Linga Purana

सर्वभूतप्रसादश् च मृत्युकालजयस् तथा प्राजापत्यमिदं प्रोक्तम् आहङ्कारिकमुत्तमम्

The appeasement of all beings, victory over the time of death; this is called the supreme prājāpatya (creative) power, arising from ego.

अकारणजगत्सृष्टिस् तथानुग्रह एव च प्रलयश्चाधिकारश् च लोकवृत्तप्रवर्तनम्

The creation of the world without cause, as well as its grace, dissolution, authority, and the initiation of worldly activity.

असादृश्यमिदं व्यक्तं निर्माणं च पृथक्पृथक् संसारस्य च कर्तृत्वं ब्राह्मम् एतद् अनुत्तमम्

This manifest uniqueness, and distinct creation, as well as the agency in the cycle of existence, is the supreme Brahma power.

एतावत्तत्त्वमित्युक्तं प्राधान्यं वैष्णवं पदम् ब्रह्मणा तद्गुणं शक्यं वेत्तुमन्यैर्न शक्यते

Thus the essence is declared, the principal Vaiṣṇava state; its qualities can be known by Brahma, but not by others.

विद्यते तत्परं शैवं विष्णुना नावगम्यते असंख्येयगुणं शुद्धं को जानीयाच्छिवात्मकम्

That supreme Śaiva power exists, but is not understood by Viṣṇu; who can know the pure, innumerable qualities of the nature of Śiva?

व्युत्थाने सिद्धयश्चैता ह्य् उपसर्गाश् च कीर्तिताः निरोद्धव्याः प्रयत्नेन वैराग्येण परेण तु

These attainments and obstacles that arise after emergence must be restrained with great effort, through supreme detachment.

नाशातिशयतां ज्ञात्वा विषयेषु भयेषु च अश्रद्धया त्यजेत्सर्वं विरक्त इति कीर्तितः

Knowing that there is no true greatness in sense objects or dangers, one should abandon all with indifference; such a person is called dispassionate.

वैतृष्ण्यं पुरुषे ख्यातं गुणवैतृष्ण्यमुच्यते वैराग्येणैव संत्याज्याः सिद्धयश्चौपसर्गिकाः

Freedom from craving in a person is known as detachment from qualities; by detachment alone, both attainments and obstacles are to be renounced.

औपसर्गिकम् आ ब्रह्मभुवनेषु परित्यजेत् निरुध्यैव त्यजेत्सर्वं प्रसीदति महेश्वरः

All obstacles, even up to the world of Brahma, should be abandoned; having restrained everything, one should renounce all, and the Great Lord becomes pleased.

प्रसन्ने विमला मुक्तिर् वैराग्येण परेण वै अथवानुग्रहार्थं च लीलार्थं वा तदा मुनिः

When the Lord is pleased, pure liberation arises through supreme detachment; or, for the sake of grace or play, the sage may remain.

अनिरुध्य विचेष्टेद्यः सो ऽप्येवं हि सुखी भवेत् क्वचिद्भूमिं परित्यज्य ह्य् आकाशे क्रीडते श्रिया

He who acts without restraint also becomes happy in this way; sometimes leaving the earth, he plays in the sky with splendor.

उद्गिरेच्च क्वचिद्वेदान् सूक्ष्मानर्थान् समासतः क्वचिच्छ्रुते तदर्थेन श्लोकबन्धं करोति सः

Sometimes he utters the Vedas, their subtle meanings in summary; sometimes, with that meaning, he composes verses.

क्वचिद्दण्डकबन्धं तु कुर्याद्बन्धं सहस्रशः मृगपक्षिसमूहस्य रुतज्ञानं च विन्दति

Sometimes he composes prose passages, thousands of compositions; he also attains knowledge of the cries of groups of animals and birds.

ब्रह्माद्यं स्थावरान्तं च हस्तामलकवद्भवेत् बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन विज्ञानानि सहस्रशः

From Brahma down to immobile beings, all become clear to him as an amalaki fruit in the hand; what need is there to say more, when there are thousands of such knowledges?

उत्पद्यन्ते मुनिश्रेष्ठा मुनेस्तस्य महात्मनः अभ्यासेनैव विज्ञानं विशुद्धं च स्थिरं भवेत्

O best of sages, in that great sage, pure and steady knowledge arises by practice alone.

तेजोरूपाणि सर्वाणि सर्वं पश्यति योगवित् देवबिम्बान्यनेकानि विमानानि सहस्रशः

The knower of yoga sees all forms of light, all things, countless divine images and thousands of celestial vehicles.

पश्यति ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रयमाग्निवरुणादिकान् ग्रहनक्षत्रताराश् च भुवनानि सहस्रशः

He sees Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, Yama, Agni, Varuna, and others, as well as planets, stars, and thousands of worlds.

पातालतलसंस्थाश् च समाधिस्थः स पश्यति आत्मविद्याप्रदीपेन स्वस्थेनाचलनेन तु

Established in meditation, he sees those dwelling in the lower regions; by the lamp of self-knowledge and unwavering steadiness, he perceives them.

प्रसादामृतपूर्णेन सत्त्वपात्रस्थितेन तु तमो निहत्य पुरुषः पश्यति ह्यात्मनीश्वरम्

With the vessel of being filled with the nectar of grace, having destroyed darkness, the person sees the Lord within the self.

तस्य प्रसादाद्धर्मश् च ऐश्वर्यं ज्ञानमेव च वैराग्यमपवर्गश् च नात्र कार्या विचारणा

By his grace, virtue, sovereignty, knowledge, detachment, and liberation arise; there is no need for further inquiry here.

न शक्यो विस्तरो वक्तुं वर्षाणामयुतैरपि योगे पाशुपते निष्ठा स्थातव्यं च मुनीश्वराः

Even in tens of thousands of years, the full extent cannot be described; O best of sages, one must remain steadfast in the Pāśupata yoga.

सतां जितात्मनां साक्षाद् द्विजातीनां द्विजोत्तमाः धर्मज्ञानां च साधूनाम् आचार्याणां शिवात्मनाम्

O best of twice-born, among the virtuous, self-controlled, learned in dharma, the good, the teachers, and those whose nature is Shiva—

दयावतां द्विजश्रेष्ठास् तथा चैव तपस्विनाम् संन्यासिनां विरक्तानां ज्ञानिनां वशगात्मनाम्

O best of twice-born, among the compassionate, the ascetics, the renunciants, the dispassionate, the wise, and those who have mastered themselves—

दानिनां चैव दान्तानां त्रयाणां सत्यवादिनाम् अलुब्धानां सयोगानां श्रुतिस्मृतिविदां द्विजाः

O twice-born, among those who are generous, self-controlled, truthful, free from greed, united with yoga, and learned in the Vedas and the sacred traditions—

श्रौतस्मार्ताविरुद्धानां प्रसीदति महेश्वरः सदिति ब्रह्मणः शब्दस् तदन्ते ये लभन्त्युत

Maheshvara is pleased with those whose actions are not opposed to the Vedic and traditional codes; thus, the word of Brahma is established, and at the end, those attain it.

सायुज्यं ब्रह्मणो याति तेन सन्तः प्रचक्षते दशात्मके ये विषये साधने चाष्टलक्षणे

One attains union with Brahma; therefore, the virtuous declare that those who possess the tenfold qualities and the eightfold means in their pursuits—

न क्रुध्यन्ति न हृष्यन्ति जितात्मानस्तु ते स्मृताः सामान्येषु च द्रव्येषु तथा वैशेषिकेषु च

They neither become angry nor delighted; those who have mastered themselves are remembered thus, both regarding common and special possessions.

ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशो यस्माद् युक्तास्तस्माद्द्विजातयः वर्णाश्रमेषु युक्तस्य स्वर्गादिसुखकारिणः

Because Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas are united, therefore they are called twice-born; for one established in the duties of caste and stage of life, they are the bringers of happiness such as heaven.

श्रौतस्मार्तस्य धर्मस्य ज्ञानाद्धर्मज्ञ उच्यते विद्यायाः साधनात्साधुब्रह्मचारी गुरोर्हितः

One who knows dharma through knowledge of Vedic and traditional law is called a knower of dharma; through attainment of learning, the virtuous student is devoted to the teacher.