Adhyaya 323

Verse 1

उरूप चट प्रचट कट वम घातय हूं फट् अघोरास्त्रम् इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे षडङ्गान्यघोरस्त्राणि नाम द्वाविंशत्यधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ त्रयोविंशत्यधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः रुद्रशान्तिः ईश्वर उवाच शिवशान्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि कल्पाघोरप्रपूर्वकम् सप्तकोट्यधिपो घोरो ब्रह्महत्याद्यघार्दनः

“Urūpa; caṭa; pracaṭa; kaṭa; vama; strike down; hūṃ; phaṭ—(this is) the Aghora-weapon mantra.” Thus ends, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, Chapter 323 entitled “The Six-Limbed Aghora Astras.” Now begins Chapter 324, “Rudra-Pacification.” The Lord (Īśvara) said: “I shall teach the pacificatory rite of Śiva, preceded by the Aghora-kalpa. Terrible Aghora, the Lord of seven koṭis (of hosts), destroys sins such as brahminicide and the like.”

Verse 2

उत्तमाधमसिद्धीणामालयो ऽखिलरोगनुत् दिव्यान्तरीक्षभौमानामुत्पातानां विमर्दनः

He is the abode of all attainments—higher and lower—, the remover of every disease, and the crusher (pacifier) of portents (utpāta) arising from the divine realm, the atmosphere, and the earth.

Verse 3

विषग्रहपिशाचानां ग्रसनः सर्वकामकृत् प्रायश्चित्तमघौघार्तौ दौर्भाग्यार्तिविनाशनम्

It “devours” (neutralizes) poison, malignant graha-seizures (planetary afflictions), and piśācas; it fulfills all desired aims. It serves as prāyaścitta (atonement) when one is afflicted by a flood of sins, and it destroys the distress caused by misfortune.

Verse 4

एकवीरन्तु विन्यस्य ध्येयः पञ्चमुखः सदा ब्रह्महर्यादिमर्दन इति ख शान्तिके पौष्टिके शुक्लो रक्तो वश्ये ऽथ पीतकः

Having performed the nyāsa of (the mantra/deity) Ekavīra, one should always meditate upon the Five-faced deity, bearing the epithet “Brahma-hary-ādi-mardana” (the subduer of Brahmā, Hari, and others). In rites of pacification (śānti) and increase of prosperity (pauṣṭika) he is to be visualized as white; in rites of attraction and control (vaśya) as yellow; and red is prescribed for the corresponding operative rite according to tradition.

Verse 5

स्तम्भने धूम्र उच्चाटमारणे कृष्णवर्णकः कर्षणः कपिलो मोहे द्वात्रिंशद्वर्णमर्चयेत्

For the rite of immobilization (stambhana), one should worship with a smoke-grey (dhūmra) coloration; for expulsion (uccāṭa) and destructive subjugation (māraṇa), with a black coloration; for attraction/bringing-under-control (karṣaṇa), with a tawny-brown (kapila) coloration; and for delusion/confusion (moha), one should worship employing the thirty-twofold set of colors.

Verse 6

त्रिंशल्लक्षं जपेन्मन्त्रं होमं कुर्याद्दशांशतः गुग्गुलामृतयुक्तेन सिद्धो ऽसिद्धो ऽथ सर्वकृत्

One should repeat the mantra thirty lakhs (three million times), and then perform a fire-offering (homa) equal to one-tenth of that count. With oblations combined with guggulu and amṛta, one becomes accomplished—even if previously unaccomplished—and becomes capable of accomplishing all aims.

Verse 7

अघोरान्नापरो मन्त्रो विद्यते भुक्तिमुक्तिकृत् अब्रह्मचारी ब्रह्मचारी अस्नातः स्नातको भवेत्

No mantra superior to (the mantra of) Aghora is known—one that bestows both worldly enjoyment (bhukti) and liberation (mukti). Through it, even one who is not a brahmacārin becomes a brahmacārin; even one who has not performed the ritual bath becomes as one who has completed it, a purified snātaka.

Verse 8

अघोरास्त्रमघोरन्तु द्वाविमौ मन्त्रराजकौ जपहोमार्चनाद्युद्धे शत्रुसैन्यं विमर्दयेत्

“Aghorāstra” and “Aghora”—these two are sovereign mantras, mantra-kings. By applying them through repetition (japa), fire-offering (homa), worship (arcana), and even in battle, one may crush the enemy’s army.

Verse 9

रुद्रशान्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शिवां सर्वार्थसाधनीं पुत्रर्थं ग्रहनाशार्थं विषव्याधिविनष्टये

I shall now expound the Rudra-Śānti—auspicious and capable of accomplishing all aims—performed for obtaining a son, for the removal of planetary afflictions, and for the destruction of poison and diseases.

Verse 10

दुर्भिक्षमारीशान्त्यर्थे दुःस्वप्नहरणाय च बलादिराज्यप्राप्त्यर्थं रिपूणां नाशनाय च

It is for the pacification of famine and epidemic afflictions, for the removal of evil dreams, for the attainment of power and sovereignty, and also for the destruction of enemies.

Verse 11

अकालफलिते वृक्षे सर्वग्रहविमर्दने पूजने तु नमस्कारः स्वाहान्तो हवने तथा

When an omen such as a tree bearing fruit out of season appears—an affliction indicating the disturbance of all planets—one should perform worship with reverential prostration; and in the fire-offering (homa) the oblation-mantra should also conclude with “svāhā”.

Verse 12

आप्यायने वषट्कारं पुष्टौ वौषन्नियोजयेत् चकारद्वितयस्थाने जातियोगन्तु कारयेत्

For rites intended for nourishment or refreshment (āpyāyana), one should employ the exclamation “vaṣaṭ”; for rites aimed at prosperity and augmentation (puṣṭi), one should employ “vauṣaṭ”. And where a double “ca” (cakāra-dvitaya) would occur, one should instead effect the junction by means of the appropriate class-letter (jāti-yoga).

Verse 13

ॐ रुद्राय च ते ॐ वृषभाय नमः अविमुक्ताय असम्भवाय पुरुषाय च पूज्याय ईशानाय पौरुषाय पञ्च चोत्तरे विश्वरूपाय करालाय विकृतरूपाय अविकृतरूपाय विकृतौ चापरे काले अप्सु माया च नैरृते अ सर्वभूतसुखप्रद वायुपत्रे ऽथ नियतौ पुरुषे चोत्तरेन च सर्वसान्निध्यकर ब्रह्मविष्णुरुद्रपर अनर्चित अस्तुतस्तु च साक्षिन तुरु पतङ्ग पिङ्ग ज्ञान शब्द सूक्ष्म शिव सर्वप्रद ॐ नमःशिवाय ॐ नमो नमः शिवाय ॐ नमो नमः ईशाने प्राकृते तत्त्वे पूजयेज्जुहुयाज्जपेत् ग्रहरोगादिमायार्तिशमनी सर्वसिद्धिकृत्

“Om—salutation to Rudra; Om—salutation to the Bull-bannered Lord (Vṛṣabha). Salutation to Avimukta, to Asambhava, to the Supreme Person worthy of worship, to Īśāna, to the Lord of heroic power. Salutation to the Universal-Formed; to the Terrible (Karāla); to Him whose form is transformed (vikṛta) and to Him whose form is untransformed (avikṛta), and to Him who manifests transformations again in a later time. Salutation to Māyā in the waters, and to the power in the south-west (Nairṛta). Salutation to the Giver of happiness to all beings; to Him in the ‘leaf of wind’ (vāyupatra), likewise in the ordained Person, and in the northern region as well. He is the maker of the presence of all (deities), devoted to Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra; though un-worshipped, He is to be praised; the Witness. He is Turu, Pataṅga, Piṅga; Knowledge, Sound, the Subtle; Śiva, the Bestower of all. ‘Om namaḥ śivāya; om namo namaḥ śivāya; om namo namaḥ īśāne.’ One should worship, offer oblations, and recite (this) in the primordial principle (prākṛta-tattva) of Īśāna; it pacifies afflictions caused by planets, diseases, and māyā, and it brings about all attainments (siddhis).”}]}