Linga Purana

सर्वार्थज्ञाननिष्पत्तिर् आत्मनो योग उच्यते एकाग्रता भवेच्चैव सर्वदा तत्प्रसादतः

The accomplishment of all knowledge for the self is called yoga; by his grace, one always attains one-pointedness.

प्रसादस्य स्वरूपं यत् स्वसंवेद्यं द्विजोत्तमाः वक्तुं न शक्यं ब्रह्माद्यैः क्रमशो जायते नृणाम्

The true nature of grace, which is self-experienced, O best of twice-born, cannot be described even by Brahmā and others; it arises gradually in people.

योगशब्देन निर्वाणं माहेशं पदमुच्यते तस्य हेतुरृषेर्ज्ञानं ज्ञानं तस्य प्रसादतः

By the word 'yoga' is meant the supreme state of Maheśa, called nirvāṇa; its cause is the seer's knowledge, and that knowledge comes by his grace.

ज्ञानेन निर्दहेत्पापं निरुध्य विषयान् सदा निरुद्धेन्द्रियवृत्तेस्तु योगसिद्धिर्भविष्यति

One should burn away sin through knowledge, always restraining the senses from their objects; from the restraint of sense activities, yoga perfection will arise.

योगो निरोधो वृत्तेषु चित्तस्य द्विजसत्तमाः साधनान्यष्टधा चास्य कथितानीह सिद्धये

Yoga is the restraint of the mind's activities, O best of twice-born; its means for attainment are described here as eightfold.

यमस्तु प्रथमः प्रोक्तो द्वितीयो नियमस् तथा तृतीयमासनं प्रोक्तं प्राणायामस्ततः परम्

Yama is declared as the first, niyama as the second; the third is posture, and then comes breath control as the fourth.

प्रत्याहारं पञ्चमो वै धारणा च ततः परा ध्यानं सप्तममित्युक्तं समाधिस्त्वष्टमः स्मृतः

Withdrawal is the fifth, then concentration as the next; meditation is said to be the seventh, and absorption is remembered as the eighth.

तपस्युपरमश्चैव यम इत्यभिधीयते अहिंसा प्रथमो हेतुर् यमस्य यमिनां वराः

Austerity and restraint are called yama; non-harming is the first cause of yama, O best of those who practice restraint.

सत्यमस्तेयमपरं ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहौ नियमस्यापि वै मूलं यम एव न संशयः

Truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possessiveness are also the roots of niyama; indeed, yama is its foundation, without doubt.

आत्मवत् सर्वभूतानां हितायैव प्रवर्तनम् अहिंसैषा समाख्याता या चात्मज्ञानसिद्धिदा

Acting for the welfare of all beings as for oneself is called non-harming; this is said to grant the attainment of self-knowledge.

दृष्टं श्रुतं चानुमितं स्वानुभूतं यथार्थतः कथनं सत्यमित्युक्तं परपीडाविवर्जितम्

Speaking what is seen, heard, inferred, or personally experienced as it truly is, and avoiding harm to others, is called truthfulness.

नाश्लीलं कीर्तयेदेवं ब्राह्मणानामिति श्रुतिः परदोषान् परिज्ञाय न वदेदिति चापरम्

One should not speak obscenities about Brahmins, so declares scripture; nor, having understood another's faults, should one speak of them—this is another rule.

अनादानं परस्वानाम् आपद्यपि विचारतः मनसा कर्मणा वाचा तदस्तेयं समासतः

Not taking another's property, even in adversity, whether by mind, action, or speech, is called non-stealing in brief.

मैथुनस्याप्रवृत्तिर्हि मनोवाक्कायकर्मणा ब्रह्मचर्यमिति प्रोक्तं यतीनां ब्रह्मचारिणाम्

Abstaining from sexual activity by mind, speech, and body is called celibacy, as declared for ascetics and celibate practitioners.

इह वैखानसानां च विदाराणां विशेषतः सदाराणां गृहस्थानं तथैव च वदामि वः

Here, I declare the same for Vaikhanasas, Vidaras, those with wives, and householders especially.

स्वदारे विधिवत्कृत्वा निवृत्तिश्चान्यतः सदा मनसा कर्मणा वाचा ब्रह्मचर्यमिति स्मृतम्

Having intercourse with one's own wife according to prescribed rules, and abstaining from others always, by mind, action, and speech, is remembered as celibacy.

मेध्या स्वनारी सम्भोगं कृत्वा स्नानं समाचरेत् एवं गृहस्थो युक्तात्मा ब्रह्मचारी न संशयः

After intercourse with one's own pure wife, one should bathe; thus, a householder who is self-controlled is indeed a celibate, without doubt.

अहिंसाप्येवमेवैषा द्विजगुर्वग्निपूजने विधिना यादृशी हिंसा सा त्वहिंसा इति स्मृता

In the same way, non-harming is remembered in the worship of twice-born teachers and fire, according to prescribed rules; whatever harm occurs there is considered non-harming.

स्त्रियः सदा परित्याज्याः सङ्गं नैव च कारयेत् कुणपेषु यथा चित्तं तथा कुर्याद्विचक्षणः

Women should always be avoided, and one should not associate with them; as with corpses, the wise should act with their mind accordingly.

विण्मूत्रोत्सर्गकालेषु बहिर्भूमौ यथा मतिः तथा कार्या रतौ चापि स्वदारे चान्यतः कुतः

At times of excretion of urine and feces, one should act on the ground outside as the mind dictates; so too during intercourse with one's own wife, and never otherwise.

अङ्गारसदृशी नारी घृतकुम्भसमः पुमान् तस्मान्नारीषु संसर्गं दूरतः परिवर्जयेत्

A woman is like burning charcoal, and a man is like a pot of clarified butter; therefore, one should avoid contact with women from afar.

भोगेन तृप्तिर्नैवास्ति विषयाणां विचारतः तस्माद्विरागः कर्तव्यो मनसा कर्मणा गिरा

There is truly no satisfaction in sense objects through enjoyment, upon reflection; therefore, dispassion should be cultivated in mind, action, and speech.

न जातु कामः कामानाम् उपभोगेन शाम्यति हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते

Desire is never quenched by the enjoyment of desired objects; like fire fed with clarified butter, it only grows ever more.

तस्मात्त्यागः सदा कार्यस् त्व् अमृतत्वाय योगिना अविरक्तो यतो मर्त्यो नानायोनिषु वर्तते

Therefore, renunciation should always be practiced by the yogin for immortality; for one who is not detached, being mortal, wanders through various births.

त्यागेनैवामृतत्वं हि श्रुतिस्मृतिविदां वराः कर्मणा प्रजया नास्ति द्रव्येण द्विजसत्तमाः

Indeed, immortality is attained only through renunciation, say the best knowers of the Vedas and Smṛtis; not by action, progeny, or wealth, O best of twice-born.

तस्माद्विरागः कर्तव्यो मनोवाक्कायकर्मणा ऋतौ ऋतौ निवृत्तिस्तु ब्रह्मचर्यमिति स्मृतम्

Therefore, dispassion should be cultivated by mind, speech, and bodily action; abstinence at the proper times is known as brahmacarya.

यमाः संक्षेपतः प्रोक्ता नियमांश् च वदामि वः शौचमिज्या तपो दानं स्वाध्यायोपस्थनिग्रहः

The restraints (yamās) have been briefly stated; now I will tell you the observances (niyamās): purity, sacrifice, austerity, charity, study of the Veda, and control of the senses.

व्रतोपवासमौनं च स्नानं च नियमा दश नियमः स्यादनीहा च शौचं तुष्टिस्तपस् तथा

Vows, fasting, silence, and bathing are ten observances; also, non-covetousness, purity, contentment, and austerity.

जपः शिवप्रणीधानं पद्मकाद्यं तथासनम् बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं प्रोक्तं शौचमाभ्यन्तरं वरम्

Repetition (japa), devotion to Śiva, postures such as the lotus, and so on; external and internal purity are taught, with internal purity being superior.