Linga Purana

अपानाय द्वितीया च व्यानायेति तथा परा उदानाय चतुर्थी स्यात् समानायेति पञ्चमी

The second is for apāna, the third likewise for vyāna, the fourth is for udāna, and the fifth for samāna.

स्वाहाकारैः पृथग्घुत्वा शेषं भुञ्जीत कामतः अपः पुनः सकृत्प्राश्य आचम्य हृदयं स्पृशेत्

Having offered each with the svāhā formula separately, one may partake of the remainder as desired; again sipping water once, after rinsing the mouth, one should touch the heart.

प्राणानां ग्रन्थिरस्यात्मा रुद्रो ह्यात्मा विशान्तकः रुद्रो वै ह्यात्मनः प्राण एवमाप्याययेत्स्वयम्

The knot of the life-breaths is his very self; Rudra is indeed the self, the dissolver of all; Rudra is truly the life-breath of the self, thus he nourishes himself.

प्राणे निविष्टो वै रुद्रस् तस्मात्प्राणमयः स्वयम् प्राणाय चैव रुद्राय जुहोत्यमृतमुत्तमम्

Rudra is established in the life-breath, therefore he is himself composed of life-breath; to the life-breath and to Rudra, the finest nectar is offered.

शिवाविशेह मामीश स्वाहा ब्रह्मात्मने स्वयम् एवं पञ्चाहुतीश्चैव प्रभुः प्रीणातु शाश्वतः

O Lord, enter me auspiciously—svāhā—to the Self of Brahman; thus, may the eternal Lord be pleased with these five oblations.

पुरुषो ऽसि पुरे शेषे त्वं अङ्गुष्ठप्रमाणतः आश्रितश्चैव चाङ्गुष्ठम् ईशः परमकारणम्

You are the Person who remains within the city, of the measure of a thumb; you are established in the thumb, O Lord, the supreme cause.

सर्वस्य जगतश्चैव प्रभुः प्रीणातु शाश्वतः त्वं देवानामसि ज्येष्ठो रुद्रस्त्वं च पुरो वृषा

May the eternal Lord of all the worlds be pleased; you are the eldest among the gods, Rudra, and the foremost bull.

मृदुस्त्वमन्नमस्मभ्यम् एतदस्तु हुतं तव इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं गुणप्राप्तिविशेषतः

May you be gentle, and may this food be for us; may this offering be yours—thus, everything has been declared, especially regarding the attainment of qualities.

योगाचारः स्वयं तेन ब्रह्मणा कथितः पुरा एवं पाशुपतं ज्ञानं ज्ञातव्यं च प्रयत्नतः

This discipline of yoga was formerly taught by Brahmā himself; thus, the knowledge of Paśupati should be diligently understood.

भस्मस्नायी भवेन् नित्यं भस्मलिप्तः सदा भवेत् यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान्

One should always bathe with ashes, always be smeared with ashes; whoever recites, hears, or causes the best of twice-born to hear this—

दैवे कर्मणि पित्र्ये वा स याति परमां गतिम्

—whether in divine or ancestral rites, he attains the highest state.

अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि शौचाचारस्य लक्षणम् यदनुष्ठाय शुद्धात्मा परेत्य गतिमाप्नुयात्

Now I shall declare the characteristics of purity of conduct, by practicing which, a pure-souled person attains the supreme goal after death.

ब्रह्मणा कथितं पूर्वं सर्वभूतहिताय वै संक्षेपात्सर्ववेदार्थं संचयं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्

It was formerly taught by Brahmā for the welfare of all beings—a concise collection of the essence of all the Vedas, for those who speak of Brahman.

उदयार्थं तु शौचानां मुनीनामुत्तमं पदम् यस्तत्राथाप्रमत्तः स्यात् स मुनिर्नावसीदति

For the attainment of purity, it is the highest state for sages; whoever is diligent there does not fall from the state of a sage.

मानावमानौ द्वावेतौ तावेवाहुर् विषामृते अवमानो ऽमृतं तत्र सन्मानो विषमुच्यते

Honor and dishonor—these two are called nectar and poison; dishonor is nectar there, and true honor is called poison.

गुरोरपि हिते युक्तः स तु संवत्सरं वसेत् नियमेष्वप्रमत्तस्तु यमेषु च सदा भवेत्

Engaged in the welfare even of the teacher, he should dwell for a year; always attentive to discipline, he should always be steadfast in self-restraint.

प्राप्यानुज्ञां ततश्चैव ज्ञानयोगमनुत्तमम् अविरोधेन धर्मस्य चरेत पृथिवीमिमाम्

Having obtained permission, he should then practice the supreme yoga of knowledge, and, without violating righteousness, should live upon this earth.

चक्षुःपूतं चरेन्मार्गं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत् सत्यपूतं वदेद्वाक्यं मनःपूतं समाचरेत्

Let one walk the path with purified sight, drink water filtered with cloth, speak words purified by truth, and act with a mind that is pure.

मत्स्यगृह्यस्य यत्पापं षण्मासाभ्यन्तरे भवेत् एकाहं तत्समं ज्ञेयम् अपूतं यज्जलं भवेत्

The sin incurred by eating fish within six months is equal to that incurred in a single day by drinking unfiltered water.

अपूतोदकपाने तु जपेच्च शतपञ्चकम् अघोरलक्षणं मन्त्रं ततः शुद्धिमवाप्नुयात्

Upon drinking unfiltered water, one should recite the Aghora mantra one hundred and five times; then, purity is attained.

अथवा पूजयेच्छंभुं घृतस्नानादिविस्तरैः त्रिधा प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य शुध्यते नात्र संशयः

Alternatively, one may worship Śambhu with elaborate offerings such as a ghee bath, circumambulate three times, and thus be purified—of this there is no doubt.

आतिथ्यश्राद्धयज्ञेषु न गच्छेद्योगवित्क्वचित् एवं ह्यहिंसको योगी भवेदिति विचारितम्

A knower of yoga should never attend hospitality, ancestral rites, or sacrifices; thus, the yogin remains nonviolent, as has been considered.

वह्नौ विधूमे ऽत्यङ्गारे सर्वस्मिन्भुक्तवज्जने चरेत्तु मतिमान् भैक्ष्यं न तु तेष्वेव नित्यशः

One who is wise should seek alms from people who have eaten as if before a smokeless fire or glowing embers, but not always from them.

अथैनम् अवमन्यन्ते परे परिभवन्ति च तथा युक्तं चरेद्भैक्ष्यं सतां धर्ममदूषयन्

If others look down upon him or insult him, then he should seek alms in a manner appropriate, without violating the dharma of the virtuous.

भैक्ष्यं चरेद्वनस्थेषु यायावरगृहेषु च श्रेष्ठा तु प्रथमा हीयं वृत्तिरस्योपजायते

One should seek alms among forest dwellers and wandering households; the first is best, but if that is lacking, the second way arises.

अत ऊर्ध्वं गृहस्थेषु शीलीनेषु चरेद्द्विजाः श्रद्दधानेषु दान्तेषु श्रोत्रियेषु महात्मसु

After that, one may seek alms among householders who are disciplined, faithful, self-controlled, learned, and noble.

अत ऊर्ध्वं पुनश्चापि अदुष्टापतितेषु च भैक्ष्यचर्या हि वर्णेषु जघन्या वृत्तिरुच्यते

Beyond this, one may also seek alms from those who are not fallen or corrupt; for among the classes, alms-seeking from such is said to be the lowest livelihood.

भैक्ष्यं यवागूस्तक्रं वा पयो यावकमेव च फलमूलादि पक्वं वा कणपिण्याकसक्तवः

Alms may consist of barley gruel, buttermilk, milk, barley, fruits, roots, cooked food, or even coarse flour cakes.

इत्येव ते मया प्रोक्ता योगिनां सिद्धिवर्द्धनाः आहारास्तेषु सिद्धेषु श्रेष्ठं भैक्ष्यमिति स्मृतम्

Thus I have described the foods that increase success for yogins; among these, alms are remembered as the best when perfected.