Linga Purana

शिवालये निहत्यैकम् अपि तत्सकलं लभेत् शिवार्थं सर्वदा कार्या पुष्पहिंसा द्विजोत्तमाः

By killing even one in a temple of Shiva, one obtains the full result; for the sake of Shiva, harm to flowers should always be done, O best of twice-born.

यज्ञार्थं पशुहिंसा च क्षत्रियैर्दुष्टशासनम् विहिताविहितं नास्ति योगिनां ब्रह्मवादिनाम्

Animal sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice, and punishing the wicked by kshatriyas—these are prescribed; for yogis and knowers of Brahman, there is nothing prescribed or prohibited.

यतस्तस्मान्न हन्तव्या निषिद्धानां निषेवणात् सर्वकर्माणि विन्यस्य संन्यस्ता ब्रह्मवादिनः

Therefore, killing must not be done, by avoiding what is forbidden. Having renounced all actions, the knowers of Brahman are detached.

न हन्तव्याः सदा पूज्याः पापकर्मरता अपि पवित्रास्तु स्त्रियः सर्वा अत्रेश् च कुलसंभवाः

Women must never be killed, but always honored, even if engaged in sinful acts; all women are pure, especially those born in the lineage of Atri.

ब्रह्महत्यासमं पापम् आत्रेयीं विनिहत्य च स्त्रियः सर्वा न हन्तव्याः पापकर्मरता अपि

Killing a woman of the Atreya lineage is a sin equal to killing a Brahmin; all women must not be killed, even if engaged in sinful acts.

न यज्ञार्थं स्त्रियो ग्राह्याः सर्वैः सर्वत्र सर्वदा सर्ववर्णेषु विप्रेन्द्राः पापकर्मरता अपि

Women must never be taken for sacrifice by anyone, at any time, in any place, O best of Brahmins, even if they are engaged in sinful acts, among all castes.

मलिना रूपवत्यश् च विरूपा मलिनांबराः न हन्तव्याः सदा मर्त्यैः शिववच्छङ्कया तथा

Whether ugly or beautiful, or wearing dirty clothes, women must never be killed by mortals, out of reverence for Shiva.

वेदबाह्यव्रताचाराः श्रौतस्मार्तबहिष्कृताः पाषण्डिन इति ख्याता न संभाष्या द्विजातिभिः

Those who follow vows outside the Veda, excluded from Vedic and Smriti rites, known as heretics, must not be spoken to by twice-born men.

न स्पृष्टव्या न द्रष्टव्या दृष्ट्वा भानुं समीक्षते तथापि तेन वध्याश् च नृपैरन्यैश् च जन्तुभिः

They must not be touched or seen; seeing them is like looking at the sun. Even so, they are to be killed by kings and other beings.

प्रसंगाद्वापि यो मर्त्यः सतां सकृदहो द्विजाः रुद्रलोकमवाप्नोति समभ्यर्च्य महेश्वरम्

O twice-born, even if a mortal comes into contact with the virtuous only once, and worships the great Lord, he attains the world of Rudra.

भवन्ति दुःखिताः सर्वे निर्दया मुनिसत्तमाः भक्तिहीना नराः सर्वे भवे परमकारणे

All those who lack devotion, O best of sages, become miserable and merciless in the cycle of existence, which is the ultimate cause.

ये भक्ता देवदेवस्य शिवस्य परमेष्ठिनः भाग्यवन्तो विमुच्यन्ते भुक्त्वा भोगानिहैव ते

Those who are devoted to Śiva, the God of gods, the Supreme Lord, are fortunate; after enjoying pleasures in this world, they are liberated.

पुत्रेषु दारेषु गृहेषु नॄणां भक्तं यथा चित्तमथादिदेवे सकृत्प्रसंगाद्यतितापसानां तेषां न दूरः परमेशलोकः

For people, whether in sons, wives, or homes, devotion as their mind inclines—even once, through association, to the Supreme Deity—makes the world of the Supreme Lord not far from them, even for great ascetics.

कथं पूज्यो महादेवो मर्त्यैर्मन्दैर्महामते कल्पायुषैर् अल्पवीर्यैर् अल्पसत्त्वैः प्रजापतिः

O greatly wise one, how can mortals, weak and dull, with lifespans of a kalpa but little strength and little substance, worship the great god, the Lord of creatures?

संवत्सरसहस्रैश् च तपसा पूज्य शङ्करम् न पश्यन्ति सुराश्चापि कथं देवं यजन्ति ते

Even the gods, though they worship Śaṅkara with austerity for thousands of years, do not see him; so how do they worship the god?

कथितं तथ्यम् एवात्र युष्माभिर् मुनिपुङ्गवाः तथापि श्रद्धया दृश्यः पूज्यः संभाष्य एव च

O best of sages, what you have said here is indeed true; yet, with faith, he is seen, worshipped, and spoken to.

प्रसंगाच्चैव सम्पूज्य भक्तिहीनैरपि द्विजाः भावानुरूपफलदो भगवानिति कीर्तितः

O twice-born, even those without devotion, if they worship him by chance, the Lord is said to grant results according to their disposition.

उच्छिष्टः पूजयन्याति पैशाचं तु द्विजाधमः संक्रुद्धो राक्षसं स्थानं प्राप्नुयान् मूढधीर् द्विजाः

If a degraded twice-born, being impure, worships, he goes to the realm of spirits; if his mind is deluded and angry, he attains the place of demons.

अभक्ष्यभक्षी सम्पूज्य याक्षं प्राप्नोति दुर्जनः गानशीलश् च गान्धर्वं नृत्यशीलस्तथैव च

A wicked person who worships after eating forbidden food attains the state of a yakṣa; one fond of singing attains the Gandharva realm, and one fond of dancing likewise.

ख्यातिशीलस् तथा चान्द्रं स्त्रीषु सक्तो नराधमः मदार्तः पूजयन् रुद्रं सोमस्थानमवाप्नुयात्

One who delights in fame attains the lunar realm; the lowest of men, attached to women and intoxicated, worshipping Rudra, attains the place of Soma.

गायत्र्या देवमभ्यर्च्य प्राजापत्यमवाप्नुयात् ब्राह्मं हि प्रणवेनैव वैष्णवं चाभिनन्द्य च

Worshipping the god with the Gāyatrī, one attains the world of the progenitors; with the Praṇava, the Brahman realm; and by honoring him as Viṣṇu, the Vaiṣṇava realm.

श्रद्धया सकृदेवापि समभ्यर्च्य महेश्वरम् रुद्रलोकमनुप्राप्य रुद्रैः सार्धं प्रमोदते

Even if a god worships the great Lord just once with faith, he attains the world of Rudra and rejoices there together with the Rudras.

संशोध्य च शुभं लिङ्गम् अमरासुरपूजितम् जलैः पूतैस्तथा पीठे देवमावाह्य भक्तितः

Having purified the auspicious liṅga, worshipped by gods and demons, with pure water, and having invoked the god on the seat with devotion,

दृष्ट्वा देवं यथान्यायं प्रणिपत्य च शङ्करम् कल्पिते चासने स्थाप्य धर्मज्ञानमये शुभे

Having seen the god properly, and having bowed to Śaṅkara, one should seat him on the prepared seat, which is pure and endowed with knowledge of righteousness.

वैराग्यैश्वर्यसम्पन्ने सर्वलोकनमस्कृते ओङ्कारपद्ममध्ये तु सोमसूर्याग्निसंभवे

In the midst of the lotus of Oṃ, born of Soma, Sūrya, and Agni, endowed with detachment and sovereignty, and worshipped by all worlds,

पाद्यमाचमनं चार्घ्यं दत्त्वा रुद्राय शंभवे स्नापयेद्दिव्यतोयैश् च घृतेन पयसा तथा

One should offer water for washing the feet, for sipping, and for welcoming to Rudra, to Śaṃbhu, and bathe him with divine waters, as well as with ghee and milk.

दध्ना च स्नापयेद्रुद्रं शोधयेच्च यथाविधि ततः शुद्धांबुना स्नाप्य चन्दनाद्यैश् च पूजयेत्

One should also bathe Rudra with curds and purify him according to the proper method; then, after bathing with pure water, worship with sandal and other offerings.

रोचनाद्यैश् च सम्पूज्य दिव्यपुष्पैश् च पूजयेत् बिल्वपत्रैरखण्डैश् च पद्मैर्नानाविधैस् तथा

One should worship with rocanā and other substances, and offer divine flowers, as well as whole bilva leaves and various kinds of lotuses.

नीलोत्पलैश् च राजीवैर् नद्यावर्तैश् च मल्लिकैः चम्पकैर् जातिपुष्पैश्च बकुलैः करवीरकैः

With blue lotuses, water-lilies, nadyāvarta, jasmine, campaka, jati flowers, bakula, and karavira as well.