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Everyone, let us chant "Oṁ." Please sit straight. As you chant Oṁ, imagine your altar. Imagine your hands in the saṅkalpa mudrā, holding flowers, petals, some rice, and a few drops of water. Close your eyes, keep your hands in the saṅkalpa mudrā, and visualize yourself sitting before the altar. First, we will sing the Gāyatrī Mantra five times. I will sing first, then you. We will chant it five times. Imagine your altar before you and feel that you are performing pūjā, the abhiṣeka. You are connecting physically, mentally, and spiritually in the oneness of the divine energy. Visualize that you are performing Abhiṣeka, placing your flowers in water upon the Śivaliṅgam. Now imagine holding these flowers in your left palm, and with your right hand, take some flower petals and offer them onto the Śiva Liṅgam. Oṁ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ Tat Savitur Vareṇyaṁ Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi Dhiyo Yo Naḥ Pracodayāt. You place flowers upon it, remember? We used some rice and flowers. That offering is also called bilpatra, but we do not have that here. So we can use different leaves, depending on the season. In December, when there are no fresh leaves, you can even place snow upon it. Yes, because the aim of the abhiṣeka with water is to maintain coolness. Then, you hold the pot in your hand. Slowly, the pot fills with water, and you let a very fine stream of water fall upon the Śiva Liṅgam while chanting the Mahā Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra. Let us proceed together, slowly. Oṁ Tryambakaṁ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṁ Puṣṭivardhanam. Wait, the melody is slightly off. The correct melody is: Oṁ Tryambakaṁ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṁ Puṣṭivardhanam. Chant with me five times. Urvārukam Iva Bandhanān Mṛtyor Mukṣīya Mā’mṛtāt. Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ. Oṁ Tryambakaṁ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṁ Puṣṭivardhanam, Urvārukam Iva Bandhanān Mṛtyor Mukṣīya Mā’mṛtāt. Oṁ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... Oṁ Tryambakaṁ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṁ Puṣṭivardhanam... Fifth time: Oṁ Tryambakaṁ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṁ Puṣṭivardhanam... Ensure you have enough water in the kalaśa, the water pot. It is called kalaśa, like amṛta kalaśa, soma kalaśa. The waters of Gaṅgā and Yamunā, with their colors... keep it clean and pure. As you gaze at Śivajī in the Śivaliṅgam, the water flows upon it. After that, mentally repeat one mantra five times: Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya. Following these five repetitions, we return to the origin of our Siddha Pīṭha. Oṁ. Chant, everyone. Some of you know this mantra. Oṁ. Chant. Oṁ, everybody. Oṁ. No, I missed it. Again. No, just like this: Oṁ. Who is singing incorrectly? Focus your mind. Oṁ. So’ham. Oṁ. So’ham.... Śrī Devaīśvara. Śrī Devaīśvara. Mahādevāya. To this, offer your praṇāma, mentally or physically. Oṁ So’ham. Śrī Deveśvara Mahādevāya Namaḥ. Very good. Next, you perform an āratī. Sing the Śiva Āratī. Oṁ Jaya Śiva Paripūraṇa Samat Gata Merahe Gaṅgā badī sove o Śiva mastaka candra kalāhe. TRIBHUVANAMOHE HARIYO PARAHARMA VIBHUTA VIRAJAKANTE RUNDAMALABAH O Shiva, Runda, Mala, Bhāra, Arame, Dhamma, Rūsa, Arame, Dhamma, Rūsa, Agambara, Dhāra, Hari Om, Hāra, Hāra, Ati, Śaundhara, Bhāra, O Shiva, Yāti, Śaundhara, Bhāra, Saṅgame Girijā, Gaṇapati Saṅgame, Nande Aśvara, Yāryo Mahārā, Hara Hara Mā, Lasa Śikarpa, Taktabhadara, O Śiva Taktabhadara, yogī dhyāna laga vāta, yogī dhyāna laga śuṣa, mana meśa hari om, hara hara śuddha buddhi bodhaka, rakhe satya ham koḍī, o śiva satya ham koḍī. Das Par Kṛpā Karke Das Par Kṛpā Av Parakī Hari Om Hara Deva Puruṣa Av Dutta Ātmā Paripūrṇa Pa Śiva Paripūrṇa Pa So, Paripūraṇa. Thus, Śiva is the Paripūraṇa—the Complete One, the divine that is everywhere, whole. So, "Oṁ Jaya Śiva Śaṅkara Paripūraṇa Deva" means "O God." And what is the next sentiment? Sab jag ke prati hara. You are the protector of the entire world, present here for everyone. You are the protector, omnipresent. What we call Viṣṇu is a protector, but Śiva encompasses all three functions: Brahmā (creation), Viṣṇu (protection), and liberation. Because he is Svayambhū, the Self-manifested, he created everything; he created Viṣṇu, he created Brahmā, he created all. Therefore, Śiva is the supreme in this universe. Similarly, this āratī, this prayer, is profound. "In the crown of your hair lies the beauty of the Gaṅgā." You recall we spoke about Gaṅgā descending upon Śiva's head, and upon his forehead, the beautiful mark of the moon. It is noteworthy that originally, in Islamic thought as well, there was reverence for Śiva. That is why the symbol of Śiva's moon remained. And what in Christianity is called the cross is derived from the triśūla. When you align the triśūla straight, it becomes that cross. In very ancient symbols, trishūls are found within. Thus, we are all connected in one essence. Śiva is the symbol of the moon. There is a long narrative about the moon—how it became halved, how it waxes to the full moon, the timing and the process. This constitutes an entire methodology, very interesting to learn and read. Thus, the Śiva-ārātī is that which removes all obstacles, granting you a very happy, beautiful, and pleasant day from morning onward. We will continue with the next parts tomorrow and engage in further practices. This session included some theory, but tomorrow we will focus more on practice.