Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

नम्रो ऽहंहिस्वदेहेनभोमहांस्त्वमसिप्रभो नशून्योमत्स्वरूपोवैतवदासो ऽस्मिसांप्रतम्

I am humble with my own body, while you are the great one, O Lord; my own nature is not empty, for now I am truly your servant.

यथायोग्यंस्वात्मयज्ञंनमस्कारंप्रकल्पयेत् अथात्रशिवनैवेद्यंदत्त्वातांबूलमाहरेत्

One should offer worship and salutations to the Self as appropriate; then, having given the offering to Shiva, one should take the betel leaf.

शिवप्रदक्षिणंकुर्यात्स्वयमष्टोत्तरं शतम् सहस्रमयुतंलक्षं कोटिमन्येन कारयेत्

One should perform circumambulation of Shiva oneself, one hundred and eight times; a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, or a crore may be done by another.

शिवप्रदक्षिणात्सर्वंपातकंनश्यतिक्षणात् दुःखस्यमूलंव्याधिर्हिव्याधेर्मूलंहिपातकम्

By circumambulating Shiva, all sins are destroyed in an instant; the root of suffering is disease, and the root of disease is indeed sin.

धर्मेणैवहिपापानामपनोदनमीरितम् शिवोद्देशकृतोधर्मःक्षमःपापविनोदने

It is declared that the removal of sins is through righteousness alone; the righteousness performed for Shiva's sake is capable of dispelling sin.

अध्यक्षं शिवधर्मेषु प्रदक्षिणमितीरितम् क्रियया जपरूपंहिप्रणवंतुप्रदक्षिणम्

It is said that circumambulation is the overseer among the duties to Shiva; in practice, circumambulation is indeed the recitation of the sacred syllable Om.

जननंमरणंद्वंद्वंमायाचक्रमितीरितम् शिवस्यमायाचक्रंहिबलिपीठंतदुच्यते

Birth and death, the pair of opposites, are called the wheel of illusion; indeed, the altar for offerings is said to be Shiva's wheel of illusion.

बलिपीठंसमारभ्यप्रादक्षिण्यक्रमेणवै पदेपदांतरंगत्वाबलिपीठं समाविशेत्

Beginning at the altar for offerings, one should enter it step by step in the order of circumambulation, keeping a space between each step.

नमस्कारंततः कुर्यात्प्रदक्षिणमितीरितम् निर्गमाज्जननंप्राप्तंनमस्त्वात्मसमर्पणम्

Then one should offer salutations, which is said to be circumambulation; upon departing, birth is attained, and with salutations, the self is offered.

जननं मरणं द्वंद्वं शिवमायासमर्पितम् शिवमायार्पितद्वंद्वो न पुनस्त्वात्मभाग्भवेत्

Birth and death, the pair of opposites, are offered to Shiva's illusion; the one who has offered these opposites to Shiva's illusion does not become subject to them again.

यावद्देहंक्रियाधीनःसजीवोबद्ध उच्यते देहत्रयवशीकारेमोक्ष इत्युच्यते बुधैः

As long as one is dependent on action in the body, one is said to be bound and living; liberation is said by the wise to be mastery over the three bodies.

मायाचक्रप्रणेताहिशिवः परमकारणम् शिवमायार्पितद्वंद्वंशिवस्तुपरिमार्जति

Shiva, the mover of the wheel of illusion, is the supreme cause; Shiva indeed removes the opposites that are offered to his illusion.

शिवेनकल्पितंद्वंद्वंतस्मिन्नेव समर्पयेत् शिवस्यातिप्रियंविद्यात्प्रदक्षिणंनमोबुधाः

One should offer to Shiva the opposites that have arisen through him; the wise know that circumambulation and salutation are most dear to Shiva.

प्रदक्षिणनमस्काराः शिवस्यपरमात्मनः षोडशैरुपचारैश्चकृतपूजाफलप्रदा

Circumambulation and salutations to Shiva, the Supreme Self, bestow the fruit of worship performed with the sixteen forms of service.

प्रदक्षिणा ऽविनाश्यंहि पातकंनास्ति भूतले तस्मात्प्रदक्षिणेनैवसर्वपापंविनाशयेत्

There is no sin on earth that cannot be destroyed by circumambulation; therefore, one should destroy all sin by circumambulation alone.

शिवपूजापरोमौनीसत्यादिगुणसंयुतः क्रियातपोजपज्ञानध्यानेष्वेकैकमाचरेत्

One devoted to Shiva, silent, endowed with truth and other virtues, should practice each of the acts—ritual, austerity, recitation, knowledge, and meditation.

ऐश्वर्यंदिव्यदेहश्चज्ञानमज्ञानसंशयः शिवसान्निध्यमित्येतेक्रियादीनांफलंभवेत्

Sovereignty, a divine body, knowledge, the removal of ignorance and doubt, and the presence of Shiva—these are the fruits of those acts.

करणेनफलंयातितमसः परिहापनात् जन्मनःपरिमार्जित्वाज्ज्ञबुद्ध्याजनितानिच

By means of action, the fruit is attained, and darkness is dispelled; after removing the results of birth, those produced by knowledge and intellect as well.

यथादेशं यथाकालं यथादेहं यथाधनम् यथायोग्यंप्रकुर्वीत क्रियादीञ्छिवभक्तिमान्

A devotee of Shiva should perform acts as appropriate to place, time, body, and wealth, and as is fitting.

न्यायार्जितसुवित्तेनवसेत्प्राज्ञः शिवस्थले जीवहिंसादिरहितमतिक्लेशविवर्जितम्

A wise person should live in the abode of Shiva with wealth earned justly, free from harming living beings and other such faults, and without excessive hardship.

पञ्चाक्षरेणजप्तंचतोयमन्नंविदुः सुखम् अथवा ऽहुर्दरिद्रस्यभिक्षान्नंज्ञानदंभवेत्

Water or food over which the five-syllable mantra has been recited is considered auspicious; or, it is said, even the alms-food of a poor person can grant knowledge.

शिवभक्तस्यभिक्षान्नंशिवभक्तिविवर्धनम् शंभुसत्रमितिप्राहुर्भिक्षान्नंशिवयोगिनः

The alms-food of a devotee of Shiva increases devotion to Shiva; the alms-food of a Shiva yogi is called the thread of Shambhu, so it is said.

येनकेनाप्युपायेनयत्रकुत्रापिभूतले शुद्धान्नभुक्सदामौनीरहस्यं न प्रकाशयेत्

By whatever means, wherever on earth, one should always eat pure food in silence, and should not reveal the secret.

प्रकाशयेत्तुभक्तानांशिवमाहात्म्यमेवहि रहस्यंशिवमंत्रस्यशिवोजानातिनापरः

But one should indeed reveal only the greatness of Shiva to devotees; the secret of the Shiva mantra is known only by Shiva, not by another.

शिवभक्तोवसेन्नित्यंशिवलिंगंसमाश्रितः स्थाणुलिंगाश्रयेणैवस्थाणुर्भवतिभूसुराः

A devotee of Shiva should always reside, taking refuge in the Shiva liṅga; by taking refuge in the immovable liṅga, the wise become steadfast.

पूजयाचरलिंगस्यक्रमान्मुक्तोभवेद्ध्रुवम् सर्वमुक्तंसमासेनसाध्यसाधनमुत्तमम्

By worshipping the liṅga in due order, one certainly becomes liberated; in brief, all is liberated—this is the highest means and goal.

व्यासेनयत्पुराप्रोक्तंयच्छ्रुतंहिमयापुरा भद्रमस्तुहिवो ऽस्माकं शिवभक्तिर्दृढा ऽस्तुसा

What was formerly spoken by Vyasa and heard by me in ancient times—may there be well-being for us, and may our devotion to Shiva be firm.

य इमंपठते ऽध्यायं यः शृणोति नरः सदा शिवज्ञानंसलभतेशिवस्यकृपयाबुधाः

Whoever recites or always listens to this chapter, O wise ones, attains knowledge of Shiva by Shiva’s grace.

सूतसूतचिरंजीवधन्यस्त्वंशिवभक्तिमान् सम्यगुक्तस्त्वयालिंगमहिमासत्फलप्रदः

O Suta, long may you live! You are blessed and devoted to Shiva. You have rightly spoken of the greatness of the liṅga, which bestows the highest fruit.