Linga Purana

संध्यातिक्रमणाद्विप्रो ब्राह्मण्यात्पतते यतः असत्यं न वदेत् किंचिन् न सत्यं च परित्यजेत्

By neglecting the twilight worship, a Brahmin falls from Brahminhood; therefore, one should not speak untruth, nor should one abandon truth.

यत्सत्यं ब्रह्म इत्याहुर् असत्यं ब्रह्मदूषणम् अनृतं परुषं शाठ्यं पैशुन्यं पापहेतुकम्

That which is truth is said to be Brahman; untruth is a defilement of Brahman—falsehood, harshness, deceit, slander, and actions arising from sin.

परदारान्परद्रव्यं परहिंसां च सर्वदा क्वचिच्चापि न कुर्वीत वाचा च मनसा तथा

One should never commit adultery, theft, or harm to others, whether by speech or in thought.

शूद्रान्नं यातयामान्नं नैवेद्यं श्राद्धमेव च गणान्नं समुदायान्नं राजान्नं च विवर्जयेत्

One should avoid food from Shudras, stale food, offerings, funeral food, food from groups, food from gatherings, and food from kings.

अन्नशुद्धौ सत्त्वशुद्धिर् न मृदा न जलेन वै सत्त्वशुद्धौ भवेत्सिद्धिस् ततो ऽन्नं परिशोधयेत्

Purity of food leads to purity of mind, not by clay or water; when the mind is pure, success is attained—therefore, one should purify food.

राजप्रतिग्रहैर् दग्धान् ब्राह्मणान् ब्रह्मवादिनः स्विन्नानामपि बीजानां पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते

Brahmins devoted to Brahman who are corrupted by royal gifts, like seeds scorched by heat, do not have rebirth.

राजप्रतिग्रहो घोरो बुद्ध्वा चादौ विषोपमः बुधेन परिहर्तव्यः श्वमांसं चापि वर्जयेत्

Knowing that royal gifts are dreadful and at first like poison, the wise should avoid them, and also abstain from eating dog meat.

अस्नात्वा न च भुञ्जीयाद् अजपो ऽग्निमपूज्य च पर्णपृष्ठे न भुञ्जीयाद् रात्रौ दीपं विना तथा

One should not eat without bathing, nor without worshipping the fire, nor eat on a leaf's back, nor at night without a lamp.

भिन्नभाण्डे च रथ्यायां पतितानां च संनिधौ शूद्रशेषं न भुञ्जीयात् सहान्नं शिशुकैरपि

One should not eat in a broken vessel, in the street, in the presence of outcasts, remnants from Shudras, or food shared with children.

शुद्धान्नं स्निग्धम् अश्नीयात् संस्कृतं चाभिमन्त्रितम् भोक्ता शिव इति स्मृत्वा मौनी चैकाग्रमानसः

One should eat pure, unctuous, well-prepared, and consecrated food, remembering 'I am Shiva the enjoyer,' in silence and with a focused mind.

आस्येन न पिबेत्तोयं तिष्ठन्नञ्जलिनापि वा वामहस्तेन शय्यायां तथैवान्यंकरेण वा

One should not drink water with the mouth directly, nor while standing with cupped hands, nor with the left hand, nor lying on a bed, nor with any other limb.

विभीतकार्ककारञ्जस्नुहिच्छायां न चाश्रयेत् स्तंभदीपमनुष्याणाम् अन्येषां प्राणिनां तथा

One should not take shelter in the shade of the vibhītaka, arka, kāranja, or snuhi trees, nor near posts, lamps, or among people or other living beings.

एको न गच्छेदध्वानं बाहुभ्यां नोत्तरेन्नदीम् नावरोहेत कूपादिं नारोहेदुच्चपादपान्

One should not travel alone on a road, nor cross a river with the arms, nor descend into a well or similar place, nor climb tall trees.

सूर्याग्निजलदेवानां गुरूणां विमुखः शुभे न कुर्यादिह कार्याणि जपकर्म शुभानि वा

Facing away from the sun, fire, water, gods, or teachers, one should not perform auspicious acts, recitations, or sacred rites.

अग्नौ न तापयेत्पादौ हस्तं पद्भ्यां न संस्पृशेत् अग्नेर्नोच्छ्रयम् आसीत नाग्नौ किंचिन् मलं त्यजेत्

One should not warm the feet at the fire, nor touch the fire with the feet or hands, nor sit higher than the fire, nor cast any impurity into the fire.

न जलं ताडयेत्पद्भ्यां नांभस्यङ्गमलं त्यजेत् मलं प्रक्षालयेत् तीरे प्रक्षाल्य स्नानमाचरेत्

One should not strike water with the feet, nor cast bodily impurities into water; impurities should be cleansed on the bank, and after cleansing, one should bathe.

नखाग्रकेशनिर्धूतस्नानवस्त्रघटोदकम् अश्रीकरं मनुष्याणाम् अशुद्धं संस्पृशेद्यदि

Water that has been touched by fingernails, hair, after bathing, or by used garments or pots is inauspicious for people and impure if touched.

अजाश्वानखुरोष्ट्राणां मार्जनात् तुषरेणुकान् संस्पृशेद् यदि मूढात्मा श्रियं हन्ति हरेरपि

If a deluded person touches the dust or husks swept up from goats, horses, animals with uncloven hooves, or camels, he destroys his own prosperity, even that given by Hari.

मार्जारश् च गृहे यस्य सो ऽप्यन्त्यजसमो नरः भोजयेद्यस्तु विप्रेन्द्रान् मार्जारसंनिधौ यदि

A man whose house contains a cat is considered equal to an outcaste; and if he feeds revered Brahmins in the presence of a cat,

तच्चाण्डालसमं ज्ञेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा स्फिग्वातं शूर्पवातं च वातं प्राणमुखानिलम्

that is to be known as equal to feeding an outcaste—there should be no doubt about this. The wind from the buttocks, the winnowing fan, or the breath from the mouth,

सुकृतानि हरन्त्येते संस्पृष्टाः पुरुषस्य तु उष्णीषी कञ्चुकी नग्नो मुक्तकेशो मलावृतः

when they touch a person, they take away his merits. Likewise, a man who wears a turban, a jacket, is naked, has loose hair, or is covered in filth,

अपवित्रकरो ऽशुद्धः प्रलपन्न जपेत् क्वचित् क्रोधो मदः क्षुधा तन्द्रा निष्ठीवनविजृम्भणे

who makes impure gestures, is unclean, babbles, or sometimes chants while angry, intoxicated, hungry, drowsy, spitting, or yawning,

श्वनीचदर्शनं निद्रा प्रलापास्ते जपद्विषः एतेषां संभवे वापि कुर्यात्सूर्यादिदर्शनम्

who sees a dog eating, sleeps, or babbles—these are all enemies of recitation. If any of these occur, one should look at the sun or other luminaries.

आचम्य वा जपेच्छेषं कृत्वा वा प्राणसंयमम् सूर्यो ऽग्निश्चन्द्रमाश्चैव ग्रहनक्षत्रतारकाः

Or, having sipped water, he should recite the rest, or practice breath control. The sun, fire, moon, planets, stars, and constellations—

एते ज्योतींषि प्रोक्तानि विद्वद्भिर् ब्राह्मणैस् तथा प्रसार्य पादौ न जपेत् कुक्कुटासन एव च

these are declared by learned Brahmins to be the luminaries. One should not recite with feet outstretched, nor in the posture of a rooster.

अनासनः शयानो वा रथ्यायां शूद्रसन्निधौ रक्तभूम्यां च खट्वायां न जपेज्जापकस् तथा

One should not recite while not seated, lying down, in the street, in the presence of a Śūdra, on blood-stained ground, or on a cot.

आसनस्थो जपेत्सम्यक् मन्त्रार्थगतमानसः कौशेयं व्याघ्रचर्मं वा चैलं तौलमथापि वा

Seated properly, with the mind fixed on the meaning of the mantra, one should recite. The seat may be of silk, tiger skin, cloth, or cotton,

दारवं तालपर्णं वा आसनं परिकल्पयेत् त्रिसंध्यं तु गुरोः पूजा कर्तव्या हितमिच्छता

or made of wood or palm leaves. One who desires benefit should worship the teacher at the three junctions of the day.

यो गुरुः स शिवः प्रोक्तो यः शिवः स गुरुः स्मृतः यथा शिवस् तथा विद्या यथा विद्या तथा गुरुः

He who is the teacher is said to be Śiva; he who is Śiva is remembered as the teacher. As Śiva is, so is knowledge; as knowledge is, so is the teacher.