Linga Purana

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—

काष्ठेष्टकादिभिर् मर्त्यः शिवलोके महीयते प्रसादार्थं महेशस्य प्रासादे मुनिपुङ्गवाः

A mortal who, for the sake of a temple for Mahesha, constructs with wood, bricks, and the like, is honored in Shiva's world, O foremost sages.

कर्तव्यः सर्वयत्नेन धर्मकामार्थमुक्तये अशक्तश्चेन्मुनिश्रेष्ठाः प्रासादं कर्तुमुत्तमम्

A temple must be constructed with all effort for the sake of virtue, desire, and liberation; but if unable, O best of sages, to build an excellent temple—

संमार्जनादिभिर् वापि सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात् संमार्जनं तु यः कुर्यान् मार्जन्या मृदुसूक्ष्मया

Even by sweeping and similar acts, one attains all desires; whoever sweeps with a soft and fine broom—

चान्द्रायणसहस्रस्य फलं मासेन लभ्यते यः कुर्याद्वस्त्रपूतेन गन्धगोमयवारिणा

In a month, he obtains the fruit of a thousand Cāndrāyaṇa vows; whoever properly applies a coating with water mixed with fragrant cow dung, purified by cloth—

आलेपनं यथान्यायं वर्षचान्द्रायणं लभेत् अर्धक्रोशं शिवक्षेत्रं शिवलिङ्गात्समन्ततः

He obtains, as is proper, the fruit of a yearly Cāndrāyaṇa; half a krosha around the Shiva field, from the Shiva-linga in all directions—

यस् त्यजेद् दुस्त्यजान् प्राणाञ् शिवसायुज्यम् आप्नुयात् स्वायंभुवस्य मानं हि तथा बाणस्य सुव्रताः

Whoever gives up even the most difficult-to-abandon life attains union with Shiva; the measure of Svayambhu and likewise of Bana, O virtuous ones—

स्वायंभुवे तदर्धं स्यात् स्याद् आर्षे च तदर्धकम् मानुषे च तदर्धं स्यात् क्षेत्रमानं द्विजोत्तमाः

In Svayambhu, it is that measure; in Arsha, it is half of that; in human, it is half of that—this is the measure of the field, O best of twice-born.

एवं यतीनामावासे क्षेत्रमानं द्विजोत्तमाः रुद्रावतारे चाद्यं यच् छिष्ये चैव प्रशिष्यके

In the same way, O best of twice-born, the measure of the field applies to the residence of ascetics, and in the Rudra incarnation, to the teacher and his disciple.

नरावतारे तच्छिष्ये तच्छिष्ये च प्रशिष्यके श्रीपर्वते महापुण्ये तस्य प्रान्ते च वा द्विजाः

In the human incarnation, to the disciple, and to the disciple's disciple; on the holy Shri Parvata and at its edge, O twice-born—

तस्मिन्वा यस्त्यजेत्प्राणाञ् छिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् वाराणस्यां तथाप्येवम् अविमुक्ते विशेषतः

Whoever gives up his life there attains union with Shiva; likewise in Varanasi, and especially in Avimukta.

केदारे च महाक्षेत्रे प्रयागे च विशेषतः कुरुक्षेत्रे च यः प्राणान् संत्यजेद्याति निर्वृतिम्

Whoever gives up their life in Kedara, the great field, especially at Prayaga or Kurukshetra, attains liberation.

प्रभासे पुष्करे ऽवन्त्यां तथा चैवामरेश्वरे वणीशैलाकुले चैव मृतो याति शिवात्मताम्

One who dies at Prabhasa, Pushkara, Avanti, Amareśvara, or among the peaks of Vani, attains the state of Shiva.

वाराणस्यां मृतो जन्तुर् न जातु जन्तुतां व्रजेत् त्रिविष्टपे विमुक्ते च केदारे संगमेश्वरे

A creature who dies in Varanasi never again becomes a creature; in Trivishtapa, in the liberated Kedara, or at Sangameshvara.

शालङ्के वा त्यजेत्प्राणांस् तथा वै जम्बुकेश्वरे शुक्रेश्वरे वा गोकर्णे भास्करेशे गुहेश्वरे

If one relinquishes life at Shalanka, Jambukeshvara, Shukreshvara, Gokarna, Bhaskaresha, or Guheshvara.

हिरण्यगर्भे नन्दीशे स याति परमां गतिम् नियमैः शोष्य यो देहं त्यजेत्क्षेत्रे शिवस्य तु

At Hiranyagarbha or Nandishvara, one attains the supreme state; if, through discipline, one dries up the body and abandons it in Shiva's field.

स याति शिवतां योगी मानुषे दैविके ऽपि वा आर्षे वापि मुनिश्रेष्ठास् तथा स्वायंभुवे ऽपि वा

Such a yogi attains the state of Shiva, whether among humans, gods, sages, or the foremost of ascetics, or even in the Svayambhu.

स्वयंभूते तथा देवे नात्र कार्या विचारणा आधायाग्निं शिवक्षेत्रे सम्पूज्य परमेश्वरम्

In the Svayambhu deity as well, there is no need for deliberation; having kindled the fire in Shiva's field and worshipped the Supreme Lord.

स्वदेहपिण्डं जुहुयाद् यः स याति परां गतिम् यावत्तावन्निराहारो भूत्वा प्राणान् परित्यजेत्

Whoever offers their own body into the fire attains the highest state; remaining without food as long as possible, then relinquishing life.

शिवक्षेत्रे मुनिश्रेष्ठाः शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् छित्त्वा पादद्वयं चापि शिवक्षेत्रे वसेत्तु यः

O best of sages, in Shiva's field one attains union with Shiva; even if one loses both feet, whoever dwells in Shiva's field.

स याति शिवतां चैव नात्र कार्या विचारणा क्षेत्रस्य दर्शनं पुण्यं प्रवेशस्तच्छताधिकः

That person attains the state of Shiva; there is no need for deliberation. The sight of the field is meritorious, entry is a hundred times greater.