अरोगी सुप्रसन्नात्मा कामदेवसमप्रभः। वरदः सर्वलोकेषु यथा ब्रध्नस्तथा हि सः
He becomes free from disease, with a mind full of joy, radiant like Kāma, the god of love, and a bestower of boons in all worlds, just like Bradhna.
सुरस्य प्रतिमायां च गृहं कृत्वा शिलामयम्। कल्पकोटिशतं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गमुर्वीश्वरो भवेत्
By building a stone house for the image of a god, after enjoying a hundred million aeons, he becomes lord of heaven and earth.
विष्ण्वादि सर्वदेवानामर्चनं यत्पृथक्पृथक्। प्रत्येकं संप्रवक्ष्यामि नराणां हित हेतवे
I will now explain separately, for the benefit of men, the worship of all the gods, beginning with Viṣṇu, each one in turn.
घृतप्रदीपं यो दद्यात्मासमेकमहर्निशम्। दिव्यं वर्षायुतं स्वर्गे पूजितो देवसत्तमैः
Whoever offers a single ghee lamp, equal to himself, day and night, is worshipped by the best of the gods in heaven for ten thousand divine years.
घृतस्नानं तथा लिंगे यः कुर्याद्भुवि मानवः। कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि मासैके लभते नरः
Likewise, a man who bathes the liṅga with ghee on earth obtains, in just one month, the fruit of a thousand million aeons.
तिलतैलप्रदीपस्य तथान्यस्यार्द्धकं फलम्। मासैकं जलदानस्य फलेनेश्वरतां व्रजेत्
The fruit of offering a sesame oil lamp, or any other, is half as much; by giving water for one month, a man attains lordship.
धूपदानेन गंधर्वं चंदने द्विगुणं भवेत्। मृगमदागरुसत्वस्य दाने बहुफलं भवेत्
By offering incense, one attains the status of a Gandharva; with sandalwood, the fruit is doubled; by giving musk or agaru, the reward is manifold.
मालापुष्पप्रदानेन नरः स्यात्त्रिदशेश्वरः। शीते तूलपटीं दत्वा सर्वदुःखात्प्रमुच्यते
By offering garlands and flowers, a man becomes lord of the gods; by giving a cotton blanket in winter, he is freed from all suffering.
जन्मजन्मसु लभ्येत उष्णे च शीतलां पटीम्। दत्वा च नैवसीदेत शक्त्या वस्त्रं ददाति यः
In every birth, he obtains a cool cloth in heat; and one who gives a garment according to his ability never suffers.
चतुर्हस्तप्रमाणं च वर्ष्मवेष्टं सुशोभनम्। पिधानं चरणानां च दत्वा स्वर्गान्न हीयते
By giving a beautiful garment four cubits long, to cover the body and feet, one does not fall from heaven.
शक्त्या स्वर्णप्रदानेन स्वर्गे पूज्यो भवेन्नरः। दशयोजनविस्तीर्णे मंडपे रूपभाग्भवेत्
By giving gold according to his ability, a man is honored in heaven; in a pavilion ten yojanas wide, he becomes radiant in form.
सुवर्णं रत्नसंयुक्तं दत्त्वा दशगुणं लभेत्। वज्रवैडूर्यगारुत्म माणिक्यादीननर्घतः
By giving gold adorned with jewels, he obtains tenfold reward, especially with diamond, beryl, garuḍa-stone, ruby, and other priceless gems.
दत्वा लिंगे विधानाच्च ब्राह्मणे वा यशस्विनि। शतयोजनविस्तीर्णमंडलेधिपतिर्भवेत्
By giving, according to rule, to the liṅga or to a renowned brāhmaṇa, he becomes lord of a pavilion a hundred yojanas wide.
तथैव भुवि जातोपि सर्वलोकप्ररंजनः। सुरभिद्रव्यदानेन वावदूकश्च सुंदरः
Likewise, even if born on earth, he delights all the worlds; by giving fragrant substances, he becomes eloquent and handsome.
रक्तामृतसुकंठश्च पूगदानान्नरो भवेत्। वरदासीप्रदानेन नरः कल्पं वसेद्दिवि
By giving betel, a man gains a sweet voice like nectar; by giving a worthy female servant, he dwells in heaven for an aeon.
वरदासी प्रदानेन उर्व्यां जातो धनेश्वरः। तथैव भृत्यदानेन बहुभृत्यो भवेद्दिवि
By giving a worthy female servant, one born on earth becomes lord of wealth; likewise, by giving servants, he has many attendants in heaven.
धरायामक्षयाऋद्धिर्जन्मजन्मसु जायते। सर्वतूर्यप्रदानेन गुणवान्लोकसंमतः
By giving all kinds of musical instruments, one attains inexhaustible prosperity on earth, birth after birth, and becomes virtuous and esteemed by the world.
नृत्यगीतादिशास्त्रेण गंधर्वाणां पतिर्भवेत्। दासीदासयुतः स्वर्गे धनैः स्त्रीभिर्वरैर्युतः
Through knowledge of the arts such as dance and song, one becomes lord among the Gandharvas, and in heaven enjoys wealth, women, and all desired pleasures, attended by servants both male and female.
तथैव गोप्रदानेन तावत्कालं वसेद्दिवि। लिंगे दुग्धप्रदानाच्च नरः कल्पं वसेद्दिवि
Likewise, by giving cows, one dwells in heaven for that many years; and by offering milk at the liṅga, a man resides in heaven for a kalpa.
दध्ना स्नानेन द्विगुणं घृतेन तु शताधिकम्। अन्नं षड्रससंयुक्तं दत्वा क्षितिपतिर्भवेत्
By bathing with curd, the merit is doubled; with ghee, it is increased a hundredfold. By giving food prepared with six tastes, one becomes a lord of the earth.
तथैव पायसं दत्वा मुनीनां प्रवरो भुवि। हविष्यान्नं मुदा दत्वा वेदशास्त्रार्थपारगः
Similarly, by giving pāyasa, one becomes foremost among sages on earth; by joyfully giving havis-food, one attains mastery of the meaning of the Vedas and śāstras.
निरामिषप्रदानाच्च ब्रह्मचारी व्रती भवेत्। मधुदानाच्च सौभाग्यं गुडेन लवणेन च
By giving food without meat, one becomes a celibate observer of vows; by giving honey, one gains good fortune, and by giving jaggery and salt as well.
शर्करादिभिर्लावण्यं सर्वलोकेषु गीयते। देवानां शंभुलिंगानामर्चां कृत्वा विधानतः
By giving sugar and the like, beauty is praised in all worlds. Having worshipped the liṅgas of the gods according to rule—
अनुक्रमेण स्वर्गादौ लोकानां स पतिर्भवेत्। लोकानां च हितार्थाय देवास्तिष्ठंति संमुखाः
In due order, one becomes lord of the worlds beginning with heaven; and for the welfare of the worlds, the gods stand before him.
सकृत्प्रदक्षिणां कृत्वा शंभुलिंगेषु पंडितः। दिव्यं वर्षशतं पूर्णं स्वर्गमेति नरोत्तमः
By performing even a single circumambulation of the Śiva liṅgas, the wise best of men attains heaven for a full hundred divine years.
एवमेव क्रमेणैव नमस्कारैः स्वयंभुवः। लोकवंद्यो व्रजेत्स्वर्गं तस्मान्नित्यं समाचरेत्
In this very way, by repeated salutations, one honored by the world attains heaven; therefore, one should always perform them.
लिंगरूपस्य देवस्य यो धनं हरते नरः। स च रौरवमासाद्य हरणात्कीटतां व्रजेत्
If a man steals wealth belonging to the god in liṅga form, he attains Raurava hell and, because of the theft, becomes an insect.
दातुः पूजां च लिंगार्थे हरेश्चाप्याददाति यः। कुलकोटिसहस्रेण नरकान्न निवर्तते
Whoever takes for himself the offerings or worship intended for the liṅga or for Hari does not return from hell for a thousand crores of family generations.
जलपुष्पादिदीपार्थे वसु चान्यद्गृहीतवान्। पश्चान्न दीयते लोभादक्षयं नरकं व्रजेत्
If one takes wealth meant for water, flowers, lamps, or other offerings, and later, out of greed, does not give it, he goes to unending hell.
दासीं हृत्वा तु लिंगस्य नरकान्न निवर्तते। कामार्तो मातरं गच्छेन्न गच्छेच्छिवचेटिकाम्
By abducting a female servant of the liṅga, one does not return from hell; a lustful man may approach his own mother, but should not approach a servant of Śiva.