Dīkṣādarśa (Daśakārya)

Fol. 1a contains an invocation to all deities from śiva to vighneśa who is referred to here as naṭavighneśa. Satyajñānamuni is also saluted. The dīkṣādarśa is a compendium of initiation-rites compiled in the 16th century by Nigamajñāna. This Ms. contains the treatment of daśakārya, that is to say, the ten topics that are to be known and realised by an ardent devotee of śiva. They are to be taken as broadly divided into 3 groups, comprising of Tattva, Aatman and śiva. The first two have 3 stages of study, form (rupa), understanding (darśana) and method of purification respectively. The 3rd has 4 stages, form (rūpa) understanding (darśana), yoga and bhoga respectively. While dealing with each of the 3 categories (tattva, ātman, śiva), the defination is given and inquiry undertaken for each tattva. Under ātman, treatment is given to ātman, antarātman, tattvātman, jīvātman and paramātman. The treatment is in the form of verse, with profuse extracts from various sources such as kāmikāgama, pauṣkarāgama, mataṅga, mṛgendra, cintya, kiraṇa, suprabheda, sarvajñānottara, vātula, lalita, devīkālottara, raurava, niśśvāsakārikā, siddhāntaśekhara, siddhāntasārāvali, siddhāntarahasy, jñānasiddhi, svacchandabhairava, siddhantapaddhati, parākhya and others