Linga Purana

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.

न जातु कामः कामानाम् उपभोगेन शाम्यति हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते

Desire is never satisfied by enjoyment of objects; like clarified butter poured on a fire, it only grows all the more.

तस्माद्विचारतो नास्ति संयोगादपि वै नृणाम् अर्थानाम् अर्जने ऽप्येवं पालने च व्यये तथा

Therefore, upon reflection, there is no satisfaction for people even from union with objects, nor in their acquisition, preservation, or expenditure.

पैशाचे राक्षसे दुःखं याक्षे चैव विचारतः गान्धर्वे च तथा चान्द्रे सौम्यलोके द्विजोत्तमाः

Upon reflection, suffering exists in the demonic, the rakshasa, the yaksha, the gandharva, and the lunar (soma) worlds, O best of twice-born.

प्राजापत्ये तथा ब्राह्मे प्राकृते पौरुषे तथा क्षयसातिशयाद्यैस्तु दुःखैर्दुःखानि सुव्रताः

Likewise, in the prajapati, brahma, natural, and human realms, O virtuous ones, suffering arises from decay, excess, and other causes.

तानि भाग्यान्यशुद्धानि संत्यजेच्च धनानि च तस्मादष्टगुणं भोगं तथा षोडशधा स्थितम्

Those fortunes are impure and should be abandoned, as should wealth; therefore, eightfold enjoyment and likewise the sixteenfold state should be given up.

चतुर्विंशत्प्रकारेण संस्थितं चापि सुव्रताः द्वात्रिंशद्भेदमनघाश् चत्वारिंशद्गुणं पुनः

O virtuous ones, it is established in twenty-four forms, and again, O sinless ones, in thirty-two varieties and fortyfold as well.

तथाष्टचत्वारिंशच्च षट्पञ्चाशत्प्रकारतः चतुःषष्टिविधं चैव दुःखमेव विवेकिनः

In the same way, there are forty-eight, fifty-six, and sixty-four kinds of suffering for the discerning.

पार्थिवं च तथाप्यं च तैजसं च विचारतः वायव्यं च तथा व्यौम[ं] मानसं च यथाक्रमम्

Considering the earthly, aqueous, fiery, airy, ethereal, and mental types in their respective order,

आभिमानिकमप्येवं बौद्धं प्राकृतमेव च दुःखमेव न संदेहो योगिनां ब्रह्मवादिनाम्

Likewise, the egoic, intellectual, and natural types—indeed, for yogis and knowers of Brahman, there is no doubt: all are suffering.

गौणं गणेश्वराणां च दुःखमेव विचारतः आदौ मध्ये तथा चान्ते सर्वलोकेषु सर्वदा

Even for the leaders of the divine hosts, suffering is secondary but present; at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end, in all worlds, always.

वर्तमानानि दुःखानि भविष्याणि यथातथम् दोषदुष्टेषु देशेषु दुःखानि विविधानि च

Present sufferings, and those yet to come, arise as they do in places corrupted by faults, and there are various kinds of suffering.

न भावयन्त्यतीतानि ह्य् अज्ञाने ज्ञानमानिनः क्षुद्व्याधेः परिहारार्थं न सुखायान्नमुच्यते

Those who are ignorant but think themselves wise do not reflect on past sufferings; food is not called happiness, but is for the removal of hunger and disease.

यथेतरेषां रोगाणाम् औषधं न सुखाय तत् शीतोष्णवातवर्षाद्यैस् तत्तत्कालेषु देहिनाम्

Just as medicine for other diseases is not for pleasure, so too, cold, heat, wind, rain, and the like, at their respective times, affect embodied beings.

दुःखमेव न संदेहो न जानन्ति ह्यपण्डिताः स्वर्गे ऽप्येवं मुनिश्रेष्ठा ह्य् अविशुद्धक्षयादिभिः

There is no doubt that it is suffering; the unlearned do not know this—even in heaven, O best of sages, due to impurity, decay, and the like.

रोगैर् नानाविधैर् ग्रस्ता रागद्वेषभयादिभिः छिन्नमूलतरुर्यद्वद् अवशः पतति क्षितौ

Afflicted by various diseases, by passion, hatred, fear, and so on, just as a tree with its roots cut inevitably falls to the ground.

पुण्यवृक्षक्षयात्तद्वद् गां पतन्ति दिवौकसः दुःखाभिलाषनिष्ठानां दुःखभोगादिसंपदाम्

In the same way, when the tree of merit is exhausted, the dwellers of heaven fall to earth, those whose foundation is desire for suffering, and whose wealth is the enjoyment of suffering.

अस्मात्तु पततां दुःखं कष्टं स्वर्गाद्दिवौकसाम् नरके दुःखमेवात्र नरकाणां निषेवणात्

For those who fall from here, suffering is harsh, even for the gods from heaven; in hell, suffering is certain, due to the experience of hellish states.

विहिताकरणाच्चैव वर्णिनां मुनिपुङ्गवाः

And, O best of sages, for those of the castes, suffering arises from failure to perform prescribed duties.

यथा मृगो मृत्युभयस्य भीत उच्छिन्नवासो न लभेत निद्राम् एवं यतिर्ध्यानपरो महात्मा संसारभीतो न लभेत निद्राम्

Just as a deer, terrified by the fear of death and deprived of its home, cannot sleep, so too, a great ascetic devoted to meditation, fearful of worldly existence, cannot sleep.

कीटपक्षिमृगाणां च पशूनां गजवाजिनाम् दृष्टम् एवासुखं तस्मात् त्यजतः सुखमुत्तमम्

Among insects, birds, wild animals, cattle, elephants, and horses, suffering is clearly seen; therefore, the highest happiness is for one who renounces.