Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

द्विखंडंतुचरांलिंगंकुर्वन्त्यज्ञानमोहिताः नैवसिद्धान्तवेत्तारो मुनयः शास्त्रकोविदाः

Those who make the moving liṅga in two parts are deluded by ignorance; neither the knowers of doctrine nor the sages skilled in scripture do so.

अखंडंस्थावरंलिंगंद्विखंडंचरमेवच येकुर्वन्तिनरामूढानपूजाफलभागिनः

Those who make the unmoving liṅga whole and the moving in two parts are not foolish people, and they are recipients of the fruit of worship.

तस्माच्छास्त्रोक्तविधिना अखंडंचरसंज्ञकम् द्विखंडं स्थावरं लिंगं कर्तव्यं परया मुदा

Therefore, according to the method prescribed in scripture, one should make the moving liṅga whole, and the unmoving liṅga in two parts, with supreme joy.

अखंडे तु चरे पूजासम्पूर्णफलदायिनी द्विखंडे तु चरे पूजामहाहानिप्रदा स्मृता

Worship of the whole moving liṅga grants complete results; worship of the two-parted moving liṅga is said to cause great loss.

अखंडे स्थावरे पूजा न कामफलदायिनी प्रत्यवायकरीनित्यमित्युक्तंशास्त्रवेदिभिः

Worship of the whole unmoving liṅga does not grant the desired fruit; it is always said by those learned in scripture to cause obstacles.

अथ वैदिकभक्तानां पार्थिवार्चां निगद्यते वैदिकेनैवमार्गेणभुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी

Now, the worship of the earthen liṅga for Vedic devotees is described; by the Vedic path, it grants both enjoyment and liberation.

सूत्रोक्तविधिनास्नात्वासंध्यां कृत्वा यथाविधि ब्रह्मयज्ञंविधायादौततस्तर्पणमाचरेत्

Having bathed according to the rule stated in the sūtras, performed the sandhyā, and conducted the Brahma-yajña, one should then carry out the offering.

शिवस्मरणपूर्वं हि भस्मरुद्राक्षधारकः

Indeed, before remembering Śiva, one should wear ashes and rudrākṣa beads.

वेदोक्ताविधिना सम्यक्संपूर्णफलसिद्धये पूजयेत्परयाभक्त्यापार्थिवंलिंगमुत्तमम्

By the method prescribed in the Vedas, for the attainment of complete results, one should worship the supreme earthen liṅga with utmost devotion.

नदीतीरे तडागे च पर्वतेकानने ऽपिच शिवालये शुचौ देशे पार्थिवार्चा विधीयते

On the riverbank, in a pond, on a mountain, in a forest, or in a temple of Śiva, in a pure place, the worship of the earthen liṅga is prescribed.

शुद्धप्रदेशसंभूतां मृदमाहृत्य यत्नतः शिवलिंगं प्रकल्पेत सावधानतया द्विजाः

Having carefully collected earth from a pure place, the twice-born should fashion the Śiva liṅga with attentiveness.

विप्रे गौरा स्मृता शोणा बाहुजे पीतवर्णका वैश्येकृष्णा पादजाते ह्यथवा यत्र या भवेत्

For a brāhmaṇa, white is remembered; for a kṣatriya, red; for a vaiśya, yellow on the arms; for a śūdra, black on the feet, or whatever color may be found.

संगृह्यमृत्तिकांलिंगनिर्माणार्थंप्रयत्नतः अतीवशुभदेशेचस्थापयेत्तांमृदंशुभाम्

Carefully gathering clay for the purpose of making the liṅga, one should place that auspicious earth in a highly auspicious place.

संशोध्यचजलेनापिपिंडीकृत्य शनैः शनैः विधीयेतशुभंलिंगंपार्थिवंवेदमार्गतः

Having purified the clay, one should gently and gradually form it into a lump; thus, according to the Vedic path, the auspicious earthen liṅga should be fashioned.

ततः संपूजयेद्भक्त्याभुक्तिमुक्तिफलाप्तये तत्प्रकारमहंवच्मिशृणुध्वंसंविधानतः

Then, with devotion, one should worship it to attain the fruits of enjoyment and liberation; I shall now declare the procedure—listen to this arrangement.

नमः शिवायमंत्रेणार्चनंद्रव्यंचप्रोक्षयेत् भूरसीतिचमंत्रेणक्षेत्रसिद्धिंप्रकारयेत्

With the mantra 'Salutation to Śiva,' one should sprinkle the worship materials; with the mantra 'The earth was,' one should establish the sanctity of the site.

आपोस्मानितिमंत्रेणजलसंस्कारमाचरेत् नमस्ते रुद्रमंत्रेण फाटिकाबंधमुच्यते

With the mantra 'You are water,' one should perform the purification with water; with the mantra 'Salutations to you, Rudra,' the binding of the crystal is prescribed.

शंभवायेतिमंत्रेणक्षेत्रशुद्धिं प्रकारयेत् नमः पूर्वेण कुर्यात्पञ्चामृतस्यापि प्रोक्षणम्

With the mantra 'To Śambhu,' one should purify the site; with the earlier salutation, one should sprinkle the five nectars as well.

नीलग्रीवायमंत्रेणनमःपूर्वेणभक्तिमान् चरेच्छंकरलिंगस्यप्रतिष्ठापनमुत्तमम्

With the mantra 'To the blue-throated one,' and with the earlier salutation, the devotee should perform the excellent installation of the Śaṃkara liṅga.

भक्तितस्तत एतत्तेरुद्रायेति च मंत्रतः आसनं रमणीयं वैदद्याद्वैदिकमार्गकृत्

Then, with devotion, and with the mantra 'To that Rudra,' one should provide a beautiful seat, following the Vedic procedure.

मानोमहन्तमितिचमंत्रेणावाहनंचरेत् यातेरुद्रेणमंत्रेणसंचरेदुपवेशनम्

With the mantra 'You are great in honor,' one should perform the invocation; with the mantra 'O Rudra, proceed,' one should perform the seating.

मंत्रेणयामिषुमिति न्यासंकुर्याच्छिवस्यच अध्यवोचदिति प्रेम्णाधिवासंमनुनाचरेत्

With the mantra 'I come with the arrow,' one should perform the nyāsa for Śiva; with the mantra 'He declared,' one should lovingly perform the consecration.

मनुनासौजीव इतिदेवतान्यासमाचरेत् असौयोवसर्पतीति चाचरेदपसर्पणम्

With the mantra 'With vital force,' one should perform the installation of the deities; with the mantra 'He who moves,' one should perform the removal of obstacles.

अर्घ्यं च रुद्रगायत्र्या ऽचमनं त्र्यंबकेण च

One should offer arghya with the Rudra Gāyatrī, and perform sipping of water with the Tryambaka mantra.

पयःपृथिव्यामिति च पयसास्नानमाचरेत् दधिक्राव्णेतिमंत्रेणदधिस्नानं च कारयेत्

With the mantra 'Milk is of the earth,' one should perform the bathing with milk; with the mantra 'Dadhikrāvan,' one should also perform the bathing with curds.

मधुखंडस्नपनंप्रोक्तमितिपञ्चामृतं स्मृतम् अथवा पाद्यमंत्रेण स्नानंपञ्चामृतेन च

Bathing with honey and sugar is prescribed; this is known as the five nectars. Alternatively, with the pādya mantra, one should bathe with the five nectars.

मानस्तोके इति प्रेम्णा मंत्रेण कटिबंधनम् नमो धृष्णवे इति वा उत्तरीयं च धापयेत्

With the mantra 'O Mind, in the child,' one should lovingly tie the girdle; or with the mantra 'Salutation to the bold one,' one should put on the upper garment.

या ते हेतिरिति प्रेम्णा ऋक्चतुष्केण वैदिकः शिवाय विधिना भक्तश्चरेद्वस्त्रसमर्पणम्

With the mantra 'That weapon of yours,' recited with love and the four ṛks, the devotee should offer cloth to Śiva according to the Vedic rule.

नमः श्वभ्य इति प्रेम्णा गंधं दद्यादृचा सुधीः

With the mantra 'Salutation to the dogs,' recited with love and the ṛk, the wise one should offer fragrance.