Linga Purana

ज्ञानं गुरोर्हि संपर्कान् न वाचा परमार्थतः चतुर्व्यूहमिति ज्ञात्वा ध्याता ध्यानं समभ्यसेत्

For knowledge truly comes from association with the teacher, not from speech; knowing the fourfold manifestation, the meditator should practice meditation.

सहजागन्तुकं पापम् अस्थिवागुद्भवं तथा ज्ञानाग्निर्दहते क्षिप्रं शुष्केन्धनम् इवानलः

The fire of knowledge quickly burns up both innate and incidental sin, as well as that arising from bones and speech, just as a dry log is burned by fire.

ज्ञानात्परतरं नास्ति सर्वपापविनाशनम् अभ्यसेच्च सदा ज्ञानं सर्वसंगविवर्जितः

There is nothing higher than knowledge for the destruction of all sins; one should always practice knowledge, free from all attachments.

ज्ञानिनः सर्वपापानि जीर्यन्ते नात्र संशयः क्रीडन्नपि न लिप्येत पापैर्नानाविधैरपि

All sins of the knower are destroyed—of this there is no doubt; even while playing, he is not tainted by various kinds of sins.

ज्ञानं यथा तथा ध्यानं तस्माद्ध्यानं समभ्यसेत् ध्यानं निर्विषयं प्रोक्तम् आदौ सविषयं तथा

As knowledge is, so is meditation; therefore, one should practice meditation; meditation is said to be without objects, but at first, it is with objects.

षट्प्रकारं समभ्यस्य चतुःषड्दशभिस् तथा तथा द्वादशधा चैव पुनः षोडशधा क्रमात्

One should practice in six ways, then in four, six, and ten likewise, then again in twelve and in sequence, in sixteen ways.

द्विधाभ्यस्य च योगीन्द्रो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः शुद्धजांबूनदाकारं विधूमाङ्गारसन्निभम्

By practicing in two ways, the master of yoga is liberated—of this there is no doubt. The form is pure, like molten gold, resembling smokeless charcoal.

पीतं रक्तं सितं विद्युत् कोटिकोटिसमप्रभम् अथवा ब्रह्मरन्ध्रस्थं चित्तं कृत्वा प्रयत्नतः

Yellow, red, white, shining like millions upon millions of lightning flashes, or else, with effort, fixing the mind at the Brahmarandhra.

न सितं वासितं पीतं न स्मरेद् ब्रह्मविद् भवेत् अहिंसकः सत्यवादी अस्तेयी सर्वयत्नतः

One who knows Brahman should not recall white, fragrant, or yellow; he becomes nonviolent, truthful, and completely abstains from stealing.

परिग्रहविनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मचारी दृढव्रतः संतुष्टः शौचसम्पन्नः स्वाध्यायनिरतः सदा

Free from possessions, steadfast in celibacy, firm in vows, content, endowed with purity, always devoted to self-study.

मद्रक्तश्चाभ्यसेद्ध्यानं गुरुसंपर्कजं ध्रुवम् न बुध्यति तथा ध्याता स्थाप्य चित्तं द्विजोत्तमाः

He should practice meditation tinged with red, certainly arising from contact with the teacher; otherwise, the meditator does not awaken, O best of twice-born, when the mind is thus established.

न चाभिमन्यते योगी न पश्यति समन्ततः न घ्राति न शृणोत्येव लीनः स्वात्मनि यः स्वयम्

The yogi does not become proud, does not look around, does not smell, does not hear at all—he is absorbed in his own self.

न च स्पर्शं विजानाति स वै समरसः स्मृतः पार्थिवे पटले ब्रह्मा वारितत्त्वे हरिः स्वयम्

He does not perceive touch; he is said to be in perfect sameness. On the earth plane, he is Brahma; in the water principle, he is Hari himself.

वाह्नेये कालरुद्राख्यो वायुतत्त्वे महेश्वरः सुषिरे स शिवः साक्षात् क्रमादेवं विचिन्तयेत्

In the fire principle, he is called Kalarudra; in the air principle, he is Maheshvara; in the ether, he is directly Shiva—thus one should contemplate in order.

क्षितौ शर्वः स्मृतो देवो ह्य् अपां भव इति स्मृतः रुद्र एव तथा वह्नौ उग्रो वायौ व्यवस्थितः

On earth, the god is remembered as Sharva; in water, as Bhava; in fire, as Rudra; in wind, as Ugra, established accordingly.

भीमः सुषिरनाके ऽसौ भास्करे मण्डले स्थितः ईशानः सोमबिम्बे च महादेव इति स्मृतः

He is Bhima in the etheric space, present in the solar orb; in the lunar disc, he is Ishana, remembered as Mahadeva.

पुंसां पशुपतिर्देवश् चाष्टधाहं व्यवस्थितः काठिन्यं यत्तनौ सर्वं पार्थिवं परिगीयते

Among men, the god Paśupati is established in eight forms. All that is hard in the body is celebrated as the earth element.

आप्यं द्रवमिति प्रोक्तं वर्णाख्यो वह्निरुच्यते यत्संचरति तद्वायुः सुषिरं यद्द्विजोत्तमाः

That which is fluid is called the water element; what is colored is called fire; that which moves is air; what is hollow, O best of twice-born, is ether.

तदाकाशं च विज्ञानं शब्दजं व्योमसंभवम् तथैव विप्रा विज्ञानं स्पर्शाख्यं वायुसंभवम्

That is called space and knowledge, arising from sound and born of the sky. Likewise, O Brahmins, knowledge called touch arises from air.

रूपं वाह्नेयमित्युक्तम् आप्यं रसमयं द्विजाः गन्धाख्यं पार्थिवं भूयश् चिन्तयेद्भास्करं क्रमात्

Form is said to belong to fire; taste, O Brahmins, is watery; what is called smell is earthly. One should meditate on the sun accordingly.

नेत्रे च दक्षिणे वामे सोमं हृदि विभुं द्विजाः आजानु पृथिवीतत्त्वम् आनाभेर् वारिमण्डलम्

In the right and left eyes is Soma; in the heart, the all-pervading (deity), O Brahmins. From the knees is the earth element; from the navel, the water circle.

आकण्ठं वह्नितत्त्वं स्याल् ललाटान्तं द्विजोत्तमाः वायव्यं वै ललाटाद्यं व्योमाख्यं वा शिखाग्रकम्

Up to the throat is the fire element, O best of twice-born; from the forehead onward is the air element; from the beginning of the forehead to the tip of the hair is called ether.

हंसाख्यं च ततो ब्रह्म व्योम्नश्चोर्ध्वं ततः परम् व्योमाख्यो व्योममध्यस्थो ह्य् अयं प्राथमिकः स्मरेत्

Then, above that, is Brahma called Hamsa; above the sky, further still. The one called ether, situated in the middle of the sky, should be remembered as the primary.

न जीवः प्रकृतिः सत्त्वं रजश्चाथ तमः पुनः महांस्तथाभिमानश् च तन्मात्राणीन्द्रियाणि च

The individual soul is not nature, nor is it the quality of goodness, nor passion, nor darkness; nor is it the great principle, ego, subtle elements, or the senses.

व्योमादीनि च भूतानि नैवेह परमार्थतः व्याप्य तिष्ठद्यतो विश्वं स्थाणुरित्यभिधीयते

Nor, in the highest truth, are the elements such as space and the rest; because it pervades and remains in all, it is called the Immutable.

उदेति सूर्यो भीतश् च पवते वात एव च द्योतते चन्द्रमा वह्निर् ज्वलत्यापो वहन्ति च

The sun rises, the wind blows in fear, the moon and fire shine, water flows, all by its command.

दधाति भूमिराकाशम् अवकाशं ददाति च तदाज्ञया ततं सर्वं तस्माद्वै चिन्तयेद्द्विजाः

The earth supports, space provides room; by its command all is extended—therefore, O twice-born, contemplate thus.

तेनैवाधिष्ठितं तस्माद् एतत्सर्वं द्विजोत्तमाः सर्वरूपमयः शर्व इति मत्वा स्मरेद्भवम्

Because all this is governed by that alone, O best of twice-born, knowing that Śarva is of all forms, one should remember the origin of all.

संसारविषतप्तानां ज्ञानध्यानामृतेन वै प्रतीकारः समाख्यातो नान्यथा द्विजसत्तमाः

For those scorched by the poison of worldly existence, the remedy is declared to be the nectar of knowledge and meditation; not otherwise, O best of twice-born.