâya Phat. Repeating the above six mantras, perform the Nyâsa on the heart, etc., the six places. Now meditate on the Agni as of a golden colour, three-eyed, seated on a lotus and holding in His four hands signs of granting boons, Sakti, Svastika and sign of no fear, also meditate on Agni, as the seat of the greatest auspiciousness. Then moisten the Kunda on the top of the belt (mekhalâ) with water. Next spread the Kusa grass all around and draw the Agni yantra over it, i.e., triangle, hectagon, circle, eight-petalled figure and Bhûpura; rather have this drawing before the Agnisthâpanâ. Now meditate this only. Then, within the Yantra, recite Vaisvânara Jâtaveda Lohitâksa sarvakarmâni Sâdhaya Svâhâ and worship Agni. Then worship in the centre and in the hectagon at the corners worship the Saptajihvâ (seven tongues Hiranya, Gaganâ, Raktâ, Krisnâ, Suprabhâ, Bahurûpâ, Atiraktikâ) and next worship within the pericarp of the lotus the Anga Devatâs. Then recite the following mantras within the eight petals :-- Om Agnaye Jâtavedase namah, Om Agnaye Saptajihvâya namah, Om Agnaye Havyavâhanâya
namah, Om Agnaye Asvodarajâya namah, Om Agnaye Vaisvânarâya namah, Om Agnaye Kaumâra tejase namah, Om Agnaye Visvamukhâya namah, Om Agnaye Devamukhâya namah and considering the forms to hold Sakti 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 Om Agnaye Svâhâ offer oblations on the right eye of the Agni; take ghee from the left side and saying Om Somâye Svâhâ offer oblations on the left eye of the Agni; take ghee from the centre and saying, Om Agnisomâbhyâm Svâhâ, offer oblations on the central eye of the Agni. Take ghee again from the right side and saying Om Agnaye Svistakrite Svâhâ offer oblations to the mouth of the Agni. Then the devotee is to repeat Om Bhuh Svâhâ, Om Bhuvah Svâhâ, Om Svah Svâhâ and offer thrice the oblations; next he is to offer oblations thrice with the Agni mantra. After this, O Muni! for impregnation and each of the ten Samskâras, natal-ceremony, tonsure, etc., he is to repeat the Pranava Mantra and offer the eight oblations of ghee on each occasion. Now hear of the tenfold Samskâras :-- (1) Impregnation, (2) Pumsavan (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) Nâmakarana, (naming the child), (6) Niskrâmana (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) Annaprâsana (when the rice is put in the mouth of the child), (8) Chûdâkarana (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 Siva Pârvatî, the Father and the Mother of Agni and take leave of them. Next in the name of Agni, offer five Samidhas (fuel) soaked in ghee and offer one oblation of ghee to each of the Âvarana Devatâs.
Then take the ghee by the Sruk and covering it with the Sruva, offer ten oblations to Agni, and Mahâ Ganesa with mantras ending in Vausat,
The Mahâ Ganesa mantras run as follows :-- (1) Om, Om Svâhâ (2) Om Srîm Svâhâ, (3) Om Srîm Hrîm Svâhâ, (4) Om Srîm Hrîm Klîm Svâhâ, (5) Om Srîm Hrîm Klîm Glaum Svâhâ, (6) Om Srîm Hrîm Klîm Glaum Gam Svâhâ, (7) Om Srîm Hrîm Klîm Glaum ityantah Gam Ganapataye Svâhâ, (8) Om Vara Varada ityantah Svâhâ, (9) Sarvajanam me Vasam ityanto Svâhâ and (10) Ânaya Svâhâ ityantah.
Next perform in the Agni the Pîtha Pûjâ and meditate on the Deya Îstadeva and worship him. Next offer twenty-five oblations to his face, repeating the Mûla Mantra. Then think of that and Agni Deva as one and the same, and then again as one with Âtman. Then offer oblations to each of the Sadamga Devatâs separately. Then search for the Nâdis (veins) of Vahni and Îsta 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 Îsta Deva with Til soaked in ghee or with the materials enumerated in the Kalpa. O Muni! Thus finishing the Homa ceremony, consider that the Îsta Deva (the Devî), Agni and the Âvarana 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 Kunda with Kamandalu 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. Srî Guru Deva then would look at the disciple with kind eyes and think the Chaitanya of the disciple within his own (the Gurus) 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 Kusa grass) and til soaked in ghee, in his left hand and offer at each touch eight oblations, repeating the mantra Om adya Sisyasya Kalâdhvânam Sodhayâmi Svâhâ, etc. Thus the Guru would purify Kalâdhva (in the feet) Tattvâdhva (in the generative organ), Bhûvanâdhva (in the navel), Varnâdhva (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 Pûrnâhuti and consider
the Îsta 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 Amgâhutis (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 Vausat Mantra he would tie the eyes of the disciple with a piece of cloth and would bring him from the Kunda to the mandala and make the disciple offer puspânjali (flowers in his palm) to the Îsta 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 mandala. Then he would touch the head of the disciple with the twigs (Pallavas) of the Kunda 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 Îsta Deva. Then, for the protection of the disciple, he would sprinkle (abhiseka) 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 Siva Sakti 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 Daksinâ all his wealth and property for his whole life to the Guru. Then he would give Daksinâ to the priests and make charities to the virgins; the Brâhmanas, 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 Dîksâ. 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 Brâhmanas. 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 Sâstras say. And this is the Sanâtan Creed. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I have described all about the ordinary Dîksâ that you questioned me. Now the essence in brief is this that you would remain always merged in worshipping the Parâ Sakti, 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 Dîksâtattva, the highest Yogi Bhagavân Nârâyana, 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 Risis, bowed down at the feet of the Great Guru Nârâyana 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 Dîksâ vidhi or on the rules of Initiation in the Mahâpurânam Srî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.