Linga Purana

ब्रह्मसिद्धिमवाप्नोति व्रतेनानेन सुंदरि जपेल्लक्षमनालस्यो निर्वाते ध्वनिवर्जिते

By this vow, O beautiful one, one attains realization of Brahman; let one recite a hundred thousand times without laziness, in stillness, free from noise.

मध्यरात्रे च शिवयोः पश्यत्येव न संशयः अन्धकारविनाशश् च दीपस्येव प्रकाशनम्

At midnight, one surely beholds Shiva and Parvati—there is no doubt; just as darkness is dispelled and a lamp shines forth.

हृदयान्तर्बहिर्वापि भविष्यति न संशयः सर्वसंपत्समृद्ध्यर्थं जपेदयुतमात्मवान्

Whether within the heart or outside, it will certainly occur—there is no doubt; for the sake of all prosperity and abundance, the self-controlled should recite ten thousand times.

सबीजसंपुटं मन्त्रं शतलक्षं जपेच्छुचिः मत्सायुज्यमवाप्नोति भक्तिमान् किमतः परम्

With purity, let one recite the mantra with seed and enclosure a hundred thousand times; the devoted one attains union with me—what could be greater than this?

इति ते सर्वमाख्यातं पञ्चाक्षरविधिक्रमम् यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स याति परमां गतिम्

Thus, the entire procedure of the five-syllabled mantra has been explained to you; whoever recites or hears it attains the highest state.

श्रावयेच्च द्विजाञ्छुद्धान् पञ्चाक्षरविधिक्रमम् दैवे कर्मणि पित्र्ये वा शिवलोके महीयते

And whoever teaches pure twice-borns the procedure of the five-syllabled mantra is honored in the world of Shiva, whether in divine or ancestral rites.

जपाच्छ्रेष्ठतमं प्राहुर् ब्राह्मणा दग्धकिल्बिषाः विरक्तानां प्रबुद्धानां ध्यानयज्ञं सुशोभनम्

Freed from sin, the Brahmins declare recitation to be the best, but for those who are detached and awakened, meditation-sacrifice is most excellent.

तस्माद्वदस्व सूताद्य ध्यानयज्ञमशेषतः विस्तारात्सर्वयत्नेन विरक्तानां महात्मनाम्

Therefore, O Suta and others, speak in full detail of the meditation-sacrifice, with all effort, for the great souls who are detached.

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनीनां दीर्घसत्त्रिणाम् रुद्रेण कथितं प्राह गुहां प्राप्य महात्मनाम्

Hearing the words of those sages, long engaged in sacrifice, he spoke what was told by Rudra, having reached the cave of the great souls.

संहृत्य कालकूटाख्यं विषं वै विश्वकर्मणा गुहां प्राप्य सुखासीनं भवान्या सह शङ्करम्

Having absorbed the poison called Kālakūṭa by the act of Viśvakarman, he reached the cave and sat comfortably with Bhavānī, O Śaṅkara.

मुनयः संशितात्मानः प्रणेमुस्तं गुहाश्रयम् अस्तुवंश् च ततः सर्वे नीलकण्ठमुमापतिम्

The sages, with controlled minds, bowed to him who dwelled in the cave, and then all praised Nīlakaṇṭha, the consort of Umā.

अत्युग्रं कालकूटाख्यं संहृतं भगवंस्त्वया अतः प्रतिष्ठितं सर्वं त्वया देव वृषध्वज

O Lord, the terrible poison called Kālakūṭa was absorbed by you; therefore, everything is established by you, O god with the bull-banner.

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भगवान्नीललोहितः प्रहसन्प्राह विश्वात्मा सनन्दनपुरोगमान्

Hearing their words, the blessed blue-red one, the soul of the universe, smiled and spoke to Sanandana and the others.

किमनेन द्विजश्रेष्ठा विषं वक्ष्ये सुदारुणम् संहरेत्तद्विषं यस्तु स समर्थो ह्यनेन किम्

O best of twice-born, what is the use of this poison? I will tell you of a most dreadful poison; whoever can absorb that poison is truly capable—what use is this one?

न विषं कालकूटाख्यं संसारो विषमुच्यते तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन संहरेत सुदारुणम्

The poison called Kālakūṭa is not the real poison; saṃsāra is said to be the poison. Therefore, one should strive with all effort to absorb that most dreadful poison.

संसारो द्विविधः प्रोक्तः स्वाधिकारानुरूपतः पुंसां संमूढचित्तानाम् असंक्षीणः सुदारुणः

Saṃsāra is said to be of two kinds, according to one's eligibility: for those whose minds are deluded, it is unmitigated and very terrible.

ईषणारागदोषेण सर्गो ज्ञानेन सुव्रताः तद्वशादेव सर्वेषां धर्माधर्मौ न संशयः

By the fault of desire and attachment, creation arises; by knowledge, O virtuous ones, all dharma and adharma depend on that—there is no doubt.

असन्निकृष्टे त्वर्थे ऽपि शास्त्रं तच्छ्रवणात्सताम् बुद्धिमुत्पादयत्येव संसारे विदुषां द्विजाः

Even when the subject is not immediately relevant, O twice-born, the scripture, by being heard, certainly produces understanding in the wise within the cycle of existence.

तस्माद्दृष्टानुश्रविकं दुष्टमित्युभयात्मकम् संत्यजेत्सर्वयत्नेन विरक्तः सो ऽभिधीयते

Therefore, one who is detached should, with all effort, abandon what is seen and heard to be corrupt, for it is of a dual nature—so it is declared.

शास्त्रमित्युच्यते भागं श्रुतेः कर्मसु तद्द्विजाः मूर्धानं ब्रह्मणः सारम् ऋषीणां कर्मणः फलम्

Scripture is said to be a portion of the Veda concerning actions, O twice-born; it is the crown of Brahman, the essence, the fruit of the sages’ actions.

ननु स्वभावः सर्वेषां कामो दृष्टो न चान्यथा श्रुतिः प्रवर्तिका तेषाम् इति कर्मण्यतद्विदः

Indeed, desire is seen as the natural tendency of all, and not otherwise; the Veda enjoins action for them—thus, those who know this are devoted to action.

निवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मः समर्थानाम् इहोच्यते तस्मादज्ञानमूलो हि संसारः सर्वदेहिनाम्

Here, the characteristic of dharma for the capable is said to be renunciation; therefore, for all embodied beings, the root of worldly existence is ignorance.

कला संशोषमायाति कर्मणान्यस्वभावतः सकलस्त्रिविधो जीवो ज्ञानहीनस्त्वविद्यया

Due to actions contrary to their own nature, the power (kalā) withers away; the embodied soul, being threefold and complete, when lacking knowledge, is bound by ignorance.

नारकी पापकृत्स्वर्गी पुण्यकृत् पुण्यगौरवात् व्यतिमिश्रेण वै जीवश् चतुर्धा संव्यवस्थितः

Because of the weight of virtue or sin, the soul is established in four ways: as hell-bound for evil deeds, as heavenly for good deeds, and as mixed for both.

उद्भिज्जः स्वेदजश्चैव अण्डजो वै जरायुजः एवं व्यवस्थितो देही कर्मणाज्ञो ह्यनिर्वृतः

The embodied being is classified as born from sprout, sweat, egg, or womb; thus established by actions, ignorant, and unsatisfied.

प्रजया कर्मणा मुक्तिर् धनेन च सतां न हि त्यागेनैकेन मुक्तिः स्यात् तदभावाद्भ्रमत्यसौ

Liberation is not attained by progeny, actions, or wealth, O noble ones; nor by renunciation alone—lacking these, one wanders here.

एवमज्ञानदोषेण नानाकर्मवशेन च षट्कौशिकं समुद्भूतं भजत्येष कलेवरम्

Thus, due to the fault of ignorance and the force of various actions, this embodied one assumes the sixfold condition.

गर्भे दुःखान्यनेकानि योनिमार्गे च भूतले कौमारे यौवने चैव वार्द्धके मरणे ऽपि वा

In the womb, there are many sufferings; likewise in the birth passage, on earth, in childhood, youth, old age, and even at death.

विचारतः सतां दुःखं स्त्रीसंसर्गादिभिर् द्विजाः दुःखेनैकेन वै दुःखं प्रशाम्यतीह दुःखिनः

For the wise who reflect, O twice-born, suffering arises from union with women and other causes; for the suffering, one pain is calmed only by another pain.