Linga Purana

प्रतिष्ठाप्य ततः स्नाप्य समभ्यर्च्य महेश्वरम् देवस्य दक्षिणे हस्ते शूलं त्रिदशपूजितम्

After establishing, bathing, and worshipping Maheśvara, in the right hand of the deity, the trident, worshipped by the gods, should be placed.

वामे पाशं भवान्याश् च कमलं हेमभूषितम् विष्णोश् च शङ्खं चक्रं च गदामब्जं प्रयत्नतः

In the left, the noose of Bhavānī and a lotus adorned with gold; and for Viṣṇu, the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, carefully.

ब्रह्मणश्चाक्षसूत्रं च कमण्डलुमनुत्तमम् इन्द्रस्य वज्रम् अग्नेश् च शक्त्याख्यं परमायुधम्

For Brahmā, the rosary and the excellent water-pot; for Indra, the thunderbolt; for Agni, the supreme weapon called śakti.

यमस्य दण्डं निरृतेः खड्गं निशिचरस्य तु वरुणस्य महापाशं नागाख्यं रुद्रमद्भुतम्

For Yama, the staff; for Nirṛti, the sword; for the lord of night, the great noose of Varuṇa, wondrous and named Nāga.

वायोर् यष्टिं कुबेरस्य गदां लोकप्रपूजिताम् टङ्कं चेशानदेवस्य निवेद्यैवं क्रमेण च

For Vāyu, the staff; for Kubera, the mace, honored by the worlds; and for Īśāna, the axe, thus offering in order.

शिवस्य महतीं पूजां कृत्वा चरुसमन्विताम् पूजयेत्सर्वदेवांश् च यथाविभवविस्तरम्

After performing a great worship of Shiva, accompanied by an offering of cooked food, one should worship all the other gods as extensively as one's means allow.

ब्राह्मणान्भोजयित्वा च पूजां कृत्वा प्रयत्नतः महामेरुव्रतं कृत्वा महादेवाय दापयेत्

After feeding Brahmins and carefully performing the worship, one should observe the Mahameru vow and offer it to Mahadeva.

महामेरुमनुप्राप्य महादेव्या प्रमोदते चिरं सायुज्यम् आप्नोति महादेव्या न संशयः

Having attained Mahameru, one delights with Mahadevi for a long time and surely attains union with Mahadevi—there is no doubt.

कार्तिक्यामपि या नारी कृत्वा देवीमुमां शुभाम् सर्वाभरणसम्पूर्णां सर्वलक्षणलक्षिताम्

Any woman who, during Kartika, creates the auspicious goddess Uma, adorned with all ornaments and marked by all auspicious features,

हेमताम्रादिभिश्चैव प्रतिष्ठाप्य विधानतः देवं च कृत्वा देवेशं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्

and establishes her according to the proper rites in gold, copper, or other metals, and likewise creates the Lord of gods, endowed with all auspicious marks,

तयोरग्रे हुताशं च स्रुवहस्तं पितामहम् नारायणं च दातारं सर्वाभरणभूषितम्

and before them installs Agni holding the ladle, Pitamaha, and Narayana, the bestower, adorned with all ornaments,

लोकपालैस् तथा सिद्धैः संवृतं स्थाप्य यत्नतः रुद्रालये व्रतं तस्मै दापयेद्भक्तिपूर्वकम्

and carefully establishes them, surrounded by the guardians of the worlds and Siddhas, in the temple of Rudra, she should offer that vow with devotion.

सा भवान्यास्तनुं गत्वा भवेन सह मोदते एकभक्तव्रतं पुण्यं प्रतिमासमनुक्रमात्

She, having attained the form of Bhavani, rejoices together with Bhava; the meritorious vow of single-meal fasting is to be observed every month in succession.

मार्गशीर्षकमासादिकार्तिकान्तं प्रवर्तितम् नरनार्यादिजन्तूनां हिताय मुनिसत्तमाः

Beginning with the month of Margashirsha and continuing until Kartika, this practice is established for the welfare of men, women, and other beings, O best of sages.

नरः कृत्वा व्रतं चैव शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् नारी देव्या न संदेहः शिवेन परिभाषितम्

A man who observes this vow attains union with Shiva; a woman attains union with Devi—there is no doubt, as spoken by Shiva.

सर्वव्रतेषु सम्पूज्य देवदेवमुमापतिम् जपेत्पञ्चाक्षरीं विद्यां विधिनैव द्विजोत्तमाः

In all vows, having worshipped the Lord of gods, the consort of Uma, one should recite the five-syllabled mantra according to the prescribed method, O best of twice-born.

जपादेव न संदेहो व्रतानां वै विशेषतः समाप्तिर्नान्यथा तस्माज् जपेत्पञ्चाक्षरीं शुभाम्

By recitation alone, there is no doubt, especially regarding vows, that their completion is achieved in no other way; therefore, one should recite the auspicious five-syllabled mantra.

कथं पञ्चाक्षरी विद्या प्रभावो वा कथं वद क्रमोपायं महाभाग श्रोतुं कौतूहलं हि नः

How does the five-syllabled mantra work, and what is its power? Please tell, step by step, O highly fortunate one; we are eager to hear.

पुरा देवेन रुद्रेण देवदेवेन शंभुना पार्वत्याः कथितं पुण्यं प्रवदामि समासतः

Formerly, this meritorious teaching was spoken by the god Rudra, the Lord of gods, Shambhu, to Parvati; I will briefly relate it.

भगवन्देवदेवेश सर्वलोकमहेश्वर पञ्चाक्षरस्य माहात्म्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः

O Lord, God of gods, Great Lord of all worlds, I wish to hear the true greatness of the five-syllabled mantra.

पञ्चाक्षरस्य माहात्म्यं वर्षकोटिशतैरपि न शक्यं कथितुं देवि तस्मात् संक्षेपतः शृणु

The greatness of the five-syllabled mantra cannot be fully described even in hundreds of millions of years, O Devi; therefore, listen to it in brief.

प्रलये समनुप्राप्ते नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे नष्टे देवासुरे चैव नष्टे चोरगराक्षसे

When dissolution arrives, when all that is stationary and moving is destroyed, when gods and demons are lost, and when serpents and rakshasas are gone,

सर्वं प्रकृतिमापन्नं त्वया प्रलयमेष्यति एको ऽहं संस्थितो देवि न द्वितीयो ऽस्ति कुत्रचित्

All will merge into primal nature and, through you, will enter dissolution; I alone remain, O Devi—there is no second anywhere.

तस्मिन्वेदाश् च शास्त्राणि मन्त्रे पञ्चाक्षरे स्थिताः ते नाशं नैव सम्प्राप्ता मच्छक्त्या ह्यनुपालिताः

Within it, the Vedas and the scriptures, and the five-syllabled mantra are established; by my power, they have never come to destruction nor have they been neglected.

अहमेको द्विधाप्यासं प्रकृत्यात्मप्रभेदतः स तु नारायणः शेते देवो मायामयीं तनुम्

I alone existed, yet I became twofold, by the distinction of nature and self; and that Nārāyaṇa lies, the god, in a body made of Māyā.

आस्थाय योगपर्यङ्कशयने तोयमध्यगः तन्नाभिपङ्कजाज्जातः पञ्चवक्त्रः पितामहः

Reclining in the posture of yogic meditation, in the midst of the waters, from his navel's lotus was born the five-faced ancestor, Brahmā.

सिसृक्षमाणो लोकान्वै त्रीनशक्तो ऽसहायवान् दश ब्रह्मा ससर्जादौ मानसानमितौजसः

Desiring to create the worlds, but unable, being alone and unaided, Brahmā at first created ten mind-born sons, endowed with immense energy.

तेषां सृष्टिप्रसिद्ध्यर्थं मां प्रोवाच पितामहः मत्पुत्राणां महादेव शक्तिं देहि महेश्वर

For the success of their creation, the ancestor addressed me: 'O Mahādeva, O great Lord, grant power to my sons.'

इति तेन समादिष्टः पञ्चवक्त्रधरो ह्यहम् पञ्चाक्षरान्पञ्चमुखैः प्रोक्तवान् पद्मयोनये

Thus commanded by him, I, bearing five faces, spoke the five-syllabled mantra with my five mouths to the lotus-born one.