Linga Purana

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.

अब्बिन्दुं यः कुशाग्रेण मासि मासि समश्नुते न्यायतो यश्चरेद्भैक्ष्यं पूर्वोक्तात्स विशिष्यते

He who, month by month, rightly eats a drop of water with the tip of a blade of grass, and who seeks alms as previously described, surpasses the rest.

जरामरणगर्भेभ्यो भीतस्य नरकादिषु एवं दाययते तस्मात् तद्भैक्ष्यमिति संस्मृतम्

For one who fears the wombs of old age and death, and hells and the like, such alms-gathering is remembered as liberating.

दधिभक्षाः पयोभक्षा ये चान्ये जीवक्षीणकाः सर्वे ते भैक्ष्यभक्षस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्

Those who eat curds, milk, or other foods that diminish life do not deserve even a sixteenth part of the merit of one who subsists on alms.

भस्मशायी भवेन्नित्यं भिक्षाचारी जितेन्द्रियः य इच्छेत् परमं स्थानं व्रतं पाशुपतं चरेत्

One should always sleep on ashes, practice alms-seeking, and have self-control; whoever desires the highest state should observe the Pāśupata vow.

योगिनां चैव सर्वेषां श्रेष्ठं चान्द्रायणं भवेत् एकं द्वे त्रीणि चत्वारि शक्तितो वा समाचरेत्

Among all practices for yogins, the Cāndrāyaṇa vow is best; one should perform one, two, three, or four cycles according to ability.

अस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यं च अलोभस्त्याग एव च व्रतानि पञ्च भिक्षूणाम् अहिंसा परमा त्विह

Non-stealing, celibacy, non-greed, renunciation—these are the five vows for mendicants; but here, nonviolence is supreme.

अक्रोधो गुरुशुश्रूषा शौचमाहारलाघवम् नित्यं स्वाध्याय इत्येते नियमाः परिकीर्तिताः

Absence of anger, service to the teacher, purity, moderation in food, and constant study—these are declared to be the observances.

बीजयोनिगुणा वस्तुबन्धः कर्मभिर् एव च यथा द्विप इवारण्ये मनुष्याणां विधीयते

The qualities arising from seed and womb, and the binding of objects, are determined by actions, just as for humans in the world, like an elephant in the forest.

देवैस्तुल्याः सर्वयज्ञक्रियास्तु यज्ञाज्जाप्यं ज्ञानमाहुश् च जाप्यात् ज्ञानाद् ध्यानं संगरागादपेतं तस्मिन्प्राप्ते शाश्वतस्योपलम्भः

All sacrificial acts performed by the gods are said to be equal to knowledge gained from recitation; from recitation comes knowledge, and from knowledge, meditation free from attachment and aversion; upon attaining that, there is realization of the eternal.

दमः शमः सत्यमकल्मषत्वं मौनं च भूतेष्वखिलेषु चार्जवम् अतीन्द्रियं ज्ञानमिदं तथा शिवं प्राहुस् तथा ज्ञानविशुद्धबुद्धयः

Self-control, tranquility, truthfulness, freedom from impurity, silence, straightforwardness toward all beings, and knowledge beyond the senses—these are declared to be auspicious by those whose intellect is purified by knowledge.

समाप्नुयाद्योगमिमं महात्मा महर्षयश्चैवम् अनिन्दितामलाः

A great soul, pure and blameless sages, thus attain this union.

प्राप्यते ऽभिमतान् देशान् अङ्कुशेन निवारितः एतन्मार्गेण शुद्धेन दग्धबीजो ह्यकल्मषः

One reaches the desired realms, restrained by the goad; by this pure path, one whose seed is burned and who is free from stain attains them.

सदाचाररताः शान्ताः स्वधर्मपरिपालकाः सर्वांल्लोकान् विनिर्जित्य ब्रह्मलोकं व्रजन्ति ते

Those who delight in good conduct, are peaceful, and uphold their own duty, having conquered all worlds, go to the world of Brahma.

पितामहेनोपदिष्टो धर्मः साक्षात्सनातनः सर्वलोकोपकारार्थं शृणुध्वं प्रवदामि वः

The eternal dharma, directly taught by the Grandfather, for the benefit of all worlds—listen, I will declare it to you.

गुरूपदेशयुक्तानां वृद्धानां क्रमवर्त्तिनाम् अभ्युत्थानादिकं सर्वं प्रणामं चैव कारयेत्

One should perform all acts of rising, and salutation, for elders who follow the order and are endowed with the instruction of the teacher.

अष्टाङ्गप्रणिपातेन त्रिधा न्यस्तेन सुव्रताः त्रिःप्रदक्षिणयोगेन वन्द्यो वै ब्रह्मणो गुरुः

With eightfold prostration, with the body placed in three ways, and by circumambulating three times, the teacher of Brahman is to be worshipped by the virtuous.

ज्येष्ठान्ये ऽपि च ते सर्वे वन्दनीया विजानता आज्ञाभङ्गं न कुर्वीत यदीच्छेत् सिद्धिम् उत्तमाम्

All those who are elders are to be saluted by the wise; one should not disobey their command if one desires the highest attainment.

धातुशून्यबिलक्षेत्रक्षुद्रमन्त्रोपजीवनम् विषग्रहविडम्बादीन् वर्जयेत् सर्वयत्नतः

One should carefully avoid living by means of mantras in places devoid of elements, empty hollows, or small fields, as well as all forms of poison, spirits, and deception.

कैतवं वित्तशाठ्यं च पैशुन्यं वर्जयेत्सदा अतिहासम् अवष्टम्भं लीलास्वेच्छाप्रवर्तनम्

One should always avoid deceit, fraud regarding wealth, slander, excessive laughter, arrogance, and acting according to one's own whims for amusement.

वर्जयेत्सर्वयत्नेन गुरूणामपि संनिधौ तद्वाक्यप्रतिकूलं च अयुक्तं वै गुरोर्वचः

One should avoid, with all effort, in the presence of teachers, any words or actions contrary to their instructions, and anything improper regarding the teacher's words.