Linga Purana

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.

शिवविद्यागुरोस्तस्माद् भक्त्या च सदृशं फलम् सर्वदेवमयो देवि सर्वशक्तिमयो हि सः

Therefore, from devotion to Śiva, knowledge, and the teacher, one attains a fitting result. O Devi, he is composed of all gods and all powers.

सगुणो निर्गुणो वापि तस्याज्ञां शिरसा वहेत् श्रेयो ऽर्थी यस्तु गुर्वाज्ञां मनसापि न लङ्घयेत्

Whether endowed with qualities or beyond qualities, one should bear his command upon the head. One who seeks welfare should not transgress the teacher’s command, even in thought.

गुर्वाज्ञापालकः सम्यक् ज्ञानसंपत्तिमश्नुते गच्छंस्तिष्ठन्स्वपन् भुञ्जन् यद्यत्कर्म समाचरेत्

He who properly observes the teacher’s command attains the wealth of knowledge. Whether going, standing, sleeping, or eating, whatever action he performs,

समक्षं यदि तत्सर्वं कर्तव्यं गुर्वनुज्ञया गुरोर्देवसमक्षं वा न यथेष्टासनो भवेत्

all of it should be done in the teacher’s presence or with the teacher’s permission. In the presence of the teacher or of a deity, one should not sit as one pleases.

गुरुर्देवो यतः साक्षात् तद्गृहं देवमन्दिरम् पापिना च यथासंगात् तत्पापैः पतनं भवेत्

Since the teacher is directly the deity, his house is a temple. Association with the wicked leads to downfall through their sins.

तद्वदाचार्यसंगेन तद्धर्मफलभाग्भवेत् यथैव वह्निसंपर्कान् मलं त्यजति काञ्चनम्

In the same way, by association with the teacher, one partakes of the fruit of his virtue, just as gold, by contact with fire, is cleansed of impurity.

तथैव गुरुसंपर्कात् पापं त्यजति मानवः यथा वह्निसमीपस्थो घृतकुंभो विलीयते

In the same way, a person abandons sin through association with the guru, just as a pot of ghee melts when placed near a fire.

तथा पापं विलीयेत आचार्यस्य समीपतः यथा प्रज्वलितो वह्निर् विष्ठां काष्ठं च निर्दहेत्

Thus, sin is dissolved in the proximity of the teacher, just as a blazing fire burns up dung and wood.

गुरुस्तुष्टो दहत्येवं पापं तन्मन्त्रतेजसा ब्रह्मा हरिस् तथा रुद्रो देवाश् च मुनयस् तथा

When the guru is pleased, he burns away sin by the power of his mantra, just as Brahma, Hari, Rudra, the gods, and sages do.

कुर्वन्त्यनुग्रहं तुष्टा गुरौ तुष्टे न संशयः कर्मणा मनसा वाचा गुरोः क्रोधं न कारयेत्

When the guru is pleased, they bestow grace—there is no doubt; by deed, thought, and word, one should not cause the guru to become angry.