Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

अग्रतोवीरभद्रं च पृष्ठेकीर्तिमुखं तथा तत एकादशान्नुद्रान्पूजयेद्विधिनाततः

In front, Vīrabhadra; behind, Kīrtimukha; thus, one should worship these eleven forms according to the prescribed method.

ततःपञ्चाक्षरं जप्त्वा शतरुद्रियमेव च स्तुतीर्नानाविधाः कृत्वा पञ्चांगपठनं तथा

Then, having recited the five-syllable mantra and the Śatarudriya, and having made various praises, one should also recite the Pañcāṅga.

ततः प्रदक्षिणां कृत्वा नत्वा लिंगं विसर्जयेत् इतिप्रोक्तमशेषं च शिवपूजनमादरात्

Then, having circumambulated and bowed to the liṅga, one should take leave; thus, the entire worship of Śiva has been described with care.

रात्रावुदङ्मुखः कुर्याद्देवकार्यंसदैवहि शिवार्चनं सदाप्येवंशुचिः कुर्यादुदङ्मुखः

At night, always facing north, one should perform the divine rites; likewise, the worship of Śiva should always be done in purity, facing north.

न प्राचीमग्रतः शंभोर्नोदीचीं शक्तिसंहितान् नप्रतीचींयतः पृष्ठमतोग्राह्यं समाश्रयेत्

One should not face east before Śambhu, nor north where Śakti is present, nor west with one's back; one should not adopt such positions.

विनाभस्मत्रिपुंड्रेण विना रुद्राक्षमालया बिल्वपत्रं विना नैव पूजयेच्छंकरं बुधः

Without the three lines of ash, without a garland of rudrākṣa, and without bilva leaves, a wise person should never worship Śaṅkara.

भस्माप्राप्तौमुनिश्रेष्ठाः प्रवृत्ते शिवपूजने तस्मान्मृदापि कर्तव्यं ललाटे च त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्

If ash is not available, O best of sages, when beginning the worship of Śiva, then one should make the tripuṇḍra on the forehead even with clay.

अग्राह्यं शिवनैवेद्यमिति पूर्वं श्रुतं वचः ब्रूहि तन्निर्णयं बिल्वमाहात्म्यमपि सन्मुने

It was previously heard that Śiva's offering is not to be taken; tell me the decision about this, and also the greatness of the bilva, O noble sage.

सर्वंवदामिसंप्रीत्या धन्या यूयं शिवव्रताः

I will tell everything with joy; blessed are you who are devoted to Śiva's vows.

शिवभक्तः शुचिः शुद्धः सद्व्रतीदृढनिश्चयः भक्षयेच्छिवनैवेद्यंत्यजेदग्राह्यभावनाम्

A devotee of Śiva, who is pure, clean, steadfast in good vows, and firm in resolve, may eat Śiva's offering, abandoning the thought that it is forbidden.