Linga Purana

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.

ज्ञानिनां सूक्ष्मममलं भवेत्प्रत्यक्षमव्ययम् यथा स्थूलमयुक्तानां मृत्काष्ठाद्यैः प्रकल्पितम्

For the wise, the subtle, stainless, imperishable liṅga is directly perceived, just as for the unwise, the gross one is imagined from clay, wood, and the like.

अर्थो विचारतो नास्तीत्य् अन्ये तत्त्वार्थवेदिनः निष्कलः सकलश्चेति सर्वं शिवमयं ततः

Some who know the essence of reality say that, upon reflection, there is no separate object; all is Śiva, both with and without attributes.

व्योमैकमपि दृष्टं हि शरावं प्रति सुव्रताः पृथक्त्वं चापृथक्त्वं च शङ्करस्येति चापरे

O virtuous ones, even space appears as one when seen in a pot; some say the distinction and non-distinction belong to Śaṅkara.

प्रत्ययार्थं हि जगताम् एकस्थो ऽपि दिवाकरः एको ऽपि बहुधा दृष्टो जलाधारेषु सुव्रताः

For the sake of understanding, O virtuous ones, though the sun is one, it is seen as many in different vessels of water in the world.

जन्तवो दिवि भूमौ च सर्वे वै पाञ्चभौतिकाः तथापि बहुला दृष्टा जातिव्यक्तिविभेदतः

All creatures in heaven and on earth are composed of the five elements; yet, due to differences of species and individuals, they are seen as many.

दृश्यते श्रूयते यद्यत् तत्तद्विद्धि शिवात्मकम् भेदो जनानां लोके ऽस्मिन् प्रतिभासो विचारतः

Whatever is seen or heard, know that to be of the nature of Śiva; the diversity among people in this world is only an appearance, upon reflection.

स्वप्ने च विपुलान् भोगान् भुक्त्वा मर्त्यः सुखी भवेत् दुःखी च भोगं दुःखं च नानुभूतं विचारतः

Even in dreams, after enjoying great pleasures, a mortal may be happy or unhappy, but upon reflection, neither pleasure nor pain is actually experienced.

एवमाहुस्तथान्ये च सर्वे वेदार्थतत्त्वगाः हृदि संसारिणां साक्षात् सकलः परमेश्वरः

Thus also say others who know the true meaning of the Vedas: the Supreme Lord, with all attributes, is directly present in the hearts of those bound in saṃsāra.

योगिनां निष्कलो देवो ज्ञानिनां च जगन्मयः त्रिविधं परमेशस्य वपुर्लोके प्रशस्यते

For yogis, the Lord is without attributes; for the wise, He is all-pervading; three forms of the Supreme Lord are praised in the world.

निष्कलं प्रथमं चैकं ततः सकलनिष्कलम् तृतीयं सकलं चैव नान्यथेति द्विजोत्तमाः

The first is the formless, then the form with and without attributes, and the third is with attributes; there is no other, O best of the twice-born.

अर्चयन्ति मुहुः केचित् सदा सकलनिष्कलम् सर्वज्ञं हृदये केचिच् छिवलिङ्गे विभावसौ

Some worship again and again the form with and without attributes; some worship the all-knowing one in the heart, or in the liṅga of Śiva, or in fire.

सकलं मुनयः केचित् सदा संसारवर्तिनः एवमभ्यर्चयन्त्येव सदाराः ससुता नराः

Some sages, always engaged in worldly life, worship only the form with attributes; thus do men with wives and sons continually worship.

यथा शिवस् तथा देवी यथा देवी तथा शिवः तस्मादभेदबुद्ध्यैव सप्तविंशत्प्रभेदतः

As Śiva is, so is the Goddess; as the Goddess is, so is Śiva. Therefore, with the understanding of non-difference, there are twenty-seven distinctions.

यजन्ति देहे बाह्ये च चतुष्कोणे षडस्रके दशारे द्वादशारे च षोडशारे त्रिरस्रके

They worship, both within the body and outside, in the four-sided, six-angled, ten-spoked, twelve-spoked, sixteen-spoked, and three-sided forms.

स स्वेच्छया शिवः साक्षाद् देव्या सार्धं स्थितः प्रभुः संतारणार्थं च शिवः सदसद्व्यक्तिवर्जितः

By his own will, Śiva himself, the Lord, abides together with the Goddess, and for the purpose of liberation, Śiva is beyond the manifestation of existence and non-existence.

तमेकमाहुर्द्विगुणं च केचित् केचित्तमाहुस्त्रिगुणात्मकं च ऊचुस् तथा तं च शिवं तथान्ये संसारिणं वेदविदो वदन्ति

Some declare him to be one, others say he is twofold, others say he is of threefold nature; likewise, others who know the Vedas say that Śiva is the transmigrating soul.

भक्त्या च योगेन शुभेन युक्ता विप्राः सदा धर्मरता विशिष्टाः यजन्ति योगेशम् अशेषमूर्तिं षडस्रमध्ये भगवन्तमेव

Brāhmaṇas, always devoted to righteousness and distinguished by pure devotion and yoga, worship the Lord of Yoga, the one with all forms, in the center of the six-angled figure.

ये तत्र पश्यन्ति शिवं त्रिरस्रे त्रितत्त्वमध्ये त्रिगुणं त्रियक्षम् ते यान्ति चैनं न च योगिनो ऽन्ये तया च देव्या पुरुषं पुराणम्

Those who see Śiva there, in the three-sided figure, in the midst of the three principles, as threefold and three-eyed, they attain him; and other yogins do not. By her, the Goddess, one attains the ancient Person.

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि स्वेच्छाविग्रहसंभवम् प्रतिष्ठायाः फलं सर्वं सर्वलोकहिताय वै

Now, I shall declare further the complete fruit of the establishment arising from the self-willed form, for the benefit of all worlds.

स्कन्दोमासहितं देवम् आसीनं परमासने कृत्वा भक्त्या प्रतिष्ठाप्य सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्

Having established the god together with Skanda, seated on the supreme seat, with devotion, one attains all desires.