यः श्रावयेच्छुचिर् विप्राञ् छृणुयाद्वा शुचिर्नरः स देहभेदमासाद्य पशुपाशैः प्रमुच्यते
Whoever, being pure, recites this to the brāhmaṇas, or hears it, being pure, is freed from the bonds of existence upon the dissolution of the body.
व्रतमेतत्त्वया प्रोक्तं पशुपाशविमोक्षणम् व्रतं पाशुपतं लैङ्गं पुरा देवैर् अनुष्ठितम्
This vow, which you have described, is the release from the bonds of existence—the Pāśupata vow, pertaining to the Liṅga, formerly practiced by the gods.
वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं यथापूर्वं त्वया श्रुतम् पुरा सनत्कुमारेण पृष्टः शैलादिरादरात्
You should tell us, just as you heard before, when you were once respectfully questioned by Sanatkumāra, O lord of the mountains.
नन्दी प्राह वचस्तस्मै प्रवदामि समासतः देवैर्दैत्यैस् तथा सिद्धैर् गन्धर्वैः सिद्धचारणैः
Nandī then spoke these words to him: I shall briefly recount it—the vow practiced by gods, asuras, siddhas, gandharvas, and accomplished cāraṇas—
मुनिभिश् च महाभागैर् अनुष्ठितमनुत्तमम् व्रतं द्वादशलिङ्गाख्यं पशुपाशविमोक्षणम्
And by the greatly fortunate sages: the supreme vow called the Twelve Liṅgas, which is the release from the bonds of existence.
भोगदं योगदं चैव कामदं मुक्तिदं शुभम् अवियोगकरं पुण्यं भक्तानां भयनाशनम्
It grants enjoyment, yoga, wishes, liberation, and auspiciousness; it brings inseparable merit, destroys fear for devotees.
षडङ्गसहितान् वेदान् मथित्वा तेन निर्मितम् सर्वदानोत्तमं पुण्यम् अश्वमेधायुताधिकम्
Having churned the Vedas together with their six limbs, it was established by that; it is the highest of all gifts, more meritorious than ten thousand horse sacrifices.
सर्वमङ्गलदं पुण्यं सर्वशत्रुविनाशनम् संसारार्णवमग्नानां जन्तूनामपि मोक्षदम्
It bestows all auspiciousness and merit, destroys all enemies, and grants liberation even to creatures immersed in the ocean of worldly existence.
सर्वव्याधिहरं चैव सर्वज्वरविनाशनम् देवैरनुष्ठितं पूर्वं ब्रह्मणा विष्णुना तथा
It destroys all diseases and removes every fever; it was formerly performed by the gods, by Brahmā and also by Viṣṇu.
कृत्वा कनीयसं लिङ्गं स्नाप्य चन्दनवारिणा चैत्रमासादि विप्रेन्द्राः शिवलिङ्गव्रतं चरेत्
Having made a small liṅga and bathed it with sandalwood water, O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, one should observe the vow of the Śivaliṅga beginning from the month of Caitra.
कृत्वा हैमं शुभं पद्मं कर्णिकाकेसरान्वितम् नवरत्नैश् च खचितम् अष्टपत्रं यथाविधि
One should make a beautiful golden lotus, furnished with a pericarp and filaments, inlaid with nine gems, and having eight petals, according to the proper method.
कर्णिकायां न्यसेल्लिङ्गं स्फाटिकं पीठसंयुतम् तत्र भक्त्या यथान्यायम् अर्चयेद् बिल्वपत्रकैः
In the pericarp, one should place a crystal liṅga together with a pedestal; there, with devotion and in the prescribed manner, one should worship it with bilva leaves.
सितैः सहस्रकमलै रक्तैर्नीलोत्पलैरपि श्वेतार्ककर्णिकारैश् च करवीरैर्बकैरपि
With a thousand white lotuses, with red and blue water-lilies, with white arka flowers, with karavīra and bakula flowers as well,
एतैरन्यैर् यथालाभं गायत्र्या तस्य सुव्रताः सम्पूज्य चैव गन्धाद्यैर् धूपैर्दीपैश् च मङ्गलैः
And with these and other flowers as available, O steadfast ones, one should worship with the Gāyatrī hymn, and also with fragrances and the like, with auspicious incense and lamps.
नीराजनाद्यैश्चान्यैश् च लिङ्गमूर्तिमहेश्वरम् अगरुं दक्षिणे दद्याद् अघोरेण द्विजोत्तमाः
With nīrājana and other rites, one should worship the liṅga form of the great Lord; O best of Brāhmaṇas, one should offer agaru incense to the south with the Aghora mantra.
पश्चिमे सद्यमन्त्रेण दिव्यां चैव मनःशिलाम् उत्तरे वामदेवेन चन्दनं वापि दापयेत्
To the west, with the Sadyojāta mantra, one should offer divine realgar; to the north, with the Vāmadeva mantra, one should offer sandalwood or the like.
पुरुषेण मुनिश्रेष्ठा हरितालं च पूर्वतः सितागरूद्भवं विप्रास् तथा कृष्णागरूद्भवम्
O best of sages, to the east, with the Puruṣa mantra, one should offer haritāla; O Brāhmaṇas, one should also offer white agaru and black agaru.
तथा गुग्गुलुधूपं च सौगन्धिकमनुत्तमम् सितारं नाम धूपं च दद्याद् ईशाय भक्तितः
Likewise, one should offer guggulu incense, the most excellent fragrant substance, and incense called sitāra, to Īśa with devotion.
महाचरुर्निवेद्यः स्याद् आढकान्नमथापि वा एतद् वः कथितं पुण्यं शिवलिङ्गमहाव्रतम्
A great food offering should be presented, or even cooked rice by the measure; thus has the meritorious great vow of the Śivaliṅga been declared to you.
सर्वमासेषु सामान्यं विशेषो ऽपि च कीर्त्यते वैशाखे वज्रलिङ्गं च ज्येष्ठे मारकतं तथा
This is common to all months, but the special distinctions are now stated: in Vaiśākha, a vajra liṅga; in Jyeṣṭha, an emerald one.
आषाढे मौक्तिकं लिङ्गं श्रावणे नीलनिर्मितम् मासि भाद्रपदे लिङ्गं पद्मरागमयं शुभम्
In Āṣāḍha, a pearl liṅga; in Śrāvaṇa, one made of sapphire; in Bhādrapada, an auspicious liṅga of padmarāga gem.
आश्विने चैव विप्रेन्द्राः गोमेदकमयं शुभम् प्रवालेनैव कार्तिक्यां तथा वै मार्गशीर्षके
And in Āśvina, O foremost Brāhmaṇas, an auspicious liṅga of gomedaka; in Kārtika, one of coral, and likewise in Mārgaśīrṣa.
वैडूर्यनिर्मितं लिङ्गं पुष्परागेण पुष्यके माघे च सूर्यकान्तेन फाल्गुने स्फाटिकेन च
In Puṣya, a liṅga made of vaidūrya gem; in Māgha, one of sūryakānta gem; and in Phālguna, one of crystal.
सर्वमासेषु कमलं हैममेकं विधीयते अलाभे राजतं वापि केवलं कमलं तु वा
In all months, a single golden lotus is prescribed; if that is not available, then a silver one, or at least a lotus alone.
रत्नानाम् अप्यलाभे तु हेम्ना वा राजतेन वा रजतस्याप्यलाभे तु ताम्रलोहेन कारयेत्
If gems are not available, it should be made of gold or silver; if silver is not available, it should be made of copper or other metals.
शैलं वा दारुजं वापि मृन्मयं वा सवेदिकम् सर्वगन्धमयं वापि क्षणिकं परिकल्पयेत्
Or it may be made of stone, or of wood, or of clay with a base, or even of fragrant substances, or fashioned temporarily.
हैमन्तिके महादेवं श्रीपत्त्रेणैव पूजयेत् सर्वमासेषु कमलं हैममेकमथापि वा
In the winter season, one should worship Mahadeva with a Śrī-patra leaf; in all months, a golden lotus, or even just one, may be offered.
राजतं वापि कमलं हैमकर्णिकमुत्तमम् राजतस्याप्यभावे तु बिल्वपत्रैः समर्चयेत्
Or, a silver lotus with a golden center, the best kind, may be used; if silver is not available, then worship should be performed with bilva leaves.
सहस्रकमलालाभे तदर्धेनापि पूजयेत् तदर्धार्धेन वा रुद्रम् अष्टोत्तरशतेन वा
If a thousand lotuses are not obtainable, one may worship with half that number, or with half of that, or with one hundred and eight.
बिल्वपत्रे स्थिता लक्ष्मीर् देवी लक्षणसंयुता नीलोत्पले ऽंबिका साक्षाद् उत्पले षण्मुखः स्वयम्
Lakṣmī, the goddess endowed with auspicious marks, abides in the bilva leaf; Ambikā herself is present in the blue lotus, and Ṣaṇmukha is in the lotus.