Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

अज्ञानाद्यदिवाज्ञानाज्जप पूजादिकं मया कृतं तदस्तुसफलंकृपयातवशंकर

Whatever I have done—recitation, worship, and so forth—whether through ignorance or knowledge, may it bear fruit by your grace, O Śaṃkara.

अहंपापीमहानद्यपावनश्चभवान्महान् इतिविज्ञायगौरीशयदिच्छसितथाकुरु

I am a great sinner, and you are the great purifier; knowing this, O Lord of Gaurī, do as you wish.

वेदैः पुराणैः सिद्धान्तैरृषिभिर्विविधैरपि नज्ञातोसिमहादेवकुतोहंत्वंमहाशिव

You are not known through the Vedas, Purāṇas, doctrines, or by the various sages; O Mahādeva, how can I know you, O Mahāśiva?

यथा तथा त्वदीयोस्मि सर्वभावैर्महेश्वर रक्षणीयस्त्वयाहं वै प्रसीद परमेश्वर

However I may be, I am yours in every way, O Maheśvara; I must be protected by you—be gracious, O Supreme Lord.

इत्येवं चाक्षतान्पुष्पानारोप्य च शिवोपरि प्रणमेद्भक्तितश्शंभुं साष्टांगं विधिवन्मुने

Thus, placing fresh flowers upon Śiva, one should bow to Śaṃbhu with devotion, prostrating fully according to the prescribed method, O sage.

ततः प्रदक्षिणां कुर्याद्यथोक्तविधिना सुधीः पुनः स्तुवीत देवेशं स्तुतिभिः श्रद्धयान्वितः

Then, the wise should perform circumambulation according to the prescribed method, and again praise the Lord of gods with hymns, filled with faith.

ततो गलरवंकृत्वा प्रणमेच्छुचिनम्रधीः कुर्याद्विज्ञप्तिमादृत्य विसर्जनमथाचरेत्

Then, making a sound in the throat, the pure-minded should bow, offer respectful submission, and then perform the dismissal.

इत्युक्ता मुनिशार्दूलाः पार्थिवार्चा विधानतः भुक्तिदामुक्तिदाचैवशिवभक्तिविवर्धिनी

Thus addressed, O best of sages, the worship with earthen images, performed according to rule, grants enjoyment and liberation, and increases devotion to Shiva.

इत्यध्यायंसुचित्तेनयःपठेच्छृणुयादपि सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मासर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्

Whoever studies, recites, or hears this chapter with a pure mind becomes purified from all sins and attains all desires.

आयुरायोग्यदंचैवयशस्यंस्वर्ग्यमेवच पुत्रपौत्रादिसुखदमाख्यानमिदमुत्तमम्

This excellent narration bestows long life, health, fame, heaven, and happiness from sons, grandsons, and so on.

सम्यगुक्तंत्वयातातपार्थिवार्चाविधानकम्

Rightly have you spoken, O father, about the procedure for worship with earthen images.

कामनाभेदमाश्रित्यसंख्यांब्रूहिविधानतः शिवपार्थिवलिंगानां कृपयादीनवत्सल

Now, out of compassion, O merciful one, tell in detail the numbers of earthen Shiva lingas according to different desires.

शृणुध्वमृषयः सर्वेपार्थिवार्चाविधानकम् यस्यानुष्ठानमात्रेणकृतकृत्योभवेन्नरः

Hear, all you sages, the procedure for worship with earthen images, by whose mere performance a man becomes fulfilled.

अकृत्वा पार्थिवं लिंगं योन्यदेवंप्रपूजयेत् वृथाभवतिसापूजादमदानादिकंवृथा

If one does not make an earthen linga but worships another image, that worship is in vain, as are gifts and other acts performed without it.

संख्यापार्थिवलिंगानांयथाकामंनिगद्यते संख्यासद्योमुनिश्रेष्ठनिश्चयेनफलप्रदा

The number of earthen lingas is declared according to desire; O best of sages, the definite results are obtained according to the prescribed number.

प्रथमावाहनंतत्रप्रतिष्ठापूजनंपृथक् लिंगाकारंसमंतत्रसर्वंज्ञेयंपृथक्पृथक्

First there is invocation, then separate installation and worship; the form of the linga should be known distinctly in each case.

विद्यार्थीपुरुषःप्रीत्यासहस्रमितपार्थिवम् पूजयेच्छिवलिंगंहिनिश्चयात्तत्फलप्रदम्

A man seeking knowledge, with devotion, should worship a thousand earthen Shiva lingas; this certainly yields the desired result.

नरःपार्थिवलिंगानांधनार्थीचतदर्धकम् पुत्रार्थीसार्धसाहस्रंवस्त्रार्थीशतपञ्चक्रम्

A man desiring wealth should worship half that number of earthen lingas; one seeking sons, one and a half thousand; one desiring clothes, one hundred and five.

मोक्षार्थीकोटिगुणितंभूकामश्चसहस्रकम् दयार्थीचत्रिसाहस्रंतीर्थार्थीद्विसहस्रकम्

One seeking liberation should worship a crore times as many; one desiring land, a thousand; one seeking compassion, three thousand; one seeking pilgrimage, two thousand.

सुहृत्कामीत्रिसाहस्रंवश्यार्थीशतमष्टकम् मारणार्थीसप्तशतंमोहनार्थीशताष्टकम्

One wishing for friends should worship three thousand; for control over others, one hundred and eight; for destruction, seven hundred; for enchantment, one hundred and eight.

उच्चाटनपरश्चैवसहस्रंचयथोक्ततः स्तंभनार्थीसहस्रंतुद्वेषणार्थी तदर्धकम्

For expulsion, a thousand as stated; for immobilization, a thousand; for causing enmity, half that number.

निगडान्मुक्तिकामस्तुसहस्रंसर्धमुत्तमम् महाराजभयेपञ्चशतंज्ञेयंविचक्षणैः

One wishing release from shackles should worship one and a half thousand; in fear of a great king, five hundred, as known by the wise.

चौरादिसंकटेज्ञेयंपार्थिवानांशतद्वयम् डाकिन्यादिभयेपञ्चशतमुक्तंजपार्थिवम्

In danger from thieves and the like, two hundred earthen lingas should be known; in fear of witches and similar beings, five hundred are prescribed.

दारिद्र्येपञ्चसाहस्रमयुतंसर्वकामदम् अथनित्यविधिंवक्ष्येशृणुध्वंमुनिसत्तमाः

In poverty, five thousand; ten thousand grants all desires. Now I will tell you the regular rule—listen, O best of sages.

एकंपापहरंप्रोक्तंद्विलिंगंचार्थसिद्धिदम् त्रिलिंगंसर्वकामानांकारणंपरमीरितम्

One linga is said to remove sin; two lingas grant success in aims; three lingas are declared to be the supreme cause of all desires.

उत्तरोत्तरमेवंस्यात्पूर्वोक्तगणानाविधि मतांतरमथोवक्ष्येसंख्यायांमुनिभेदतः

In this way, each succeeding number is as previously stated; now I will explain another view regarding the enumeration, according to differences among sages.

लिंगानामयुतंकृत्वापार्थिवानांसुबुद्धिमान् निर्भयोहिभवेन्नूनंमहाराजभयंहरेत्

A wise person who makes ten thousand earthen liṅgas will surely become fearless, O King, and will remove the fear of kingship.

कारागृहादिमुक्त्यर्थमयुतंकारयेद्बुधः डाकिन्यादिभयेसप्तसहस्रंकारयेत्तथा

To obtain release from prison and similar troubles, the wise should make ten thousand liṅgas; to dispel fear from Ḍākinīs and the like, seven thousand should likewise be made.

सहस्राणिपञ्चपञ्चाशदपुत्रःप्रकारयेत् लिंगानामयुतेनैवकन्यकासंततिंलभेत्

One who desires sons should make fifty thousand liṅgas; by making ten thousand liṅgas, one obtains a lineage of daughters.