Linga Purana

वर्तते त्वसकृद्वृत्तिः कृत्स्ना ह्येषा दया स्मृता यद्यदिष्टतमं द्रव्यं न्यायेनैवागतं क्रमात्

Who acts repeatedly in this manner, this entire conduct is remembered as compassion; whatever desirable object is obtained in due order by justice—

तत्तद्गुणवते देयं दातुस्तद्दानलक्षणम् दानं त्रिविधमित्येतत् कनिष्ठज्येष्ठमध्यमम्

Gifts should be given according to the recipient's qualities; the donor's nature is also to be considered. Thus, giving is said to be of three kinds: inferior, superior, and middling.

कारुण्यात्सर्वभूतेभ्यः संविभागस्तु मध्यमः श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्यां विहितो धर्मो वर्णाश्रमात्मकः

Out of compassion, sharing with all beings is the middle kind; the duty prescribed by scripture and tradition is the dharma characterized by social class and stage of life.

शिष्टाचाराविरुद्धश् च स धर्मः साधुरुच्यते मायाकर्मफलत्यागी शिवात्मा परिकीर्तितः

That dharma which is not opposed to the conduct of the virtuous is called good; one who renounces the fruits of action, free from illusion, is said to possess the nature of Shiva.

निवृत्तः सर्वसङ्गेभ्यो युक्तो योगी प्रकीर्तितः असक्तो भयतो यस्तु विषयेषु विचार्य च

One who is detached from all attachments and engaged in discipline is called a yogi; but one who, out of fear, remains unattached to sense objects, after due reflection—

अलुब्धः संयमी प्रोक्तः प्रार्थितो ऽपि समन्ततः आत्मार्थं वा परार्थं वा इन्द्रियाणीह यस्य वै

He who is not greedy, who is self-controlled, even when requested from all sides, whether for his own sake or for others, whose senses—

न मिथ्या सम्प्रवर्तन्ते शमस्यैव तु लक्षणम् अनुद्विग्नो ह्यनिष्टेषु तथेष्टान्नाभिनन्दति

—do not act falsely, this is indeed the mark of tranquility; he is not disturbed by unpleasant things, nor does he rejoice in what is desired.

प्रीतितापविषादेभ्यो विनिवृत्तिर्विरक्तता संन्यासः कर्मणां न्यासः कृतानामकृतैः सह

Withdrawal from delight, pain, and sorrow is called dispassion; renunciation is the abandonment of actions, both performed and unperformed.

कुशलाकुशलानां तु प्रहाणं न्यास उच्यते अव्यक्ताद्यविशेषान्ते विकारे ऽस्मिन्नचेतने

The giving up of both good and bad actions is called renunciation; in this insentient transformation, from the unmanifest to the undifferentiated end—

चेतनाचेतनान्यत्वविज्ञानं ज्ञानमुच्यते एवं तु ज्ञानयुक्तस्य श्रद्धायुक्तस्य शङ्करः

Knowledge is said to be the discernment of the difference between the sentient and the insentient; thus, for one endowed with knowledge and faith, O Shankara—

प्रसीदति न संदेहो धर्मश्चायं द्विजोत्तमाः किं तु गुह्यतमं वक्ष्ये सर्वत्र परमेश्वरे

—there is no doubt that he attains peace; this is the dharma, O best of twice-born. But now I will declare the most secret teaching, concerning the Supreme Lord everywhere.

भवे भक्तिर्न संदेहस् तया युक्तो विमुच्यते अयोग्यस्यापि भगवान् भक्तस्य परमेश्वरः

There is no doubt that devotion arises in existence; endowed with that, one is liberated. Even for the unfit, the Blessed Lord, the Supreme Lord, is pleased with the devotee.

प्रसीदति न संदेहो निगृह्य विविधं तमः ज्ञानमध्यापनं होमो ध्यानं यज्ञस्तपः श्रुतम्

There is no doubt that He is pleased, restraining all kinds of darkness: teaching knowledge, offering oblations, meditation, sacrifice, austerity, and study—

दानमध्ययनं सर्वं भवभक्त्यै न संशयः चान्द्रायणसहस्रैश् च प्राजापत्यशतैस् तथा

—giving, and all study, are for the sake of devotion to existence, without doubt; even with thousands of Cāndrāyaṇa rites and hundreds of Prājāpatya rites—

मासोपवासैश्चान्यैर्वा भक्तिर्मुनिवरोत्तमाः अभक्ता भगवत्यस्मिंल् लोके गिरिगुहाशये

—and with other monthly fasts, O best of sages, devotion is supreme. Those without devotion to the Blessed Lord, who dwells in the mountain cave in this world—

पतन्ति चात्मभोगार्थं भक्तो भावेन मुच्यते भक्तानां दर्शनादेव नृणां स्वर्गादयो द्विजाः

—fall for the sake of their own enjoyment; but the devotee is liberated by devotion. By merely seeing devotees, O twice-born, people attain heaven and more.

न दुर्लभा न सन्देहो भक्तानां किं पुनस् तथा ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेन्द्राणां तथान्येषामपि स्थितिः

There is no doubt that such things are not difficult for devotees; how much more so for Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, and others, and for the rest as well.

भक्त्या एव मुनीनां च बलसौभाग्यमेव च भवेन च तथा प्रोक्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्योमां पिनाकिना

By devotion alone, sages attain strength and good fortune; so it is said, having observed Uma by Pinākin.

देव्यै देवेन मधुरं वाराणस्यां पुरा द्विजाः अविमुक्ते समासीना रुद्रेण परमात्मना

Long ago, O twice-born, in Varanasi, the god spoke sweetly to the goddess, as Rudra, the Supreme Self, sat in Avimukta.

रुद्राणी रुद्रमाहेदं लब्ध्वा वाराणसीं पुरीम् केन वश्यो महादेव पूज्यो दृश्यस्त्वमीश्वरः

O Rudrani, having obtained Rudra and this city of Varanasi, by what means is Mahadeva made subject, worshipped, and seen as the Lord?

तपसा विद्यया वापि योगेनेह वद प्रभो निशम्य वचनं तस्यास् तथा ह्यालोक्य पार्वतीम्

Is it through austerity, knowledge, or yoga here? Tell me, O Lord, having heard her words and thus looking upon Parvati.

आह बालेन्दुतिलकः पूर्णेन्दुवदनां हसन् स्मृत्वाथ मेनया पत्न्या गिरेर्गां कथितां पुरा

He, marked with the crescent moon and having a face like the full moon, smiling, remembered the story once told by Menā, wife of the mountain.

चिरकालस्थितिं प्रेक्ष्य गिरौ देव्या महात्मनः देवि लब्धा पुरी रम्या त्वया यत्प्रष्टुमर्हसि

Seeing the long-standing presence on the mountain of the great-souled goddess, O Devi, you have obtained this delightful city; you are worthy to ask about it.

स्थानार्थं कथितं मात्रा विस्मृतेह विलासिनि पुरा पितामहेनापि पृष्टः प्रश्नवतां वरे

For the sake of the place, it was told by the mother, forgotten here, O playful one; formerly, even Pitamaha asked, being foremost among questioners.

यथा त्वयाद्य वै पृष्टो द्रष्टुं ब्रह्मात्मकं त्वहम् श्वेते श्वेतेन वर्णेन दृष्ट्वा कल्पे तु मां शुभे

Just as you now ask me to see the Brahman-essence, O pure one, in the Kalpa, Brahma saw me, white in color, with a white form.

सद्योजातं तथा रक्ते रक्तं वामं पितामहः पीते तत्पुरुषं पीतम् अघोरे कृष्णमीश्वरम्

Sadyōjāta appeared in white, Vāmadeva in red, Pitamaha saw Tatpuruṣa in yellow, and Aghora, the Lord, in black.

ईशानं विश्वरूपाख्यो विश्वरूपं तदाह माम्

Īśāna, called the universal form, then spoke of me as the universal form.

वाम तत्पुरुषाघोर सद्योजात महेश्वर दृष्टो मया त्वं गायत्र्या देवदेव महेश्वर केन वश्यो महादेव ध्येयः कुत्र घृणानिधे

Vāmadeva, Tatpuruṣa, Aghora, Sadyōjāta, Maheshvara—by Gayatri I was seen by you, O god of gods, Maheshvara. By what means is Mahadeva made subject, meditated upon, and where, O source of radiance?

दृश्यः पूज्यस् तथा देव्या वक्तुमर्हसि शङ्कर अवोचं श्रद्धयैवेति वश्यो वारिजसंभव

He is to be seen and worshipped; thus, O Devi, you should speak, O Shankara. I said: Only by faith is he made subject, O lotus-born.