Linga Purana

सिद्धविद्याधराहीन्द्रैर् यक्षदानवकिन्नरैः स्तूयमानः सुपुण्यात्मा देवदुन्दुभिनिःस्वनैः

Praised by accomplished beings, Vidyadharas, serpent kings, Yakshas, demons, and Kinnaras, the supremely virtuous soul, with the sound of divine drums.

भूर्भूवःस्वर्महर्लोकान् क्रमाद् वै जनतः परम् तपः सत्यं पराक्रम्य भासयन् स्वेन तेजसा

He illumines the worlds—earth, atmosphere, heaven, and higher realms—in order, surpassing the highest, tapas, and truth, with his own radiance.

लिङ्गस्थापनसन्मार्गनिहितस्वायतासिना आशु ब्रह्माण्डमुद्भिद्य निर्गच्छन्निर्विशङ्कया

Having placed himself on the path of proper linga establishment, with his own extended sword, he swiftly pierces the cosmic egg and emerges without hesitation.

शैलजं रत्नजं वापि धातुजं वापि दारुजम् मृन्मयं क्षणिकं त्यक्त्वा स्थापयेत्सकलं वपुः

Abandoning stone-born, gem-born, metal-born, wooden, clay, and temporary lingas, one should establish the entire form.

विधिना चैव कृत्वा तु स्कन्दोमासहितं शुभम् कुन्दगोक्षीरसंकाशं लिङ्गं यः स्थापयेन्नरः

And having performed the rite together with Skanda's month, the man who establishes the linga, shining like jasmine and cow's milk, is auspicious.

नृणां तनुं समास्थाय स्थितो रुद्रो न संशयः दर्शनात्स्पर्शनात्तस्य लभन्ते निर्वृतिं नराः

Rudra, without doubt, abides having assumed a human form; from seeing and touching him, people attain fulfillment.

तस्य पुण्यं मया वक्तुं सम्यग्युगशतैरपि शक्यते नैव विप्रेन्द्रास् तस्माद् वै स्थापयेत् तथा

Even with hundreds of ages, O foremost Brahmins, it is not possible for me to properly describe his merit; therefore, one should establish him accordingly.

सर्वेषामेव मर्त्यानां विभोर्दिव्यं वपुः शुभम् सकलं भावनायोग्यं योगिनामेव निष्कलम्

The divine, auspicious form of the Lord is suitable for contemplation by all mortals; but for yogis alone, it is formless.

निष्कलो निर्मलो नित्यः सकलत्वं कथं गतः वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं यथा पूर्वं यथा श्रुतम्

He is formless, pure, eternal; how did he attain the state of having forms? You ought to tell us, as it was formerly heard.

परमार्थविदः केचिद् ऊचुः प्रणवरूपिणम् विज्ञानमिति विप्रेन्द्राः श्रुत्वा श्रुतिशिरस्यजम्

Some who know the highest truth spoke of him as having the form of the sacred syllable; O Brahmins, having heard, they called it knowledge, born from the highest scripture.

शब्दादिविषयं ज्ञानं ज्ञानमित्यभिधीयते तज्ज्ञानं भ्रान्तिरहितम् इत्यन्ये नेति चापरे

Knowledge concerning objects such as sound is called knowledge; that knowledge, free from error, is what some declare, while others say 'not so.'

यज्ज्ञानं निर्मलं शुद्धं निर्विकल्पं निराश्रयम् गुरुप्रकाशकं ज्ञानम् इत्यन्ये मुनयो द्विजाः

That knowledge which is pure, spotless, without differentiation, and without dependence, which reveals the teacher, is called knowledge by some sages and Brahmins.

ज्ञानेनैव भवेन्मुक्तिः प्रसादो ज्ञानसिद्धये उभाभ्यां मुच्यते योगी तत्रानन्दमयो भवेत्

Liberation comes only through knowledge; grace is for the attainment of knowledge; by both, the yogi is freed and becomes filled with bliss.

वदन्ति मुनयः केचित् कर्मणा तस्य संगतिम् कल्पनाकल्पितं रूपं संहृत्य स्वेच्छयैव हि

Some sages say that through action, his connection is established; having withdrawn the imagined form, he acts solely by his own will.

द्यौर्मूर्धा तु विभोस्तस्य खं नाभिः परमेष्ठिनः सोमसूर्याग्नयो नेत्रे दिशः श्रोत्रं महात्मनः

The sky is the head of the Lord; space is the navel of the Supreme; moon, sun, and fire are his eyes; the directions are the ears of the great soul.

चरणौ चैव पातालं समुद्रस्तस्य चांबरम् देवास्तस्य भुजाः सर्वे नक्षत्राणि च भूषणम्

The netherworld is his feet, the ocean his garment; all the gods are his arms, and the stars are his ornaments.

प्रकृतिस्तस्य पत्नी च पुरुषो लिङ्गमुच्यते वक्त्राद्वै ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे ब्रह्मा च भगवान्प्रभुः

Nature is his wife, and the person is called the linga; from his mouth are all Brahmins, and Brahma, the blessed Lord.

इन्द्रोपेन्द्रौ भुजाभ्यां तु क्षत्रियाश् च महात्मनः वैश्याश्चोरुप्रदेशात्तु शूद्राः पादात्पिनाकिनः

Indra and Upendra are from his arms, the Kshatriyas from the great soul; the Vaishyas are from his thighs, and the Shudras from the feet of Pinaka-holder.

पुष्करावर्तकाद्यास्तु केशास्तस्य प्रकीर्तिताः वायवो घ्राणजास्तस्य गतिः श्रौतं स्मृतिस् तथा

Lotus-whorl and other types are his hair, it is said; winds arise from his nose, movement from hearing, and likewise memory.

अथानेनैव कर्मात्मा प्रकृतेस्तु प्रवर्तकः पुंसां तु पुरुषः श्रीमान् ज्ञानगम्यो न चान्यथा

Thus, he is the soul of action, the initiator from nature; the glorious person is to be known through knowledge, not otherwise.

कर्मयज्ञसहस्रेभ्यस् तपोयज्ञो विशिष्यते तपोयज्ञसहस्रेभ्यो जपयज्ञो विशिष्यते

Among thousands of sacrificial acts, the austerity-sacrifice is superior; among thousands of austerity-sacrifices, the recitation-sacrifice is superior.

जपयज्ञसहस्रेभ्यो ध्यानयज्ञो विशिष्यते ध्यानयज्ञात्परो नास्ति ध्यानं ज्ञानस्य साधनम्

Among thousands of recitation-sacrifices, the meditation-sacrifice is superior; there is nothing higher than the meditation-sacrifice; meditation is the means to knowledge.

यदा समरसे निष्ठो योगी ध्यानेन पश्यति ध्यानयज्ञरतस्यास्य तदा संनिहितः शिवः

When the yogi, established in equanimity, perceives through meditation, then Shiva is present for one devoted to the meditation-sacrifice.

नास्ति विज्ञानिनां शौचं प्रायश्चित्तादि चोदना विशुद्धा विद्यया सर्वे ब्रह्मविद्याविदो जनाः

For those who possess true knowledge, there is no need for ritual purity or expiatory acts; all who know or do not know Brahman are purified by knowledge alone.

नास्ति क्रिया च लोकेषु सुखं दुःखं विचारतः धर्माधर्मौ जपो होमो ध्यानिनां संनिधिः सदा

For those who discern, there is no action in the world, nor happiness or sorrow; for those absorbed in meditation, righteousness and unrighteousness, recitation, and oblation are always present within.

परानन्दात्मकं लिङ्गं विशुद्धं शिवमक्षरम् निष्कलं सर्वगं ज्ञेयं योगिनां हृदि संस्थितम्

The liṅga, of the nature of supreme bliss, pure, auspicious, imperishable, without parts, all-pervading, is to be known as established in the heart of yogis.

लिङ्गं तु द्विविधं प्राहुर् बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं द्विजाः बाह्यं स्थूलं मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सूक्ष्ममाभ्यन्तरं द्विजाः

The twice-born declare that the liṅga is of two kinds: external and internal; the best of sages say the external is gross, and the internal is subtle, O twice-born.

कर्मयज्ञरताः स्थूलाः स्थूललिङ्गार्चने रताः असतां भावनार्थाय नान्यथा स्थूलविग्रहः

Those devoted to ritual acts are attached to worship of the gross liṅga; the gross form is for the sake of contemplation by the unworthy, not otherwise.

आध्यात्मिकं च यल्लिङ्गं प्रत्यक्षं यस्य नो भवेत् असौ मूढो बहिः सर्वं कल्पयित्वैव नान्यथा

He whose internal liṅga is not directly perceived is deluded, imagining everything as external and nothing otherwise.