प्राणायामाद्भवेत्क्षिप्रं सर्वपापपरिक्षयः इन्द्रियाणां वशित्वं च तस्मात्प्राणांश् च संयमेत्
From prāṇāyāma, all sins are quickly destroyed, and mastery over the senses is attained; therefore, one should restrain the breath.
गृहे जपः समं विद्याद् गोष्ठे शतगुणं भवेत् नद्यां शतसहस्रं तु अनन्तः शिवसन्निधौ
Recitation at home is considered equal; in a cow-pen, it is a hundred times greater; at a river, a hundred thousand times; in the presence of Śiva, it is infinite.
समुद्रतीरे देवह्रदे गिरौ देवालयेषु च पुण्याश्रमेषु सर्वेषु जपः कोटिगुणो भवेत्
On the seashore, at a sacred lake, on a mountain, in temples, and in all holy hermitages, recitation yields ten million times the merit.
शिवस्य संनिधाने च सूर्यस्याग्रे गुरोरपि दीपस्य गोर्जलस्यापि जपकर्म प्रशस्यते
In the presence of Śiva, before the sun, before the teacher, before a lamp, a cow, or water, recitation is especially praised.
अङ्गुलीजपसंख्यानम् एकमेकं शुभानने रेखैरष्टगुणं प्रोक्तं पुत्रजीवफलैर् दश
Counting recitations on the fingers, O auspicious one, is counted as one each; with the lines, it is said to be eightfold; with putrajīva fruits, tenfold.
शतं वै शङ्खमणिभिः प्रवालैश् च सहस्रकम् स्फाटिकैर् दशसाहस्रं मौक्तिकैर्लक्षमुच्यते
A hundred with conch or gems, a thousand with coral, ten thousand with crystal, and a hundred thousand with pearls, it is said.
पद्माक्षैर्दशलक्षं तु सौवर्णैः कोटिरुच्यते कुशग्रन्थ्या च रुद्राक्षैर् अनन्तगुणमुच्यते
With lotus seeds, ten hundred thousand; with gold, ten million; with kuśa knots or rudrākṣa beads, it is said to be infinite in merit.
पञ्चविंशति मोक्षार्थं सप्तविंशति पौष्टिकम् त्रिंशच्च धनसंपत्त्यै पञ्चाशच्चाभिचारिकम्
Twenty-five for liberation, twenty-seven for nourishment, thirty for wealth and prosperity, and fifty for rites of enchantment.
तत्पूर्वाभिमुखं वश्यं दक्षिणं चाभिचारिकम् पश्चिमं धनदं विद्याद् उत्तरं शान्तिकं भवेत्
Facing east, it is for subjugation; facing south, for enchantment; facing west, it is known for wealth; facing north, it is for peace.
अङ्गुष्ठं मोक्षदं विद्यात् तर्जनी शत्रुनाशनी मध्यमा धनदा शान्तिं करोत्येषा ह्य् अनामिका
The thumb is known to grant liberation; the index finger destroys enemies; the middle finger grants wealth and peace is produced by the ring finger.
कनिष्ठा रक्षणीया सा जपकर्मणि शोभने अङ्गुष्ठेन जपेज्जप्यम् अन्यैरङ्गुलिभिः सह
The little finger is to be protected in the act of recitation, O auspicious one; the recitation should be done with the thumb together with the other fingers.
अङ्गुष्ठेन विना कर्म कृतं तदफलं यतः शृणुष्व सर्वयज्ञेभ्यो जपयज्ञो विशिष्यते
Any act performed without the thumb is fruitless; therefore, listen: among all sacrifices, the sacrifice of recitation is supreme.
हिंसया ते प्रवर्तन्ते जपयज्ञो न हिंसया यावन्तः कर्मयज्ञाः स्युः प्रदानानि तपांसि च
Sacrifices involving recitation proceed without violence; those involving violence are not true recitations. All sacrificial acts, gifts, and austerities that may exist—
सर्वे ते जपयज्ञस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् माहात्म्यं वाचिकस्यैव जपयज्ञस्य कीर्तितम्
—none of these equal even a sixteenth part of the recitation-sacrifice. The greatness of the vocal recitation-sacrifice is thus proclaimed.
तस्माच्छतगुणोपांशुः सहस्रो मानसः स्मृतः यद् उच्चनीचस्वरितैः शब्दैः स्पष्टपदाक्षरैः
Therefore, the whispered recitation is said to be a hundred times greater, and the mental recitation a thousand times greater than the vocal, which is performed with high and low tones, with clear words and syllables.
मन्त्रमुच्चारयेद्वाचा जपयज्ञः स वाचिकः शनैरुच्चारयेन्मन्त्रम् ईषद् ओष्ठौ तु चालयेत्
When one utters the mantra aloud with the voice, that is called vocal recitation; let one recite the mantra slowly, moving the lips just a little.
किंचित् कर्णान्तरं विद्याद् उपांशुः स जपः स्मृतः धिया यदक्षरश्रेण्या वर्णाद्वर्णं पदात्पदम्
If only the reciter himself hears a little, that is known as whispered recitation. When, with the mind, one contemplates each letter, syllable by syllable, word by word—
शब्दार्थं चिन्तयेद्भूयः स तूक्तो मानसो जपः त्रयाणां जपयज्ञानां श्रेयान् स्यादुत्तरोत्तरः
—and reflects repeatedly on the meaning of the words, that is called mental recitation. Of these three types of recitation-sacrifice, each subsequent one is superior to the previous.
भवेद्यज्ञविशेषेण वैशिष्ट्यं तत्फलस्य च जपेन देवता नित्यं स्तूयमाना प्रसीदति
There is a special excellence and result in each kind of sacrifice; by recitation, the deity, being constantly praised, becomes pleased.
प्रसन्ना विपुलान् भोगान् दद्यान्मुक्तिं च शाश्वतीम् यक्षरक्षःपिशाचाश् च ग्रहाः सर्वे च भीषणाः जापिनं नोपसर्पन्ति भयभीताः समन्ततः
When pleased, she grants abundant enjoyments and eternal liberation. All yakṣas, rākṣasas, piśācas, and terrifying spirits do not approach the reciter, being afraid on all sides.
जपेन भोगान् जयते च मृत्युं जपेन सिद्धिं लभते च मुक्तिम्
By recitation one conquers enjoyments and death; by recitation one attains accomplishment and liberation.
एवं लब्ध्वा शिवं ज्ञानं ज्ञात्वा जपविधिक्रमम्
Thus, having obtained the knowledge of Śiva and understanding the proper order of recitation—
सदाचारी जपन्नित्यं ध्यायन् भद्रं समश्नुते सदाचारं प्रवक्ष्यामि सम्यग्धर्मस्य साधनम्
—one who always recites with good conduct, meditating, attains auspiciousness. I will now properly declare good conduct, the means of true righteousness.
यस्मादाचारहीनस्य साधनं निष्फलं भवेत् आचारः परमो धर्म आचारः परमं तपः
For one lacking good conduct, all practice becomes fruitless. Good conduct is the highest dharma; good conduct is the highest austerity.
आचारः परमा विद्या आचारः परमा गतिः सदाचारवतां पुंसां सर्वत्राप्यभयं भवेत्
Good conduct is the highest knowledge; good conduct is the highest path. For those who possess good conduct, there is fearlessness everywhere.
तद्वदाचारहीनानां सर्वत्रैव भयं भवेत् सदाचारेण देवत्वम् ऋषित्वं च वरानने
But for those lacking good conduct, there is fear everywhere. By good conduct, one attains divinity and sagehood, O beautiful one.
उपयान्ति कुयोनित्वं तद्वद् आचारलङ्घनात् आचारहीनः पुरुषो लोके भवति निन्दितः
By transgressing good conduct, one falls into evil birth; a person without good conduct is reviled in the world.
तस्मात्संसिद्धिमन्विच्छन् सम्यगाचारवान् भवेत् दुर्वृत्तः शुद्धिभूयिष्ठः पापीयान् ज्ञानदूषकः
Therefore, one who seeks perfection should possess proper conduct. The wicked, though outwardly pure, are more sinful and corrupt knowledge.
वर्णाश्रमविधानोक्तं धर्मं कुर्वीत यत्नतः
One should diligently perform the dharma prescribed by the rules of varṇa and āśrama.
यस्य यद्विहितं कर्म तत्कुर्वन्मत्प्रियः सदा संध्योपासनशीलः स्यात् सायं प्रातः प्रसन्नधीः
Whoever performs the actions enjoined for him is always dear to me. He should practice worship at the twilights, in the evening and morning, with a clear mind.