If a devotee wishes, he may build a temple for Śiva, called a Mandara, following the sacred rules and with heartfelt devotion, according to his own means—whether the temple is grand, modest, or somewhere in between. These temples may be constructed to resemble palaces as magnificent as the Mandara mountain itself, facing all directions, filled with celestial maidens, and so splendid that even gods and demons cannot easily approach them. Upon reaching Śiva’s delightful city, the devotee enjoys all pleasures as he desires and, united with knowledge and yoga, attains the exalted state of Gaṇapati. If one builds a temple for the Supreme Lord named Meru, the reward surpasses even the fruits gained from the greatest sacrifices. All the merits earned from sacrifices, austerities, charitable gifts, pilgrimages, and study of the Vedas—having attained all these, the devotee delights in Śiva’s sacred forest for a long time. So too, one who, with devotion, builds a temple named Niṣadha, reaches Śiva’s world and enjoys the bliss of his forest for ages. Or, O brāhmaṇas, if someone constructs the most excellent temple called Himashaila, he journeys in vehicles resembling the snowy mountain itself to the auspicious city of Śiva. There, united with knowledge and yoga, he attains the state of Gaṇapati. Likewise, whoever builds a beautiful temple known as Nīlādriśikhara, according to his means and with devotion to Rudra Śambhu, receives a marvelous reward. The merit attained from building Himashaila with devotion is so great that all the gods honor that devotee. Reaching Rudra’s world, he rejoices in the company of the Rudras. Or, if one constructs a temple named Mahendraśaila, pleasing to Rudra, the fruits are these: he gains palaces shaped like the Mahendra mountain, adorned with sacred bulls, and enters the divine city of Śiva, enjoying all pleasures as he wishes. The foremost sages, having attained the wisdom revealed by the Rudras, return again and again. By renouncing sense pleasures as one would poison, the devotee attains union with Śiva. If someone builds a temple adorned with jewels and gold—whether in the Dravidian, Nagara, or Keshara style, or according to any prescribed form, whether it is a tower, pavilion, square, or elongated—the merit is beyond description, even if a hundred ages were spent recounting it. Even if such a temple grows old, falls, breaks, or cracks, whoever restores it with beautiful doors and fittings—whether it be a temple, pavilion, enclosure, or gateway—earns even greater merit than the original builder, without doubt. Even one who works in Śiva’s temple for his livelihood, along with his family, surely attains the heavenly world. And if a person works there for his own enjoyment, and is made happy by his labor, he too is blessed. Therefore, O best of sages, whoever builds a shrine with devotion for Mahesha, even using humble materials like wood or bricks, is honored in Śiva’s world. A temple should be built with all effort for the sake of virtue, desire, and liberation. But if one is unable to build a splendid temple, even small acts—like sweeping the temple with a soft and fine broom—bring all desired rewards. Sweeping for a month bestows the fruit of a thousand Cāndrāyaṇa vows. Properly applying a coating of water mixed with fragrant cow dung and purified by cloth brings the reward of a yearly Cāndrāyaṇa. Within a half-krosha radius from the Śiva-linga, in all directions, whoever willingly gives up even the most cherished life attains union with Śiva. The sacred measure of the field is set: in Svayambhu, it is one measure; in Arsha, half; and in human, half again. This is the measure for the field, O twice-born. Likewise, this measure applies to the residences of ascetics, and for Rudra’s incarnations, to the teacher and his disciple; in human form, to the disciple and his disciple’s disciple. On the holy Shri Parvata and its edge, whoever gives up his life there attains union with Śiva. The same is true in Varanasi, and especially in Avimukta. Whoever departs this life in Kedara, the great field, or especially at Prayaga or Kurukshetra, attains liberation. One who dies at Prabhasa, Pushkara, Avanti, Amareśvara, or among the peaks of Vani, attains the state of Śiva. A being who passes away in Varanasi never takes birth again; the same is true in Trivishtapa, the liberated Kedara, or at Sangameshvara. If one relinquishes life at Shalanka, Jambukeshvara, Shukreshvara, Gokarna, Bhaskaresha, or Guheshvara, or at Hiranyagarbha or Nandishvara, he attains the supreme state. If, through spiritual discipline, a yogi dries up the body and abandons it in Śiva’s field, that yogi attains the state of Śiva—among humans, gods, sages, ascetics, or even in the Svayambhu. In the presence of the Svayambhu deity, there is no need for doubt. Whoever kindles the sacred fire in Śiva’s field and worships the Supreme Lord, offering his own body into the flames, attains the highest state. Fasting as long as possible before relinquishing life in Śiva’s field ensures union with Śiva. Even if one has lost both feet, whoever dwells in Śiva’s field attains the state of Śiva, without question. Simply beholding the sacred field is meritorious; entering it is a hundred times more so.