Linga Purana

कृत्वा भक्त्या यथान्यायं शिवलोके महीयते

Having made it with devotion, according to what is proper, one is honored in the world of Shiva.

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठापुण्यं च लिङ्गस्थापनमेव च लिङ्गानां चैव भेदाश् च श्रुतं तव मुखादिह

The merit of establishing a linga, and the installation of the linga, and the different kinds of lingas—this has been heard by you from my mouth here.

मृदादिरत्नपर्यन्तैर् द्रव्यैः कृत्वा शिवालयम् यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस् तत्फलं वक्तुमर्हसि

By making a temple of Shiva with materials ranging from clay to precious gems, what fruit does a mortal obtain? You should declare that fruit.

यस्य भक्तो ऽपि लोके ऽस्मिन् पुत्रदारगृहादिभिः बाध्यते ज्ञानयुक्तश्चेन् न च तस्य गृहैस्तु किम्

Even if a devotee in this world is troubled by children, spouse, home, and the like, if he is endowed with knowledge, then what use are such houses to him?

तथापि भक्ताः परमेश्वरस्य कृत्वेष्टलोष्टैरपि रुद्रलोकम् प्रयान्ति दिव्यं हि विमानवर्यं सुरेन्द्रपद्मोद्भववन्दितस्य

Yet, the devotees of the Supreme Lord, even if they have built with mere clods or bricks, go to Rudra's divine world, to splendid palaces honored by Indra, Brahma, and others.

गृहं च तादृग्विधमस्य शंभोः सम्पूज्य रुद्रत्वमवाप्नुवन्ति

And the house of such a person, having worshipped Śambhu in this way, attains the state of Rudra.

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन भक्त्या भक्तैः शिवालयम् कर्तव्यं सर्वयत्नेन धर्मकामार्थसिद्धये

Therefore, with every effort and devotion, devotees should build a temple of Śiva, striving with all diligence for the attainment of righteousness, desire, and wealth.

केसरं नागरं वापि द्राविडं वा तथापरम् कृत्वा रुद्रालयं भक्त्या शिवलोके महीयते

Whether Kesara, Nagara, Dravida, or any other style, whoever builds a temple of Rudra with devotion is honored in the world of Śiva.

कैलासाख्यं च यः कुर्यात् प्रासादं परमेष्ठिनः कैलासशिखराकारैर् विमानैर् मोदते सुखी

Whoever constructs a temple for the Supreme Lord called Kailāsa, with palaces shaped like the peaks of Kailāsa, enjoys happiness.

मन्दरं वा प्रकुर्वीत शिवाय विधिपूर्वकम् भक्त्या वित्तानुसारेण उत्तमाधममध्यमम्

Or, one may build a Mandara for Śiva, according to prescribed rules, with devotion and according to one's means—superior, inferior, or middling.

मन्दराद्रिप्रतीकाशैर् विमानैर्विश्वतोमुखैः अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णैर् देवदानवदुर्लभैः

With palaces resembling Mandara mountain, facing all directions, filled with hosts of apsarases, and unattainable even by gods and demons.

गत्वा शिवपुरं रम्यं भुक्त्वा भोगान् यथेप्सितान् ज्ञानयोगं समासाद्य गाणपत्यं लभेन्नरः

Having reached the delightful city of Śiva, enjoying pleasures as desired, and attaining union with knowledge and yoga, a man obtains the state of Gaṇapati.

यः कुर्यान्मेरुनामानं प्रासादं परमेष्ठिनः स यत्फलमवाप्नोति न तत् सर्वैर् महामखैः

Whoever builds a temple for the Supreme Lord named Meru attains a fruit that cannot be gained by all the great sacrifices.

सर्वयज्ञतपोदानतीर्थवेदेषु यत्फलम् तत्फलं सकलं लब्ध्वा शिववन्मोदते चिरम्

The fruit obtained from all sacrifices, austerities, gifts, pilgrimages, and Vedas—having gained all that fruit, he delights in Śiva's forest for a long time.

निषधं नाम यः कुर्यात् प्रासादं भक्तितः सुधीः शिवलोकमनुप्राप्य शिववन्मोदते चिरम्

Whoever, with devotion, builds a temple named Niṣadha, that wise one, having reached the world of Śiva, delights in Śiva's forest for a long time.

कुर्याद्वा यः शुभं विप्रा हिमशैलमनुत्तमम् हिमशैलोपमैर् यानैर् गत्वा शिवपुरं शुभम्

Or whoever, O brāhmaṇas, builds the most excellent Himashaila, traveling to the auspicious city of Śiva in vehicles resembling the snowy mountain—

ज्ञानयोगं समासाद्य गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात् नीलाद्रिशिखराख्यं वा प्रासादं यः सुशोभनम्

Having attained union with knowledge and yoga, he obtains the state of Gaṇapati; or whoever builds a beautiful temple called Nīlādriśikhara—

कृत्वा वित्तानुसारेण भक्त्या रुद्राय शंभवे यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस् तत्फलं प्रवदाम्यहम्

Having built it according to his means, with devotion to Rudra, Śambhu, the fruit that a mortal attains—I shall declare that fruit.

हिमशैले कृते भक्त्या यत्फलं प्राक् तवोदितम् तत्फलं सकलं लब्ध्वा सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः

The fruit that was previously described as arising from building Himashaila with devotion—having gained all that fruit, he is honored by all the gods.

रुद्रलोकमनुप्राप्य रुद्रैः सार्धं प्रमोदते महेन्द्रशैलनामानं प्रासादं रुद्रसंमतम्

Having reached Rudra's world, he rejoices together with the Rudras; or, having built a temple named Mahendraśaila, approved by Rudra—

कृत्वा यत्फलमाप्नोति तत्फलं प्रवदाम्यहम् महेन्द्रपर्वताकारैर् विमानैर्वृषसंयुतैः

The fruit that is obtained by building it, I shall declare that fruit: with palaces shaped like Mahendra mountain, adorned with bulls.

गत्वा शिवपुरं दिव्यं भुक्त्वा भोगान्यथेप्सितान् ज्ञानं विचारितं रुद्रैः सम्प्राप्य मुनिपुङ्गवाः

Having gone to the divine city of Shiva and enjoyed pleasures as desired, the foremost sages, having attained the knowledge discerned by the Rudras, return.

विषयान् विषवत् त्यक्त्वा शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् हेम्ना यस्तु प्रकुर्वीत प्रासादं रत्नशोभितम्

Abandoning sense objects as one would poison, one attains union with Shiva; and whoever constructs a temple adorned with jewels out of gold—

द्राविडं नागरं वापि केसरं वा विधानतः कूटं वा मण्डपं वापि समं वा दीर्घम् एव च

Whether Dravidian, Nagara, Keshara style, or according to prescribed forms, whether a tower, a pavilion, square or elongated—

न तस्य शक्यते वक्तुं पुण्यं शतयुगैरपि जीर्णं वा पतितं वापि खण्डितं स्फुटितं तथा

Its merit cannot be described, not even in a hundred ages; whether it becomes old, falls, is broken, or cracked—

पूर्ववत्कारयेद्यस्तु द्वाराद्यैः सुशुभं द्विजाः प्रासादं मण्डपं वापि प्राकारं गोपुरं तु वा

Whoever restores it as before, with beautiful doors and the like, O twice-born, whether a temple, pavilion, enclosure, or gateway—

कर्तुरप्यधिकं पुण्यं लभते नात्र संशयः वृत्त्यर्थं वा प्रकुर्वीत नरः कर्म शिवालये

He obtains even greater merit than the original builder, without doubt; or if a person performs work in Shiva's temple for livelihood—

यः स याति न संदेहः स्वर्गलोकं सबान्धवः यश्चात्मभोगसिद्ध्यर्थम् अपि रुद्रालये सकृत्

He, along with his relatives, surely goes to the heavenly world; and even if one acts in Rudra's temple for personal enjoyment—

कर्म कुर्याद्यदि सुखं लब्ध्वा चापि प्रमोदते तस्माद् आयतनं भक्त्या यः कुर्यान् मुनिसत्तमाः

If he performs work and, having obtained happiness, rejoices—therefore, O best of sages, whoever builds a shrine with devotion—