Linga Purana

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.

बाह्यशौचेन युक्तः संस् तथा चाभ्यन्तरं चरेत् आग्नेयं वारुणं ब्राह्मं कर्तव्यं शिवपूजकैः

One should practice both external and internal purity; the Śiva-worshipper should perform the purifications of fire, water, and Brahman.

स्नानं विधानतः सम्यक् पश्चाद् आभ्यन्तरं चरेत् आ देहान्तं मृदालिप्य तीर्थतोयेषु सर्वदा

After properly bathing according to rule, one should then perform internal purification, always anointing the body with clay and bathing in sacred waters until the end of life.

अवगाह्यापि मलिनो ह्य् अन्तः शौचविवर्जितः शैवला झषका मत्स्याः सत्त्वा मत्स्योपजीविनः

Even after immersion, one who lacks internal purity remains impure; aquatic plants, fish, and other creatures that live on fish also dwell in water.

सदावगाह्य सलिले विशुद्धाः किं द्विजोत्तमाः तस्मादाभ्यन्तरं शौचं सदा कार्यं विधानतः

If, by always bathing in water, these are not purified, O best of twice-born, therefore internal purity should always be practiced according to rule.

आत्मज्ञानाम्भसि स्नात्वा सकृदालिप्य भावतः सुवैराग्यमृदा शुद्धः शौचमेवं प्रकीर्तितम्

Having bathed in the water of self-knowledge, and once anointed with the clay of true feeling and pure dispassion, one is called pure—such is the teaching on purity.

शुद्धस्य सिद्धयो दृष्टा नैवाशुद्धस्य सिद्धयः न्यायेनागतया वृत्त्या संतुष्टो यस्तु सुव्रतः

Success is seen in the pure, never in the impure; one who is well-disciplined and content with what comes lawfully attains success.

संतोषस्तस्य सततम् अतीतार्थस्य चास्मृतिः चान्द्रायणादिनिपुणस् तपांसि सुशुभानि च

His contentment is constant, and he does not dwell on past gains; he is skilled in austerities such as the Cāndrāyaṇa and other auspicious practices.

स्वाध्यायस्तु जपः प्रोक्तः प्रणवस्य त्रिधा स्मृतः वाचिकश्चाधमो मुख्य उपांशुश्चोत्तमोत्तमः

Study of the Veda is said to be repetition (japa), and the repetition of the praṇava is remembered as threefold: verbal, which is lowest; whispered, which is higher; and mental, which is highest of all.

मानसो विस्तरेणैव कल्पे पञ्चाक्षरे स्मृतः तथा शिवप्रणीधानं मनोवाक्कायकर्मणा

Mental repetition is considered the most extensive, especially with the five-syllabled mantra; likewise, devotion to Śiva should be performed by mind, speech, and bodily action.

शिवज्ञानं गुरोर्भक्तिर् अचला सुप्रतिष्ठिता निग्रहो ह्यपहृत्याशु प्रसक्तानीन्द्रियाणि च

Knowledge of Śiva, unwavering and well-established devotion to the teacher, and swift restraint of the senses when they become attached—these are taught.

विषयेषु समासेन प्रत्याहारः प्रकीर्तितः चित्तस्य धारणा प्रोक्ता स्थानबन्धः समासतः

Withdrawal from the senses is briefly called pratyāhāra; the binding of the mind to a place is concisely called dhāraṇā.

तस्याः स्वास्थ्येन ध्यानं च समाधिश् च विचारतः तत्रैकचित्तता ध्यानं प्रत्ययान्तरवर्जितम्

When that is steady, meditation and absorption are considered; there, one-pointedness of mind is meditation, free from other impressions.

चिद्भासमर्थमात्रस्य देहशून्यमिव स्थितम् समाधिः सर्वहेतुश् च प्राणायाम इति स्मृतः

When only the awareness of consciousness remains, as if the body were absent, that is called samādhi; and the cause of all is said to be prāṇāyāma.

प्राणः स्वदेहजो वायुर् यमस्तस्य निरोधनम् त्रिधा द्विजैर्यमः प्रोक्तो मन्दो मध्योत्तमस् तथा

Prāṇa is the wind arising in one's own body; its restraint is called yama. Yama is said by the twice-born to be threefold: mild, moderate, and superior.

प्राणापाननिरोधस्तु प्राणायामः प्रकीर्तितः प्राणायामस्य मानं तु मात्राद्वादशकं स्मृतम्

The restraint of prāṇa and apāna is called prāṇāyāma. The measure of prāṇāyāma is remembered as twelve mātrās.

नीचो द्वादशमात्रस्तु उद्धातो द्वादशः स्मृतः मध्यमस् तु द्विरुद्धातश् चतुर्विंशतिमात्रकः

The lowest is of twelve mātrās, the highest is also twelve, and the middle is twice the highest, being twenty-four mātrās.

मुख्यस्तु यस्त्रिरुद्धातः षट्त्रिंशन्मात्र उच्यते प्रस्वेदकम्पनोत्थानजनकश्च यथाक्रमम्

The principal one, which is three times the highest, is said to be thirty-six mātrās, producing sweat, trembling, and rising up, each in order.

आनन्दोद्भवयोगार्थं निद्राघूर्णिस्तथैव च रोमाञ्चध्वनिसंविद्धस्वाङ्गमोटनकम्पनम्

For the purpose of producing bliss in yoga, and likewise sleep and dizziness, there is horripilation, sound, awareness, bodily shaking, and trembling.

भ्रमणं स्वेदजन्या सा संविन्मूर्छा भवेद्यदा तदोत्तमोत्तमः प्रोक्तः प्राणायामः सुशोभनः

When there is dizziness and sweat-induced fainting, that is called the highest and best prāṇāyāma.

सगर्भो ऽगर्भ इत्युक्तः सजपो विजपः क्रमात् इभो वा शरभो वापि दुराधर्षो ऽथ केसरी

It is said to be with seed or without seed, with recitation or without recitation, in order; whether like an elephant, a deer, difficult to subdue, or a lion.