Linga Purana

देवानां चैव दैत्यानाम् अन्योन्यविजिगीषया दुःखमेव नृपाणां च राक्षसानां जगत्त्रये

Among the gods and the demons, due to mutual rivalry, there is only suffering; so too among kings, among the rākṣasas, and in all three worlds.

श्रमार्थमाश्रमश्चापि वर्णानां परमार्थतः आश्रमैर्न च देवैश् च यज्ञैः सांख्यैर्व्रतैस् तथा

The four stages of life exist for the sake of effort, truly, for the castes; but neither by the stages, nor by the gods, nor by sacrifices, nor by Sāṅkhya, nor by vows,

उग्रैस्तपोभिर् विविधैर् दानैर्नानाविधैरपि न लभन्ते तथात्मानं लभन्ते ज्ञानिनः स्वयम्

Nor by severe austerities of various kinds, nor by various gifts, do they attain the Self in this way; only the wise attain it by themselves.

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन चरेत्पाशुपतव्रतम् भस्मशायी भवेन्नित्यं व्रते पाशुपते बुधः

Therefore, with all effort, one should observe the vow of Pāśupata; the wise should always sleep on ashes, steadfast in the Pāśupata vow.

पञ्चार्थज्ञानसम्पन्नः शिवतत्त्वे समाहितः कैवल्यकरणं योगविधिकर्मच्छिदं बुधः

Endowed with knowledge of the five principles, absorbed in the essence of Śiva, the wise one attains liberation, cutting through the bonds of ritual action by the method of yoga.

पञ्चार्थयोगसम्पन्नो दुःखान्तं व्रजते सुधीः परया विद्यया वेद्यं विदन्त्यपरया न हि

Possessed of union with the five principles, the wise one reaches the end of suffering; that which is to be known by the supreme knowledge is not known by the lower knowledge.

द्वे विद्ये वेदितव्ये हि परा चैवापरा तथा अपरा तत्र ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदो द्विजोत्तमाः

There are indeed two knowledges to be known: the higher and also the lower; among these, O best of twice-born, the lower is the Ṛgveda, Yajurveda,

सामवेदस्तथाथर्वो वेदः सर्वार्थसाधकः शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्द एव च

The Sāmaveda, the Atharvaveda, the Veda accomplishing all purposes, instruction, ritual, grammar, etymology, and also metre,

ज्योतिषं चापरा विद्या पराक्षरमिति स्थितम् तददृश्यं तदग्राह्यम् अगोत्रं तदवर्णकम्

And astrology—this is the lower knowledge. The higher is established as imperishable: that which cannot be seen, cannot be grasped, has no lineage, and is without characteristics.

तदचक्षुस्तदश्रोत्रं तदपाणि अपादकम् तदजातमभूतं च तदशब्दं द्विजोत्तमाः

It is without eyes, without ears, without hands or feet; it is unborn and unmanifest, O best of twice-born, and it is soundless.

अस्पर्शं तदरूपं च रसगन्धविवर्जितम् अव्ययं चाप्रतिष्ठं च तन्नित्यं सर्वगं विभुम्

It is without touch, without form, devoid of taste and smell; it is imperishable, without foundation, eternal, all-pervading, and sovereign.

महान्तं तद् बृहन्तं च तदजं चिन्मयं द्विजाः अप्राणममनस्कं च तदस्निग्धमलोहितम्

It is great, vast, unborn, and composed of consciousness, O twice-born; without breath, without mind, without moisture or redness.

अप्रमेयं तदस्थूलम् अदीर्घं तदनुल्बणम् अह्रस्वं तदपारं च तदानन्दं तदच्युतम्

It is immeasurable, not gross, not long, not excessive, not short, without limit, blissful, and unchanging.

अनपावृतमद्वैतं तदनन्तमगोचरम् असंवृतं तदात्मैकं परा विद्या न चान्यथा

It is unobstructed, non-dual, infinite, beyond perception, uncovered, of single essence, the supreme knowledge, and nothing else.

परापरेति कथिते नैवेह परमार्थतः अहमेव जगत्सर्वं मय्येव सकलं जगत्

Though spoken of as higher and lower, in truth there is no such distinction here; I alone am all this universe, and all the world is indeed in me.

मत्त उत्पद्यते तिष्ठन् मयि मय्येव लीयते मत्तो नान्यदितीक्षेत मनोवाक्पाणिभिस् तथा

From me it arises, in me it abides, and into me it dissolves; nothing else is seen apart from me, by mind, speech, or action.

सर्वमात्मनि संपश्येत् सच्चासच्च समाहितः सर्वं ह्यात्मनि संपश्यन् न बाह्ये कुरुते मनः

Let one perceive everything in the Self, both the real and the unreal, with a concentrated mind; perceiving all in the Self, one does not direct the mind outward.

अधोदृष्ट्या वितस्त्यां तु नाभ्यामुपरितिष्ठति हृदयं तद्विजानीयाद् विश्वस्यायतनं महत्

With the gaze fixed downward, measuring twelve finger-breadths above the navel, one should know the heart as the great abode of the universe.

हृदयस्यास्य मध्ये तु पुण्डरीकमवस्थितम् धर्मकन्दसमुद्भूतं ज्ञाननालं सुशोभनम्

In the middle of this heart is a lotus situated, arising from the root of virtue, with a splendid stalk of knowledge.

ऐश्वर्याष्टदलं श्वेतं परं वैराग्यकर्णिकम् छिद्राणि च दिशो यस्य प्राणाद्याश् च प्रतिष्ठिताः

It has eight white petals of sovereignty, the supreme pericarp of detachment; its openings are the directions, in which the vital airs and others are established.

प्राणाद्यैश्चैव संयुक्तः पश्यते बहुधा क्रमात् दशप्राणवहा नाड्यः प्रत्येकं मुनिपुङ्गवाः

United with the vital airs and others, one perceives in many ways, successively, the ten channels carrying the vital airs, each individually, O best of sages.

द्विसप्ततिसहस्राणि नाड्यः सम्परिकीर्तिताः नेत्रस्थं जाग्रतं विद्यात् कण्ठे स्वप्नं समादिशेत्

Seventy-two thousand channels are described; know that wakefulness is situated in the eyes, and dream is said to be in the throat.

सुषुप्तं हृदयस्थं तु तुरीयं मूर्धनि स्थितम् जाग्रे ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश् च स्वप्ने चैव यथाक्रमात्

Deep sleep is indeed in the heart, and the fourth state is established in the head; in waking, Brahmā and Viṣṇu are present, and likewise in dream, in due order.

ईश्वरस्तु सुषुप्ते तु तुरीये च महेश्वरः वदन्त्य् एवम् अथान्ये ऽपि समस्तकरणैः पुमान्

But Īśvara is in deep sleep, and Maheśvara in the fourth state; thus do others also declare, with all the faculties, the person.

वर्तमानस्तदा तस्य जाग्रदित्यभिधीयते मनोबुद्धिर् अहङ्कारं चित्तं चेति चतुष्टयम्

When one abides in these, that is called wakefulness; mind, intellect, ego, and consciousness—these four.

यदा व्यवस्थितस्त्वेतैः स्वप्न इत्यभिधीयते करणानि विलीनानि यदा स्वात्मनि सुव्रताः

When one is established in these, it is called dream; when the faculties are dissolved into the self, O virtuous ones,

सुषुप्तः करणैर्भिन्नस् तुरीयः परिकीर्त्यते परस्तुरीयातीतो ऽसौ शिवः परमकारणम्

That is deep sleep, distinct from the faculties; the fourth is so designated. Beyond the fourth, transcending it, is Śiva, the supreme cause.

जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिश् च तुरीयं चाधिभौतिकम् आध्यात्मिकं च विप्रेन्द्राश् चाधिदैविकमुच्यते

Waking, dream, deep sleep, and the fourth—these are called adhibhautika, and also, O best of Brahmins, they are said to be ādhyātmika and adhidaivika.

तत्सर्वमहम् एवेति वेदितव्यं विजानता बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि विप्रेन्द्रास् तथा कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च

All this, 'I am indeed that,' should be understood by one who knows; the senses of knowledge, O best of Brahmins, and likewise the organs of action.