Linga Purana

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.

ज्ञानं धर्मोद्भवं साक्षाज् ज्ञानाद् वैराग्यसंभवः वैराग्यात्परमं ज्ञानं परमार्थप्रकाशकम्

Knowledge arises directly from dharma; from knowledge comes detachment; from detachment arises supreme knowledge, which reveals the highest reality.

ज्ञानवैराग्ययुक्तस्य योगसिद्धिर्द्विजोत्तमाः योगसिद्ध्या विमुक्तिः स्यात् सत्त्वनिष्ठस्य नान्यथा

For one endowed with knowledge and detachment, O best of twice-born, yoga is accomplished; through the accomplishment of yoga, liberation is attained by one established in goodness, not otherwise.

तमोविद्यापदच्छन्नं चित्रं यत्पदमव्ययम् सत्त्वशक्तिं समास्थाय शिवमभ्यर्चयेद्द्विजाः

The wondrous, imperishable state, concealed by darkness and ignorance—having taken refuge in the power of goodness, O twice-born, one should worship Śiva.

यः सत्त्वनिष्ठो मद्भक्तो मदर्चनपरायणः सर्वतो धर्मनिष्ठश् च सदोत्साही समाहितः

He who is established in goodness, devoted to me, intent on my worship, steadfast in dharma in every way, always energetic and collected—

सर्वद्वन्द्वसहो धीरः सर्वभूतहिते रतः ऋजुस्वभावः सततं स्वस्थचित्तो मृदुः सदा

Who endures all dualities, is steadfast, delights in the welfare of all beings, is straightforward by nature, always composed in mind, and ever gentle—

अमानी बुद्धिमाञ्छान्तस् त्यक्तस्पर्धो द्विजोत्तमाः सदा मुमुक्षुर्धर्मज्ञः स्वात्मलक्षणलक्षणः

Who is humble, wise, peaceful, free from rivalry, always desiring liberation, knower of dharma, and marked by the characteristics of the true self—

ऋणत्रयविनिर्मुक्तः पूर्वजन्मनि पुण्यभाक् जरायुक्तो द्विजो भूत्वा श्रद्धया च गुरोः क्रमात्

Freed from the three debts, enjoying merit from previous births, having become a twice-born joined with old age, and with faith, step by step, from the teacher—

अन्यथा वापि शुश्रूषां कृत्वा कृत्रिमवर्जितः स्वर्गलोकमनुप्राप्य भुक्त्वा भोगाननुक्रमात्

Or otherwise, having served without pretense, after attaining the world of heaven and enjoying pleasures in due order—

आसाद्य भारतं वर्षं ब्रह्मविज्जायते द्विजाः संपर्काज्ज्ञानमासाद्य ज्ञानिनो योगविद्भवेत्

Having reached the land of Bhārata, O twice-born, he becomes a knower of Brahman; by association, gaining knowledge, he becomes a knower of yoga.

क्रमो ऽयं मलपूर्णस्य ज्ञानप्राप्तेर्द्विजोत्तमाः तस्मादनेन मार्गेण त्यक्तसंगो दृढव्रतः

This is the sequence for one filled with impurity to attain knowledge, O best of twice-born; therefore, by this path, with attachment abandoned and firm resolve—