Linga Purana

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.

स्कन्दोमासहितं देवं सम्पूज्य विधिना सकृत् यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस् तद्वदामि यथाश्रुतम्

By worshipping the god together with Skanda, even once, according to the proper method, the mortal obtains the result which I shall now state as I have heard.

सूर्यकोटिप्रतिकाशैर् विमानैः सार्वकामिकैः रुद्रकन्यासमाकीर्णैर् गेयनाट्यसमन्वितैः

With aerial chariots shining like ten million suns, fulfilling all desires, filled with daughters of Rudra, accompanied by song and dance,

शिववत्क्रीडते योगी यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् तत्र भुक्त्वा महाभोगान् विमानैः सार्वकामिकैः

The yogi sports like Śiva until the dissolution of creation; there, enjoying great pleasures with all-desire-fulfilling aerial chariots,

औमं कौमारमैशानं वैष्णवं ब्राह्ममेव च प्राजापत्यं महातेजा जनलोकं महस् तथा

He attains the realms of Auma, Kaumāra, Īśāna, Vaiṣṇava, Brahma, and Prajāpati, the great radiant ones, as well as Janaloka and Mahas.

ऐन्द्रम् आसाद्य चैन्द्रत्वं कृत्वा वर्षायुतं पुनः भुक्त्वा चैव भुवर्लोके भोगान् दिव्यान् सुशोभनान्

Having attained the Indra realm, and having become Indra for ten thousand years, and having enjoyed divine, splendid pleasures in the world of Bhuvar,

मेरुमासाद्य देवानां भवनेषु प्रमोदते एकपादं चतुर्बाहुं त्रिनेत्रं शूलसंयुतम्

Having reached Meru, he delights in the abodes of the gods, with one foot, four arms, three eyes, and bearing a trident.

सृष्ट्वा स्थितं हरिं वामे दक्षिणे चतुराननम् अष्टाविंशतिरुद्राणां कोटिः सर्वाङ्गसुप्रभम्

Having created Hari standing on the left, and the four-faced one on the right, and a crore of twenty-eight Rudras, all with splendid limbs,

पञ्चविंशतिकं साक्षात् पुरुषं हृदयात्तथा प्रकृतिं वामतश्चैव बुद्धिं वै बुद्धिदेशतः

The twenty-fivefold Person is directly from the heart, and likewise Prakṛti is on the left, and Buddhi is in the place of intellect.

अहङ्कारमहङ्कारात् तन्मात्राणि तु तत्र वै इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियादेव लीलया परमेश्वरम्

From ahaṃkāra comes ahaṃkāra; from that, the subtle elements; from the senses, indeed, the sense objects; all this is the play of the Supreme Lord.

पृथिवीं पादमूलात्तु गुह्यदेशाज्जलं तथा नाभिदेशात् तथा वह्निं हृदयाद्भास्करं तथा

From the soles of the feet, the earth; from the secret place, water; from the navel, fire; from the heart, likewise, the sun.