Linga Purana

अग्निप्रवेशं कुरुते स्वप्नान्ते यस्तु मानवः स्मृतिं नोपलभेच्चापि तदन्तं तस्य जीवितम्

If a man, at the end of a dream, enters fire or cannot recall his memory, his life comes to its end.

यस्तु प्रावरणं शुक्लं स्वकं पश्यति मानवः कृष्णं रक्तमपि स्वप्ने तस्य मृत्युरुपस्थितः

If a man sees his own white garment, or black or red, in a dream, for him death is near.

अरिष्टे सूचिते देहे तस्मिन्काल उपस्थिते त्यक्त्वा खेदं विषादं च उपेक्षेद् बुद्धिमान् नरः

When such omens appear in the body and the time has come, the wise man should abandon sorrow and despair and remain indifferent.

प्राचीं वा यदि वोदीचीं दिशं निष्क्रम्य वै शुचिः समे ऽतिस्थावरे देशे विविक्ते जन्तुवर्जिते

Going out to the eastern or northern direction, in a pure, level, very stable, secluded place free from creatures—

उदङ्मुखः प्राङ्मुखो वा स्वस्थश् चाचान्त एव च स्वस्तिकेनोपविष्टस्तु नमस्कृत्वा महेश्वरम्

Facing north or east, calm and composed, seated in the svastika posture, having saluted Maheśvara—

समकायशिरोग्रीवो धारयन् नावलोकयेत् यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता

With body, head, and neck straight, without looking around, as a lamp placed in a windless place does not flicker—such is the comparison remembered.

प्रागुदक्प्रवणे देशे तथा युञ्जीत शास्त्रवित् कामं वितर्कं प्रीतिं च सुखदुःखे उभे तथा

In a place sloping to the east or north, thus should the knower of scripture practice, abandoning desire, doubt, pleasure, and both happiness and sorrow.

निगृह्य मनसा सर्वं शुक्लं ध्यानम् अनुस्मरेत् घ्राणे च रसने नित्यं चक्षुषी स्पर्शने तथा

Restraining everything with the mind, one should constantly contemplate the pure (white) meditation, always at the nose and tongue, as well as at the eyes and touch.

श्रोत्रे मनसि बुद्धौ च तत्र वक्षसि धारयेत् कालकर्माणि विज्ञाय समूहेष्वेव नित्यशः

One should hold it at the ears, in the mind, in the intellect, and there at the chest, having understood the times and actions, always among the groups.

द्वादशाध्यात्ममित्येवं योगधारणमुच्यते शतमर्धशतं वापि धारणां मूर्ध्नि धारयेत्

Thus, the twelvefold internal (practice) is called yogic concentration; one should hold the concentration at the crown a hundred or fifty times.

खिन्नस्य धारणायोगाद् वायुरूर्ध्वं प्रवर्तते ततश्चापूरयेद् देहम् ओङ्कारेण समन्वितः

For one who is fatigued from lack of concentration, the breath moves upward; then, one should fill the body, accompanied by the syllable Om.

तथौंकारमयो योगी अक्षरे त्वक्षरी भवेत् अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि ओङ्कारप्राप्तिलक्षणम्

Thus, the yogi becomes composed of Om; in the imperishable, he becomes imperishable. Next, I will explain the characteristics of attaining Om.

एष त्रिमात्रो विज्ञेयो व्यञ्जनं चात्र चेश्वरः प्रथमा विद्युती मात्रा द्वितीया तामसी स्मृता

This is to be known as having three measures, and the consonant here is the Lord; the first measure is said to be like lightning, the second is remembered as tamasic.

तृतीयां निर्गुणां चैव मात्रामक्षरगामिनीम् गान्धारी चैव विज्ञेया गान्धारस्वरसंभवा

The third measure is indeed without qualities, leading to the imperishable; it is also to be known as Gandhari, arising from the Gandhara note.

पिपीलिकागतिस्पर्शा प्रयुक्ता मूर्ध्नि लक्ष्यते यथा प्रयुक्त ओङ्कारः प्रतिनिर्याति मूर्धनि

Applied with the touch of an ant's gait, it is perceived at the crown; just as Om is applied, it proceeds outward at the crown.

तथौंकारमयो योगी त्व् अक्षरी त्वक्षरी भवेत् प्रणवो धनुः शरो ह्यात्मा ब्रह्मलक्षणमुच्यते

Thus, the yogi becomes composed of Om; in the imperishable, he becomes imperishable. The Pranava is the bow, the self is truly the arrow, and Brahman is said to be the target.

अप्रमत्तेन वेद्धव्यं शरवत् तन्मयो भवेत् ओमित्येकाक्षरं ह्येतद् गुहायां निहितं पदम्

It must be pierced by one who is vigilant, just as with an arrow; he should become one with that. This single syllable 'Om' is the hidden goal within the cave (of the heart).

ओमित्येतत्त्रयो लोकास् त्रयो वेदास्त्रयो ऽग्नयः विष्णुक्रमास्त्रयस्त्वेते ऋक्सामानि यजूंषि च

'Om'—these are the three worlds, the three Vedas, the three fires; these are also the three steps of Vishnu, and the Rk, Saman, and Yajus hymns.

मात्रा चार्धं च तिस्रस्तु विज्ञेयाः परमार्थतः तत्प्रयुक्तस्तु यो योगी तस्य सालोक्यमाप्नुयात्

The three measures and the half-measure are to be truly understood; the yogi who applies that attains union with that world.

अकारो ह्यक्षरो ज्ञेय उकारः सहितः स्मृतः मकारसहितौंकारस् त्रिमात्र इति संज्ञितः

The syllable 'a' is to be known as imperishable, 'u' is remembered as joined with it, and 'm' together with 'a' and 'u'—thus Om is called three-measured.

अकारस् त्वेष भूर्लोक उकारो भुव उच्यते सव्यञ्जनो मकारस्तु स्वर्लोक इति गीयते

The syllable 'a' is indeed the earth world, 'u' is said to be the atmosphere, and the consonant 'm' is sung as the heaven world.

ओङ्कारस्तु त्रयो लोकाः शिरस्तस्य त्रिविष्टपम् भुवनाङ्गं च तत्सर्वं ब्राह्मं तत्पदमुच्यते

Om is the three worlds; its head is the highest heaven. All the limbs of the worlds are said to be that Brahman, that supreme state.

मात्रापादो रुद्रलोको ह्य् अमात्रं तु शिवं पदम् एवं ज्ञानविशेषेण तत्पदं समुपास्यते

The measureless part is the world of Rudra; the part without measure is the state of Shiva. Thus, by special knowledge, that state is to be worshipped.

तस्माद्ध्यानरतिर्नित्यम् अमात्रं हि तदक्षरम् उपास्यं हि प्रयत्नेन शाश्वतं सुखमिच्छता

Therefore, one who always delights in meditation should worship that measureless, imperishable syllable with effort, desiring eternal happiness.

ह्रस्वा तु प्रथमा मात्रा ततो दीर्घा त्वनन्तरम् ततः प्लुतवती चैव तृतीया चोपदिश्यते

The first measure is short, then the second is long, and then the third is taught as protracted.

एतास्तु मात्रा विज्ञेया यथावदनुपूर्वशः यावदेव तु शक्यन्ते धार्यन्ते तावदेव हि

These measures are to be understood precisely and in order; as much as can be sustained, only that should be practiced.

इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिं ध्यायन्नात्मनि यः सदा अर्धं तन्मात्रम् अपि चेच् छृणु यत् फलमाप्नुयात्

Whoever always meditates within himself on the senses, mind, and intellect, even for half a measure—listen to the result he attains.

मासे मासे ऽश्वमेधेन यो यजेत शतं समाः तेन यत्प्राप्यते पुण्यं मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात्

The merit gained by one who, month after month, performs the Aśvamedha sacrifice for a hundred years—that very merit is obtained by practicing the measure.

न तथा तपसोग्रेण न यज्ञैर्भूरिदक्षिणैः यत्फलं प्राप्यते सम्यङ् मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात्

Not by severe austerity, nor by sacrifices with abundant gifts, is the fruit attained that is gained by properly practicing the measure.