Linga Purana

उक्तकाले शुचिर्भूत्वा शुद्धां गच्छेच्छुचिस्मिताम् इत्येवं संप्रसंगेन यतीनां धर्मसंग्रहे

At the prescribed time, having become pure, he should approach a pure, smiling woman. Thus, in the compendium of dharma for ascetics, this is stated in connection with intercourse.

सर्वेषामेव भूतानां सदाचारः प्रकीर्तितः यः पठेच्छृणुयाद् वापि सदाचारं शुचिर्नरः

For all beings, good conduct is declared. Whoever, being pure, recites or hears this good conduct—

श्रावयेद्वा यथान्यायं ब्राह्मणान् दग्धकिल्बिषान् ब्रह्मलोकमनुप्राप्य ब्रह्मणा सह मोदते

Or instructs Brahmins purified from sin according to proper method, having attained the world of Brahma, rejoices there with Brahma.

अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि यतीनामिह निश्चितम् प्रायश्चित्तं शिवप्रोक्तं यतीनां पापशोधनम्

Now I shall declare, as determined here, the expiation for ascetics, as spoken by Shiva, which purifies the sins of ascetics.

पापं हि त्रिविधं ज्ञेयं वाङ्मनःकायसंभवम् सततं हि दिवा रात्रौ येनेदं वेष्ट्यते जगत्

Sin is to be known as threefold, arising from speech, mind, and body; by which, day and night, this world is constantly enveloped.

तत्कर्मणा विनाप्येष तिष्ठतीति परा श्रुतिः क्षणमेवं प्रयोज्यं तु आयुष्यं तु विधारणम्

Even without action, it persists—so declares the supreme scripture. Therefore, one should always preserve life accordingly.

भवेद्योगो ऽप्रमत्तस्य योगो हि परमं बलम् न हि योगात्परं किंचिन् नराणां दृश्यते शुभम्

Yoga arises in one who is vigilant; for yoga is the highest strength. Indeed, nothing more auspicious than yoga is seen among men.

तस्माद् योगं प्रशंसन्ति धर्मयुक्ता मनीषिणः अविद्यां विद्यया जित्वा प्राप्यैश्वर्यमनुत्तमम्

Therefore, the wise endowed with dharma praise yoga, having conquered ignorance by knowledge and attained unsurpassed sovereignty.

दृष्ट्वा परावरं धीराः परं गच्छन्ति तत्पदम् व्रतानि यानि भिक्षूणां तथैवोपव्रतानि च

Seeing both the higher and lower, the steadfast reach that supreme state. The vows of mendicants and their subsidiary vows likewise—

एकैकातिक्रमे तेषां प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते उपेत्य तु स्त्रियं कामात् प्रायश्चित्तं विनिर्दिशेत्

For each transgression of these, expiation is prescribed. If one approaches a woman out of desire, expiation must be specifically prescribed.

प्राणायामसमायुक्तं चरेत्सांतपनं व्रतम् ततश्चरति निर्देशात् कृच्छ्रं चान्ते समाहितः

He should undertake the Sāṃtapana vow, accompanied by breath control; then, by instruction, perform the Kṛcchra penance at the end, with concentration.

पुनर् आश्रमम् आगत्य चरेद्भिक्षुरतन्द्रितः न धर्मयुक्तमनृतं हिनस्तीति मनीषिणः

Having returned again to the ashram, the mendicant should practice without sloth. The wise say that untruth, even if joined with dharma, does not prevail.

तथापि न च कर्तव्यं प्रसंगो ह्येष दारुणः अहोरात्रोपवासश् च प्राणायामशतं तथा

Nevertheless, such association should not be done, for it is dreadful. Fasting for a day and night, and likewise a hundred breath controls, are prescribed.

असद्वादो न कर्तव्यो यतिना धर्मलिप्सुना परमापद्गतेनापि न कार्यं स्तेयमप्युत

A seeker of righteousness, even if he is a renunciant or in extreme distress, should never engage in false speech or commit theft.

स्तेयादभ्यधिकः कश्चिन् नास्त्यधर्म इति श्रुतिः हिंसा ह्येषा परा सृष्टा स्तैन्यं वै कथितं तथा

There is no wrongdoing greater than theft, so declares the scripture; for theft is considered the highest form of harm, and such violence is described as supreme.

यदेतद्द्रविणं नाम प्राणा ह्येते बहिश्चराः स तस्य हरते प्राणान् यो यस्य हरते धनम्

What is called wealth is, in truth, the outward life-force of beings; whoever takes another's wealth, takes that person's life-force.

एवं कृत्वा सुदुष्टात्मा भिन्नवृत्तो व्रताच्च्युतः भूयो निर्वेदमापन्नश् चरेच्चान्द्रायणं व्रतम्

One who acts thus, with a corrupted mind, deviating from his vows, should, after falling into remorse, undertake the Cāndrāyaṇa penance.

विधिना शास्त्रदृष्टेन संवत्सरमिति श्रुतिः ततः संवत्सरस्यान्ते भूयः प्रक्षीणकल्मषः पुनर्निर्वेदमापन्नश् चरेद्भिक्षुरतन्द्रितः

According to the prescribed rule of scripture, this penance lasts a year; at the end of the year, having diminished his sin, he should again, with resolve, practice the life of a mendicant without negligence.

अहिंसा सर्वभूतानां कर्मणा मनसा गिरा अकामादपि हिंसेत यदि भिक्षुः पशून् कृमीन्

Non-injury towards all beings must be observed in deed, thought, and word; if a mendicant, even unintentionally, harms animals or insects, it is still considered harm.

कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रं कुर्वीत चान्द्रायणमथापि वा स्कन्देदिन्द्रियदौर्बल्यात् स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा यतिर्यदि

He should perform the severe Kṛcchrātikṛcchra or the Cāndrāyaṇa penance; or, if due to weakness of the senses, a renunciant emits semen upon seeing a woman—

तेन धारयितव्या वै प्राणायामास्तु षोडश दिवा स्कन्नस्य विप्रस्य प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते

He must then practice sixteen breath-restraints during the day; this is prescribed as atonement for a twice-born who has such an emission.

त्रिरात्रमुपवासाश् च प्राणायामशतं तथा रात्रौ स्कन्नः शुचिः स्नात्वा द्वादशैव तु धारणा

If the emission occurs at night, after bathing and purifying himself, he should perform twelve breath-restraints, and also fast for three nights.

प्राणायामेन शुद्धात्मा विरजा जायते द्विजाः एकान्नं मधुमांसं वा अशृतान्नं तथैव च

By means of breath-restraint, the twice-born becomes pure and free from stain; he should eat only one meal, or honey, or meat, or food not cooked in water.

अभोज्यानि यतीनां तु प्रत्यक्षलवणानि च एकैकातिक्रमात्तेषां प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते

For renunciants, salt and other forbidden foods are not to be eaten; for each transgression, atonement is prescribed.

प्राजापत्येन कृच्छ्रेण ततः पापात्प्रमुच्यते व्यतिक्रमाश् च ये केचिद् वाङ्मनःकायसंभवाः

By performing the Prājāpatya penance, he is freed from sin; for any transgressions arising from speech, mind, or body—

सद्भिः सह विनिश्चित्य यद्ब्रूयुस्तत्समाचरेत्

He should act as determined in consultation with the virtuous.

चरेद्धि शुद्धः समलोष्टकाञ्चनः समस्तभूतेषु च सत्समाहितः स्थानं ध्रुवं शाश्वतमव्ययं तु परं हि गत्वा न पुनर्हि जायते

He who is pure, regarding gold, clod, and stone as the same, and is steadfast among all beings, attains the eternal, unchanging supreme state, and, having reached it, is not born again.

अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि अरिष्टानि निबोधत येन ज्ञानविशेषेण मृत्युं पश्यन्ति योगिनः

Now I shall declare the omens; listen, by which, through special knowledge, yogis perceive death.

अरुन्धतीं ध्रुवं चैव सोमछायां महापथम् यो न पश्येन्न जीवेत्स नरः संवत्सरात्परम्

If a man does not see Arundhatī, the Pole Star, the lunar halo, or the Milky Way, he will not live beyond a year.