Linga Purana

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.

पद्माश्रितो महादेवः सर्वदेवपतिः शिवः तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन श्रीपत्त्रं न त्यजेद्बुधः

Mahādeva, the lord of all gods, Śiva, is established in the lotus; therefore, the wise should never neglect the Śrī-patra leaf under any circumstance.

नीलोत्पलं चोत्पलं च कमलं च विशेषतः सर्ववश्यकरं पद्मं शिला सर्वार्थसिद्धिदा

The blue lotus, the regular lotus, and especially the red lotus, are all highly effective; the stone lotus grants success in all endeavors.

कृष्णागरुसमुद्भूतं सर्वपापनिकृन्तनम् गुग्गुलुप्रभृतीनां चैव दीपानां च निवेदनम्

That which arises from black agaru wood destroys all sins; offerings of incense such as guggulu and others should also be presented.

सर्वरोगक्षयं चैव चन्दनं सर्वसिद्धिदम् सौगन्धिकं तथा धूपं सर्वकामार्थसाधकम्

Sandalwood removes all diseases and grants all attainments; fragrant incense likewise fulfills all desires and purposes.

श्वेतागरूद्भवं चैव तथा कृष्णागरूद्भवम् सौम्यं सीतारिधूपं च साक्षान्निर्वाणसिद्धिदम्

Incense made from white agaru and black agaru, as well as gentle sītārī incense, directly bestows the attainment of liberation.

श्वेतार्ककुसुमे साक्षाच् चतुर्वक्त्रः प्रजापतिः कर्णिकारस्य कुसुमे मेधा साक्षाद्व्यवस्थिता

In the white arka flower, Prajāpati, the four-faced creator, is present; in the flower of the karṇikāra, the goddess of wisdom herself abides.

करवीरे गणाध्यक्षो बके नारायणः स्वयम् सुगन्धिषु च सर्वेषु कुसुमेषु नगात्मजा

In the karavīra flower is Gaṇādhyakṣa; in the bakula, Nārāyaṇa himself; and in all fragrant flowers, the daughter of the mountain dwells.

तस्मादेतैर्यथालाभं पुष्पधूपादिभिः शुभैः पूजयेद्देवदेवेशं भक्त्या वित्तानुसारतः

Therefore, according to what is available, one should worship the Lord of gods with these auspicious flowers, incense, and the like, with devotion and according to one's means.

निवेदयेत्ततो भक्त्या पायसं च महाचरुम् सघृतं सोपदंशं च सर्वद्रव्यसमन्वितम्

Then, with devotion, one should offer sweet rice and great cooked food, with ghee and with portions, containing all kinds of ingredients.

शुद्धान्नं वापि मुद्गान्नम् आढकं चार्धकं तु वा चामरं तालवृन्तं च तस्मै भक्त्या निवेदयेत्

Or, pure rice or mung-bean rice, even half or a full measure, and a yak-tail fan and palm-leaf fan should be offered to him with devotion.

उपहाराणि पुण्यानि न्यायेनैवार्जितान्यपि नानाविधानि चार्हाणि प्रोक्षितान्यंभसा पुनः

All auspicious offerings, even those rightfully acquired, and various kinds of gifts, should be purified with water and then presented.

निवेदयेच्च रुद्राय भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा क्षीराद्वै सर्वदेवानां स्थित्यर्थममृतं ध्रुवम्

One should offer to Rudra with a mind full of devotion; milk is indeed the immortal sustenance for the maintenance of all the gods.

विष्णुना जिष्णुना साक्षाद् अन्ने सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् भूतानाम् अन्नदानेन प्रीतिर् भवति शङ्करे

By Viṣṇu and by Jīṣṇu, all food is established; by the gift of food, Śaṅkara is pleased with all beings.

तस्मात् सम्पूजयेद् देवम् अन्ने प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिताः उपहारे तथा तुष्टिर् व्यञ्जने पवनः स्वयम्

Therefore, one should worship the god with food, for life is established in food; satisfaction is in the offering, and in the side-dishes, the wind itself is present.

सर्वात्मको महादेवो गन्धतोये ह्यपाम्पतिः पीठे वै प्रकृतिः साक्षान् महदाद्यैर्व्यवस्थिता

The great god, who is the soul of all, the lord of waters in fragrant streams, is indeed the seat, manifest nature itself, established with the great principle and others.

तस्माद्देवं यजेद्भक्त्या प्रतिमासं यथाविधि पौर्णमास्यां व्रतं कार्यं सर्वकामार्थसिद्धये

Therefore, one should worship the god with devotion each month according to the prescribed rule; on the full moon, one should observe the vow for the attainment of all desired aims.

सत्यं शौचं दया शान्तिः संतोषो दानमेव च पौर्णमास्याममावास्याम् उपवासं च कारयेत्

Truthfulness, purity, compassion, peace, contentment, and charity—these should be practiced; on the full and new moon days, one should also undertake fasting.

संवत्सरान्ते गोदानं वृषोत्सर्गं विशेषतः भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या श्रोत्रियान् वेदपारगान्

At the end of the year, one should especially give cows and release a bull; with devotion, one should feed Brahmins learned in the Vedas.

तल् लिङ्गं पूजितं तेन सर्वद्रव्यसमन्वितम् स्थापयेद् वा शिवक्षेत्रे दापयेद् ब्राह्मणाय वा

That liṅga, worshipped with all kinds of offerings, should be installed in a sacred place of Śiva or given to a Brahmin.

य एवं सर्वमासेषु शिवलिङ्गमहाव्रतम् कुर्याद्भक्त्या मुनिश्रेष्ठाः स एव तपतां वरः

Whoever, O best of sages, observes this great vow of the Śiva-liṅga with devotion in every month, is truly the foremost among ascetics.