Linga Purana

सर्वज्ञत्वं तथैशान्यं कर्णिका सोम उच्यते सोमस्याधस् तथा सूर्यस् तस्याधः पावकः स्वयम्

Omniscience is the northeastern direction, and the pericarp is called Soma; beneath Soma is the Sun, and below that is Fire itself.

धर्मादयो विदिक्ष्वेते त्व् अनन्तं कल्पयेत्क्रमात् अव्यक्तादिचतुर्दिक्षु सोमस्यान्ते गुणत्रयम्

Righteousness and the other qualities are in the intermediate directions; one should conceive the infinite in order, in the four cardinal and four intermediate directions starting from the unmanifest; at the end of Soma are the three qualities.

आत्मत्रयं ततश्चोर्ध्वं तस्यान्ते शिवपीठिका सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामीत्य् आवाह्य परमेश्वरम्

Above that are the three aspects of the self, and at their end is the seat of Śiva; having invoked the Supreme Lord with the mantra 'I approach Sadyojāta,'

वामदेवेन मन्त्रेण स्थापयेदासनोपरि सान्निध्यं रुद्रगायत्र्या अघोरेण निरुध्य च

One should establish him upon the seat with the Vāmadeva mantra, invoke his presence with the Rudra Gāyatrī, and restrain with the Aghora mantra.

ईशानः सर्वविद्यानाम् इति मन्त्रेण पूजयेत् पाद्यमाचमनीयं च विभोश्चार्घ्यं प्रदापयेत्

With the mantra 'Īśānaḥ sarvavidyānām,' one should worship, offering water for washing the feet, water for sipping, and arghya to the Lord.

स्नापयेद्विधिना रुद्रं गन्धचन्दनवारिणा पञ्चगव्यविधानेन गृह्य पात्रे ऽभिमन्त्र्य च

One should bathe Rudra according to the rite with water scented with sandal and other fragrances, using the five products of the cow, having taken and consecrated them in a vessel.

प्रणवेनैव गव्यैस्तु स्नापयेच्च यथाविधि आज्येन मधुना चैव तथा चेक्षुरसेन च

With the Praṇava, one should bathe with the cow products as prescribed, and likewise with clarified butter, honey, and sugarcane juice.

पुण्यैर्द्रव्यैर्महादेवं प्रणवेनाभिषेचयेत् जलभाण्डैः पवित्रैस्तु मन्त्रैस्तोयं क्षिपेत्ततः

With auspicious substances, one should anoint the great god with the Praṇava; then, with pure vessels and purifying mantras, one should pour water.

शुद्धिं कृत्वा यथान्यायं सितवस्त्रेण साधकः कुशापामार्गकर्पूरजातिपुष्पकचम्पकैः

Having performed purification as prescribed, the practitioner with a white cloth should use kuśa grass, apāmārga, camphor, jātī flowers, and campaka flowers.

करवीरैः सितैश्चैव मल्लिकाकमलोत्पलैः आपूर्य पुष्पैः सुशुभैः चन्दनाद्यैश् च तज्जलम्

With white oleander, jasmine, lotuses, and blue water-lilies, filling with beautiful flowers and sandalwood, that water—

न्यसेन्मन्त्राणि तत्तोये सद्योजातादिकानि तु सुवर्णकलशेनाथ तथा वै राजतेन वा

One should place the mantras, beginning with Sadyojāta, into that water, using a golden or a silver vessel.

ताम्रेण पद्मपत्रेण पालाशेन दलेन वा शंखेन मृन्मयेनाथ शोधितेन शुभेन वा

Or with a copper vessel, a lotus leaf, a palāśa leaf, a conch, or a purified clay vessel, or another auspicious vessel.

सकूर्चेन सपुष्पेण स्नापयेन्मन्त्रपूर्वकम् मन्त्राणि ते प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु सर्वार्थसिद्धये

With kuśa grass and flowers, one should bathe with the proper mantras; I will now declare those mantras to you—listen, for the attainment of all purposes.

यैर्लिङ्गं सकृदप्येवं स्नाप्य मुच्येत मानवः पवमानेन मन्त्रज्ञाः तथा वामीयकेन च

By bathing the liṅga even once with these mantras, a person is freed; with the Pavamāna mantra, and likewise with the Vāmīyaka mantra.

रुद्रेण नीलरुद्रेण श्रीसूक्तेन शुभेन च रजनीसूक्तकेनैव चमकेन शुभेन च

With the Rudra, Nīlarudra, the auspicious Śrīsūkta, the Rajanīsūkta, and the auspicious Camaka.

होतारेणाथ शिरसा अथर्वेण शुभेन च शान्त्या चाथ पुनः शान्त्या भारुण्डेनारुणेन च

With the Hotāra, Śirasa, the auspicious Atharva, with Śānti and again with Śānti, with Bhāruṇḍa and Aruṇa.

वारुणेन च ज्येष्ठेन तथा वेदव्रतेन च तथान्तरेण पुण्येन सूक्तेन पुरुषेण च

With the Vāruṇa, Jyeṣṭha, Vedavrata, and also with another auspicious hymn, and with the Puruṣa hymn.

त्वरितेनैव रुद्रेण कपिना च कपर्दिना आवोसजेति साम्ना तु बृहच्चन्द्रेण विष्णुना

Then, swiftly, Rudra—he of the matted hair—together with the monkey-faced one, and Viṣṇu as Bṛhaccandra, invoked with the Sāman, saying, 'Let it be established.'

विरूपाक्षेण स्कन्देन शतऋग्भिः शिवैस् तथा पञ्चब्रह्मैश् च सूत्रेण केवलप्रणवेन च

By Virūpākṣa, by Skanda, and by the many Śivas, as well as by the five Brahmas, with the Sūtra and with the pure Praṇava, it was likewise invoked.

स्नापयेद्देवदेवेशं सर्वपापप्रशान्तये वस्त्रं शिवोपवीतं च तथा ह्याचमनीयकम्

One should bathe the Lord of gods and lords, for the pacification of all sins, and offer cloth, the sacred thread of Śiva, and also water for sipping.

गन्धं पुष्पं तथा धूपं दीपमन्नं क्रमेण तु तोयं सुगन्धितं चैव पुनराचमनीयकम्

Then, in order, one should offer fragrance, flowers, incense, a lamp, food, and again fragrant water, as well as water for sipping.

मुकुटं च शुभं छन्नं तथा वै भूषणानि च दापयेत्प्रणवेनैव मुखवासादिकानि च

One should also offer a beautiful, covered crown, ornaments, and, with the Praṇava, mouth-perfume and the like.

ततः स्फटिकसंकाशं देवं निष्कलमक्षरम् कारणं सर्वदेवानां सर्वलोकमयं परम्

Then, the Lord, shining like crystal, without parts, imperishable, the cause of all the gods, pervading all worlds, the supreme, is to be contemplated.

ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्णुरुद्राद्यैर् ऋषिदेवैर् अगोचरम् वेदविद्भिर् हि वेदान्तैस् त्व् अगोचरमिति श्रुतिः

He is beyond the perception of Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and the other seers and gods; and, as the Veda says, beyond the reach of those who know the Vedas and Vedānta.

आदिमध्यान्तरहितं भेषजं भवरोगिणाम् शिवतत्त्वमिति ख्यातं शिवलिङ्गे व्यवस्थितम्

He is without beginning, middle, or end, the remedy for those afflicted by worldly existence, known as the principle of Śiva, established in the Śivaliṅga.

प्रणवेनैव मन्त्रेण पूजयेल्लिङ्गमूर्धनि स्तोत्रं जपेच्च विधिना नमस्कारं प्रदक्षिणम्

With the Praṇava mantra, one should worship the top of the Liṅga, recite hymns according to rule, and perform obeisance and circumambulation.

अर्घ्यं दत्त्वाथ पुष्पाणि पादयोस्तु विकीर्य च प्रणिपत्य च देवेशम् आत्मन्यारोपयेच्छिवम्

After offering arghya and scattering flowers at the feet, bowing down, one should meditate upon Śiva, the Lord of gods, as established within oneself.

एवं संक्षिप्य कथितं लिङ्गार्चनमनुत्तमम् आभ्यन्तरं प्रवक्ष्यामि लिङ्गार्चनमिहाद्य ते

Thus, the supreme worship of the Liṅga has been briefly described; now I shall explain to you today the internal worship of the Liṅga here.

आग्नेयं सौरममृतं बिम्बं भाव्यं ततोपरि गुणत्रयं च हृदये तथा चात्मत्रयं क्रमात्

One should meditate upon the fiery, solar, and immortal disc, and above it, the three guṇas in the heart, and then, in order, the three selves.