Let me tell you a sacred tale as revealed in the verses of the Linga Purana. When a soul reaches the world of Rudra, it rejoices among the Rudras themselves. Or, if one has built a temple called Mahendraśaila, which is pleasing to Rudra, the rewards of such an act are profound. The fruit gained by constructing such a temple is incomparable: the builder is granted palaces fashioned after the Mahendra mountain, each adorned with sacred bulls. Those who have entered Shiva’s divine city enjoy all pleasures according to their wishes. The foremost sages, having attained the wisdom discerned by the Rudras, eventually return, but only after experiencing the bliss of Shiva’s realm. By abandoning the allure of sense objects as one would poison, one achieves union with Shiva. And if someone constructs a temple adorned with jewels, made of gold—no matter the style, whether Dravidian, Nagara, Keshara, or following prescribed forms, whether it be a tower, pavilion, square or elongated—the merit obtained is beyond description, not even a hundred ages could express it. If such a temple becomes old, falls, breaks, or cracks, whoever restores it to its former beauty—with fine doors and the like, whether it is a temple, pavilion, enclosure, or gateway—earns greater merit than the original builder, without doubt. Even those who work in Shiva’s temple for their livelihood, along with their relatives, are assured passage to the heavenly world. If someone acts in Rudra’s temple for personal enjoyment and, having gained happiness, rejoices, their merit is still immense. Therefore, O best of sages, whoever builds a shrine with devotion, even if it is made simply with wood, bricks, and such, for Mahesha, is honored in Shiva’s world. A temple should be built with all effort for the sake of virtue, desire, and liberation. But if one is unable to construct an excellent temple, even simple acts like sweeping grant all desired fruits. Whoever sweeps with a soft, fine broom in Shiva’s temple, within a month, obtains the merit of a thousand Cāndrāyaṇa vows. Whoever applies a coating with water mixed with fragrant cow dung, purified by cloth, earns the fruit of a yearly Cāndrāyaṇa. Around half a krosha from the Shiva-linga in all directions is considered Shiva’s field. Whoever gives up even the most cherished life within this field attains union with Shiva. The measure of the field varies: in Svayambhu it is full, in Arsha half, in human half again—this is the prescribed measure, O best of twice-born. Similarly, this measure applies to the residences of ascetics, and in the Rudra incarnation, to the teacher and his disciple; in the human incarnation, to the disciple and his disciple’s disciple. On the holy Shri Parvata and its edge, whoever relinquishes life attains union with Shiva. The same is true in Varanasi, and especially in Avimukta. Whoever gives up their life in Kedara, the great field, or at Prayaga or Kurukshetra, achieves liberation. One who dies at Prabhasa, Pushkara, Avanti, Amareśvara, or among the peaks of Vani, attains the state of Shiva. A creature who dies in Varanasi never again becomes a creature; in Trivishtapa, liberated Kedara, or at Sangameshvara, the result is the same. If one relinquishes life at Shalanka, Jambukeshvara, Shukreshvara, Gokarna, Bhaskaresha, or Guheshvara, or at Hiranyagarbha or Nandishvara, one attains the supreme state. If, through discipline, one dries up the body and abandons it in Shiva’s field, such a yogi attains the state of Shiva, whether among humans, gods, sages, ascetics, or even in the Svayambhu. In the Svayambhu deity, there is no need for deliberation. If one kindles the fire in Shiva’s field and worships the Supreme Lord, offering their own body into the fire, they attain the highest state. Remaining without food as long as possible and then relinquishing life, O best of sages, one attains union with Shiva in Shiva’s field. Even if one loses both feet, whoever dwells in Shiva’s field attains the state of Shiva; there is no need for deliberation. Merely seeing Shiva’s field is meritorious; entering it brings a hundred times greater merit. Touching and circumambulating the field increases the merit a hundredfold, and bathing in its waters brings even greater merit. Bathing in milk is a hundred times more excellent, in curd a thousandfold, in honey a hundredfold more, and with ghee the merit is endless. With sugar, the merit is a hundredfold more. Bathing in a river near Shiva’s field and abandoning the body there, forsaking food, one is honored in Shiva’s world. All rivers near Shiva’s field are most beautiful; ponds, wells, and tanks are remembered as Shiva’s sacred places. Bathing in them with devotion at the tirthas, one is freed from sins such as killing a Brahmin, without doubt. Bathing at Shiva’s tirthas in the morning, one obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice and goes to Rudra’s world. Bathing once with devotion at Shiva’s tirthas at midday brings merit equal to bathing in the Ganges; at sunset, one attains Shiva’s abode. Casting off the cloak of sin, a man at Shiva’s holy waters—if a twice-born bathes thrice, or even a single man bathes once at Shiva’s holy waters—he attains union with Shiva; there is no need for further deliberation.