Linga Purana

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.

तत्र चैषा तु या मात्रा प्लुता नामोपदिश्यते एषा एव भवेत्कार्या गृहस्थानां तु योगिनाम्

Among these, the measure called 'pluta' is prescribed; this alone should be practiced by householders and yogins.

एषां चैव विशेषेण ऐश्वर्ये ह्यष्टलक्षणे अणिमाद्ये तु विज्ञेया तस्माद्युञ्जीत तां द्विजाः

Especially among these, in the eightfold powers beginning with aṇimā, this measure is to be known; therefore, O twice-born, practice it.

एवं हि योगसंयुक्तः शुचिर् दान्तो जितेन्द्रियः आत्मानं विद्यते यस्तु स सर्वं विन्दते द्विजाः

Thus, one united with yoga, pure, self-controlled, and master of the senses, who knows the self, O twice-born, attains all.

तस्मात्पाशुपतैर्योगैर् आत्मानं चिन्तयेद्बुधः आत्मानं जानते ये तु शुचयस्ते न संशयः

Therefore, the wise should contemplate the self by means of Pāśupata yogas; those pure ones who know the self, of them there is no doubt.

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि वेदोपनिषदस् तथा योगज्ञानादवाप्नोति ब्राह्मणो ऽध्यात्मचिन्तकः

A Brāhmaṇa devoted to contemplation of the self attains the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, the Upaniṣads, and also the knowledge born of yoga.

सर्वदेवमयो भूत्वा अभूतः स तु जायते योनिसंक्रमणं त्यक्त्वा याति वै शाश्वतं पदम्

Becoming one with all the gods, he is born no more; abandoning passage through the womb, he attains the eternal state.

यथा वृक्षात् फलं पक्वं पवनेन समीरितम् नमस्कारेण रुद्रस्य तथा पापं प्रणश्यति

Just as a ripe fruit falls from a tree when stirred by the wind, so does sin perish by salutation to Rudra.

यत्र रुद्रनमस्कारः सर्वकर्मफलो ध्रुवः अन्यदेवनमस्कारान् न तत्फलमवाप्नुयात्

Where there is salutation to Rudra, the result of all actions is certain; by salutation to other gods, that fruit is not obtained.

तस्मात्त्रिःप्रवणं योगी उपासीत महेश्वरम् दशविस्तारकं ब्रह्म तथा च ब्रह्मविस्तरैः

Therefore, the yogin should worship the great Lord three times a day, and Brahman of tenfold extent, as well as by the extensions of Brahman.

एवं ध्यानसमायुक्तः स्वदेहं यः परित्यजेत् स याति शिवसायुज्यं समुद्धृत्य कुलत्रयम्

Thus, one endowed with meditation who abandons his own body attains union with Śiva, uplifting the three families.

अथवारिष्टमालोक्य मरणे समुपस्थिते अविमुक्तेश्वरं गत्वा वाराणस्यां तु शोधनम्

Or, seeing death approaching, going to Avimukteśvara in Vārāṇasī brings purification.

येन केनापि वा देहं संत्यजेन् मुच्यते नरः श्रीपर्वते वा विप्रेन्द्राः संत्यजेत्स्वतनुं नरः

By whatever means a man gives up his body, he is liberated; O best of Brāhmaṇas, if he gives up his body at Śrīparvata, too.

स याति शिवसायुज्यं नात्र कार्या विचारणा अविमुक्तं परं क्षेत्रं जन्तूनां मुक्तिदं सदा

He attains union with Śiva—on this there should be no doubt; Avimukta is the supreme field, always granting liberation to beings.

सेवेत सततं धीमान् विशेषान्मरणान्तिके

The wise should always serve it, especially at the approach of death.

एवं वाराणसी पुण्या यदि सूत महामते वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं तत्प्रभावं हि सांप्रतम्

Thus, O wise Sūta, if Vārāṇasī is so holy, you ought now to tell us of its power.

क्षेत्रस्यास्य च माहात्म्यम् अविमुक्तस्य शोभनम् विस्तरेण यथान्यायं श्रोतुं कौतूहलं हि नः

We are eager to hear, in detail and according to tradition, the splendid greatness of this field, Avimukta.

वक्ष्ये संक्षेपतः सम्यक् वाराणस्याः सुशोभनम् अविमुक्तस्य माहात्म्यं यथाह भगवान् भवः

I shall properly recount, in brief, the glorious greatness of Avimukta at Vārāṇasī, as spoken by the blessed Lord Bhava.

विस्तरेण मया वक्तुं ब्रह्मणा च महात्मना शक्यते नैव विप्रेन्द्रा वर्षकोटिशतैरपि

Even in hundreds of millions of years, O best of Brāhmins, neither I nor the great-souled Brahmā could fully describe it in detail.

देवः पुरा कृतोद्वाहः शङ्करो नीललोहितः हिमवच्छिखराद्देव्या हैमवत्या गणेश्वरैः

Long ago, when Śaṅkara, blue and red in hue, was newly wed, he came down from Himavat's peak with the goddess Haimavatī and the lords of the hosts.

वाराणसीमनुप्राप्य दर्शयामास शङ्करः अविमुक्तेश्वरं लिङ्गं वासं तत्र चकार सः

Arriving at Vārāṇasī, Śaṅkara revealed the liṅga of Avimukteśvara and made his dwelling there.