Linga Purana

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.

सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशैर् विमानै रत्नभूषितैः गत्वा शिवपुरं दिव्यं नेहायाति कदाचन

Having gone to the divine city of Śiva in aerial chariots shining like ten million suns and adorned with jewels, he never returns here again.

अथवा ह्येकमासं वा चरेदेवं व्रतोत्तमम् शिवलोकमवाप्नोति नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Or, if one observes this supreme vow even for a single month, he attains the world of Śiva—of this there is no doubt.

अथवा सक्तचित्तश्चेद् यान्यान् संचिन्तयेद्वरान् वर्षमेकं चरेदेवं तांस्तान्प्राप्य शिवं व्रजेत्

Or, if his mind is attached and he desires other boons, by observing this for one year, he attains those and then reaches Śiva.

देवत्वं वा पितृत्वं वा देवराजत्वमेव च गाणपत्यपदं वापि सक्तो ऽपि लभते नरः

Whether it be divinity, ancestorhood, sovereignty among gods, or the status of Gaṇapati—whatever he is attached to, a man attains.

विद्यार्थी लभते विद्यां भोगार्थी भोगमाप्नुयात् द्रव्यार्थी च निधिं पश्येद् आयुःकामश् चिरायुषम्

A seeker of knowledge obtains knowledge, a seeker of enjoyment obtains pleasure, a seeker of wealth finds treasure, and one desiring long life attains longevity.

यान्यांश्चिन्तयते कामांस् तांस्तान्प्राप्येह मोदते एकमासव्रतादेव सो ऽन्ते रुद्रत्वमाप्नुयात्

Whatever desires he contemplates, he enjoys those here; and by the vow of a single month, at the end he attains the state of Rudra.

इदं पवित्रं परमं रहस्यं व्रतोत्तमं विश्वसृजापि सृष्टम् हिताय देवासुरसिद्धमर्त्यविद्याधराणां परमं शिवेन

This pure, supreme, and secret vow was established by the creator of the universe for the welfare of gods, asuras, siddhas, mortals, and vidyādharas, by the supreme Śiva.

सम्पूज्य पूज्यं विधिनैवमीशं प्रणम्य मूर्ध्ना सह भृत्यपुत्रैः व्यपोहनं नाम जपेत्स्तवं च प्रदक्षिणं कृत्य शिवं प्रयत्नात्

Having worshipped the Lord in this manner according to rule, bowing with the head along with servants and sons, one should recite the hymn called 'Vyapohana' and circumambulate Śiva with effort.

पुराकृतं विश्वसृजा स्तवं च हिताय देवेन जगत्त्रयस्य पितामहेनैव सुरैश्च सार्धं महानुभावेन महार्घ्यम् एतत्

This hymn, composed by the creator of the universe for the welfare of the three worlds, was offered by the great and venerable god, the grandfather of all, together with the gods.

व्यपोहनस्तवं वक्ष्ये सर्वसिद्धिप्रदं शुभम् नन्दिनश् च मुखाच्छ्रुत्वा कुमारेण महात्मना

I will now declare the 'Vyapohana' hymn, bestowing all attainments and auspicious, as heard from the mouth of Nandin by the great-souled Kumāra.