The śaivāgamas prescribe Liṅgōddhāra Dīkṣā to practitioners who are considered fallen (patita) on account of being initiated into inferior Tantras. This dīkṣā is peculiar to śaivāgama, especially recommended to the adherents of the Kāśmīra śaivāgama. This procedure is based on the core concept that the upliftment of those aligned with lower tattvas (of Māyādaśā) is possible through the śivatattva. The śaivāgamas categorize other śāstras as belonging to lower āmnāyas while elevating itself to the highest ūrdhvāmnāya, the only āmnāya capable of granting Mukti or true liberation.
To uplift those initiated into ‘inferior’ tantras such as Bauddha and Vaiṣṇava, the śaivāgama advocates śaktipāta which causes the blooming of their Hr̥ccakra (heart lotus) by shining the rays of light of the Sun named Shiva. Such a dīkṣā is also prescribed for practitioners who receive nirvīrya (impotent) mantras from ignorant Gurus and practice them for a long time. Such sādhakas, upon realization of their mistakes, try and find a Sadguru, who will now need to perform double the normal samskāra to uplift them from the bad state created due to faulty practice of Mantras. Bad Guru, bad Mantra, the faulty practice of mantras, dīkṣā granted by imperfect teachers, etc., rather than benefitting the sādhaka, further push him down towards delusion. Even for such sādhakas, Liṅgōddhāra Dīkṣā is prescribed. Think of a clean pot or kumbha, which has never been filled with anything. Such a pot represents a new sādhaka. Such a pot can be filled with fragrant water directly. This is the case with upāsakas who receive their dīkṣā from a capable Guru right at the beginning of their spiritual journey. Now, think of a pot that has been filled with polluted water. Such a pot needs to be first emptied, and then thoroughly cleaned, and then filled with fragrant water to restore the state of purity. Similarly, those initiated into faulty practices or by ignorant and incompetent Gurus will need Liṅgōddhāra Dīkṣā before actually being initiated into the normal scheme of Dīkṣā. This also applies to Gurus who initiate disciples in methods opposed to the śāstras, or initiate disciples while not having themselves perfected the mantra, even if with good intent.
While Mahāmāhēśvara Abhinavagupta does not quote specific Tantras in relation to this dīkṣā in his Tantrālōka, this method of dīkṣā is discussed in several works such as Mālinī, īśānaśivadēśika Paddhati and Dēvīyāmala.
The disciple fasts on the previous day and on the day of the dīkṣā approaches the Guru. The Guru worships Paramaśiva in sthaṇḍila and prays to the Lord thus: “This disciple of mine was earlier a liṅgī, but he is now inspired by You. Please shower your grace on him so that he does not incur any sin or require prāyaścitta resulting from any doubts related to his discarding of pūrvaliṅga. Rapidly, may he attain Bhoga and Mōkṣa by being filled with You”. Then the Guru removes the earlier vrata held by the disciple, bathes him with sacred water to remove the dōṣa related to his earlier faulty practices and mantras. He then sprinkles arghyāmr̥ta on the disciple, ties his eyes, and makes him enters the maṇḍala. The disciple then performs daṇḍavat praṇāma in the maṇḍala.
The Guru worships the Lord with the six basic or core Mantras.
1. Praṇava
2. Mātr̥kā
3. Vyōmanātha Bhaṭṭāraka
4. ṣaḍakśara
5. Svacchandanātha Bhaṭṭāraka
6. Nētranātha Bhaṭṭāraka
Of these, the Guru grants one suitable mantra to the disciple. Following this, the disciple recites that mantra for a full day and night, having consumed little to no food. Once the required number of repetitions of the mantra are completed, Vrataśuddhi, Homa, and Tarpaṇa are performed.
The next steps involve sampuṭa of the name of the disciple with the mantra, śōdhana, homa, etc. After vauṣaḍanta pūrṇāhuti, Srī Vratēśvara is invoked with the mantra:
ॐ व्रतेश्वराय नमः ||
After duly worshipping Vratēśvara, tarpaṇa is performed using svāhā, and then visarjana is performed. On the third day, the full procedure of the actual dīkṣā starting with adhivāsa is performed.
As stated before, Liṅgōddhāra Dīkṣā is not performed only for those practicing inferior tantras, but also for those that have sought ignorant and incompetent Gurus and have practiced mantras received from them. The mantras received from books or such Gurus is impotent (nirvīrya) and such practice causes various dōṣas in the disciple that result in various material and spiritual predicaments. In such a faulty state, even a new dīkṣā offered becomes fruitless – hence, for the purpose of purification, Liṅgōddhāra Dīkṣā becomes necessary.
This also highlights the necessity for the disciple to carefully examine the Guru before receiving the mantra dīkṣā from him. If a disciple, inspired by Paramaśiva, approaches different Gurus to earn śāstrajñāna, such a sincere and inspired disciple need not worry about tirōbhāva:
गुरुर्हि कुपितो यस्य तिरोहित स उच्यते ||
śrīmata confirms this guidance from Abhinavagupta:
आमोदार्थी यथा भृङ्गः पुष्पात्पुष्पान्तरं व्रजेत् ।
विज्ञानार्थी तथा शिष्यो गुरोर्गुर्वन्तरं त्विति ॥
Dharmaśāstra gives guidance in smārtividhi for those that have left Sanātana Dharma to embrace baneful practices of monotheistic religions. Similarly, the Liṅgōddhāra Dīkṣā offers a path for the lost to return to the fold of śaivaśāstra. While the details discussed here are from the perspective of Trika, Sōmaśambhu, for example, prescribes it even for other śaiva sects such as Mahāvratas or Kāpālikas and Pāśupatas, who he considers as ‘adharatantrastha’ or inferior sects.
अन्येषां व्रतयुक्तानां प्रसङ्गादभिधीयते ॥
बुद्धितत्त्वे स्थिता बौद्धा जैमिना गुणसप्तके ।
वेदान्तज्ञाश्च तद्योनौ पुरुषे भगवन्मुखाः ॥
पाशुपतास्तु मायायां विद्यायां तु महार्हताः ।
बौद्धादिलिङ्गिनामेषां मुक्तिस्थानान्यनुक्रमात् ॥
त्रिरात्रं पञ्चरात्रं वा लिङ्गिनामुपवासिनाम् ।
प्रायश्चित्तविशुद्धानां स्थितानां मण्डपाद्बहिः ॥
संपूज्य पशुभर्तारं विस्तरेण यथा पुरा ।
अमीषां देशिकः कुर्यात् लिङ्गोद्धारं यथाविधि ॥ (सोमशम्भुः)