The Inner Worship ( antar-arcana) as taught in chapter six of the Matsyendra-saṃhitā Adapted from a translation by Csaba Kiss 1. Preparation: Sit in a clear and beautiful spot, and visualize oneself as the Lord with great focus. Perform the visualization with clarity and tranquility, then worship with auspicious imaginary flowers etc. in the seven cakras. 2. Visualize an ocean of nectar, translucent, swelling with divine waves. dvīpa), its sand made of crushed 3. In its center, visualize a Jewel Island ( ratna-dvīpa), gemstones. In its center, visualize a beautiful forest that is in bloom in every season, with all kinds of fruiting and flowering trees, fragant trees, jasmine bushes, holy fig-trees, and so on, pervaded by a gentle breeze. 4. In the center of the forest is a lake of surpassing beauty, full of white water-lilies, red lotuses, swans, cranes, ducks, bumble-bees, and so on. 5. In the center of that lake, on a beautiful small island, there is a temple ( maṇḍ apa apa) surrounded by Coral trees (also known as Flame trees, because of their brilliant
orange-red flowers, of sensual and exotic shape). 6. The temple has many round windows inlaid with gems, and has four large gates, allowing the breeze to pass through. It is decorated with flags, banners, garlands, sacred pots (kalaśa), ( kalaśa), mirrors, arches, and countless lamps. The scents of roseapple, hibiscus, muk, sandalwood, aloe, and camphor fill the air. Heaps of flowers abound. 7. In the center of the temple is a Coral tree in full blossom, buzzing with bees, gently showering flowers. Beneath it is a beautiful gem-throne, glittering with precious stones, covered with a deer skin and black antelope skin. In its center is a magical giant lotus, its petals the Fire Ma ṇḍala, its fibres the Sun Ma ṇḍala, and its filaments the Moon Ma ṇḍala. It is the abode of Śiva and Śakti. 8. Śiva is gracious, giving boons, glowing like the autumn moon, sitting in lotus, exquisitely adorned, his beautifully toned body covered only with a tiger-skin, making the gestures of fearlessness and generosity. His body shines like millions
of suns and moons arisen simultaneously. The Goddess Ambikā, the Universal Mother, is sitting on his left. 9. Summon the en ergies of Śiva and Śivā and install them in the image. Install all
the letters of the alphabet on one’s body. Worship one’s Self as Śiva using nondualistic empathic imagination. 10. Honor Gaṇesh and so on, worship the Throne (in the visualization above) with the mantra OṂ NAMO BHAGAVATE SAKALA-GU ṆĀTMA-ŚAKTI-YUKTĀYA ANANTĀYA YOGAPADMA-PĪṬHĀTMANE NAMAḤ . 11. Install the six aṅga mantras, the guardian deities, etc. and do worship with imaginary flowers. Pour oblations with imaginary nectar and food offerings. Do
homa by pouring the oblation of dharma and adharma into an imaginary fire. Do pūrṇāhuti. a pūrṇāhuti.
