Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

कोटिमेकांतुलिंगानां यः करोतिनरोभुवि शिव एवभवेत्सोपिनात्रकार्या विचारणा

Whoever, on earth, makes a crore of liṅgas becomes Śiva himself; about this, there is no need for further deliberation.

अर्चा पार्थिवलिंगानां कोटियज्ञफलप्रदा भुक्तिदामुक्तिदानित्यंततःकामर्थिनांनृणाम्

The worship of earthen liṅgas bestows the fruit of a crore sacrifices, grants enjoyment and liberation always, and thus is for those who desire worldly aims.

विनालिंगार्चनं यस्य कालोगच्छति नित्यशः महाहानिर्भवेत्तस्यदुर्वृत्तस्यदुरात्मनः

For one whose time always passes without worship of the liṅga, great harm befalls that wicked and evil-minded person.

एकतः सर्वदानानि व्रतानि विविधानि च तीर्थानिनियमायज्ञालिंगार्चाचैकतः स्मृता

On one side are all gifts, various vows, pilgrimages, disciplines, and sacrifices; on the other side is the worship of the liṅga—so it is remembered.

कलौलिंगार्चनंश्रेष्ठंतथालोकेप्रदृश्यते तथानास्तीति शास्त्राणामेष सिद्धान्तनिश्चयः

The worship of the liṅga in the Kali age is seen as the highest in the world; thus, this is the settled conclusion of the scriptures, whether one believes or not.

भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदंलिंगं विविधापन्निवारणम् पूजयित्वानरोनित्यं शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात्

The liṅga grants enjoyment and liberation, removes all kinds of calamities; one who worships it always attains union with Śiva.

शिवानाममयं लिंगंनित्यं पूज्यं महर्षिभिः यतश्च सर्वलिंगेषु तस्मात्पूज्यंविधानतः

The liṅga, which is the very name of Śiva, is always to be worshipped by great sages; and because of this, among all liṅgas, it is to be worshipped according to rule.

उत्तमं मध्यमं नीचं त्रिविधं लिंगमीरितम् मानतो मुनिशार्दूलास्तच्छृणुध्वं वदाम्यहम्

The liṅga is said to be of three kinds: superior, middling, and inferior, O best of sages; hear from me as I declare their measures.

चतुरंगुलमुच्छ्रायंरम्यंवेदिकयायुतम् उत्तमंलिंगमाख्यातंमुनिभिःशास्त्रकोविदैः

A liṅga four fingers high, beautiful and furnished with a pedestal, is declared by sages skilled in scripture to be the superior liṅga.

तदर्धंमध्यमंप्रोक्तंतदर्धमघमंस्मृतम् इत्थंत्रिविधमाख्यातमुत्तरोत्तरतःपरम्

Half of that is called the middling liṅga, and half of that again is remembered as the inferior; thus, the threefold division is declared, each lesser than the previous.

अनेकलिंगंयोनित्यंभक्तिश्रद्धासमन्वितः पूजयेत्सलभेत्कामान्मनसा मानसेप्सितान्

Whoever, endowed with devotion and faith, always worships many liṅgas, easily obtains the desires of his mind.

नलिंगाराधनादन्यत्पुण्यंवेदचतुष्टये विद्यतेसर्वशास्त्राणामेष एवविनिश्चयः

There is no merit in the four Vedas greater than the worship of the liṅga; this is the settled conclusion of all the scriptures.

सर्वमेतत्परित्यज्यकर्मजालमशेषतः भक्त्यापरमया विद्वांल्लिंगमेकंप्रपूजयेत्

Abandoning entirely all other actions, the wise should worship a single liṅga with supreme devotion.

लिंगेर्चितेर्चितंसर्वंजगत्स्थावरजंगमम् संसारांबुधिमग्नानांनान्यत्तारणसाधनम्

All that is immobile and mobile in the world is worshipped through the worship of the liṅga; for those submerged in the ocean of worldly existence, there is no other means of deliverance.

अज्ञानतिमिरांधानांविषयासक्तचेतसाम् प्लवोनान्योस्तिजगतिलिंगाराधनमंतरा

For those blinded by the darkness of ignorance and whose minds are attached to sense objects, there is no other raft in the world except the worship of the liṅga.

हरिब्रह्मादयोदेवामुनयोयक्षराक्षसाः गंधर्वाश्चरणास्सिद्धादैतेयादानवास्तथा

Hari, Brahmā, and other gods, sages, yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, charaṇas, siddhas, daityas, and dānavas likewise—

नागाःशेषप्रभृतयोगरुडाद्याःखगास्तथा सप्रजापतयश्चान्येमनवःकिन्नरानराः

Nāgas beginning with Śeṣa, Garuḍa and other birds, other Prajāpatis, Manus, kinnaras, and humans—

पूजयित्वामहाभक्त्यालिंगंसर्वार्थसिद्धिदम् प्राप्ताःकामानभीष्टांश्चतांस्तान्सर्वान्हृदिस्थितान्

Having worshipped the liṅga with great devotion, which grants all desired ends, they attained their wished-for desires, all those who dwell in the heart.

ब्राह्मणःक्षत्रियोवैश्यःशूद्रोवाप्रतिलोमजः पूजयेत्सततंलिंगंतत्तन्मंत्रेणसादरम्

A brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or one born of mixed castes should always worship the liṅga with the appropriate mantra and with reverence.

किंबहूक्तेनमुनयःस्त्रीणामपितथान्यतः अधिकारोस्तिसर्वेषांशिवलिंगार्चनेद्विजाः

Why speak at length, O sages? The same applies to women and others; all have the right to worship the liṅga of Śiva, O twice-born.

द्विजानांवैदिकेनापिमार्गेणाराधनंवरम् अन्येषामपिजंतूनांवैदिकेननसंमतम्

Among the twice-born, worship by the Vedic path is best; for other beings, Vedic worship is not approved.

वैदिकानांद्विजानांचपूजावैदिकमार्गतः कर्तव्यानान्यमार्गेण इत्याहभगवाञ्छिवः

For Vedic twice-born, worship should be performed by the Vedic path, not by any other means—so declares the blessed Śiva.

दधीच गौतमादीनांशापेनादग्धचेतसाम् द्विजानां जायतेश्रद्धानैव वैदिककर्मणि

For those whose minds have been burned by the curse of Dadhīca, Gautama, and others, faith in Vedic ritual arises only among the twice-born.

योवैदिकमनादृत्यकर्मस्मार्तमथापिवा अन्यत्समाचरेन्मर्त्योनसंकल्पफलंलभेत्

Whoever, disregarding the Vedic, performs smārta or any other ritual, does not obtain the fruit of intention, O mortal.

इत्थंकृत्वार्चनंशंभोर्नैवेद्यांतंविधानतः पूजयेदष्टमूर्तीश्चतत्रैवत्रिजगन्मयीः

Having thus performed the worship of Śambhu, and the offering of food according to the prescribed method, one should worship the eight forms there, which are indeed the three worlds.

क्षितिरापोनलोवायुराकाशः सूर्यसोमकौ यजमान इति त्वष्टौमूर्तयःपरिकीर्तिताः

Earth, water, fire, wind, space, sun, moon, and the sacrificer—these are declared to be the eight forms.

शर्वोभवश्च रुद्रश्च उग्रोभीम इतीश्वरः महादेवः पशुपतिरेतान्मूर्तिभिरर्चयेत्

Śarva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bhīma, Īśvara, Mahādeva, and Paśupati—one should worship with these forms.

पूजयेत्परिवारं चततःशंभोःसुभक्तितः ईशानादिक्रमात्तत्रचंदनाक्षतपत्रकैः

Then, with true devotion, one should worship the retinue of Śambhu, beginning with Īśāna, using sandalwood, rice grains, and leaves.

ईशानंनन्दिनंचंडंमहाकालंचभृंगिणम् वृषंस्कंदंकपर्दीशंसोमंशुक्रंचतत्क्रमात्

Īśāna, Nandī, Caṇḍa, Mahākāla, Bhṛṅgi, Vṛṣa, Skanda, Kapardīśa, Soma, and Śukra, in that order.