Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

सिद्धिमेति शिवप्रीत्या हित्वापि श्रवणादिकम् लिंगबेरार्चनामात्रान्मुक्ताः पुर्वे महाजनाः

By Śiva’s grace, one attains success even if hearing and the rest are abandoned; the great ones of old were liberated merely by worshipping the liṅga and image.

बेरमात्रे तु सर्वत्र पूज्यंते देवतागणाः लिंगेबेरे च सर्वत्र कथं संपूज्यते शिवः

Everywhere, the hosts of deities are worshipped only in the form of images; but how is Shiva worshipped everywhere in both the linga and the image?

अहो मुनीश्वराः पुण्यं प्रश्नमेतन्महाद्भुतम् अत्र वक्ता महादेवो नान्यो ऽस्ति पुरुषः क्वचित्

Ah, O great sages, this question is virtuous and most wondrous; in this matter, only Mahadeva is the speaker, for there is no other person anywhere.

शिवेनोक्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि क्रमाद्गुरुमुखाच्छ्रुतम् शिवैको ब्रह्मरूपत्वान्निष्कलः परिकीर्तितः

I shall declare what was spoken by Shiva, as heard in succession from the teacher’s mouth: Shiva alone, because he is of the nature of Brahman, is called 'without parts.'

रूपित्वात्सकलस्तद्वत्तस्मात्सकलनिष्कलः निष्कलत्वान्निराकारं लिंगं तस्य समागतम्

Because he has form, he is also with parts; thus, he is both with and without parts. Due to being without parts, his linga is formless and united with him.

सकलत्वात्तथा बेरं साकारं तस्य संगतम् सकलाकलरूपत्वाद्ब्रह्मशब्दाभिधः परः

Because he is with parts, the image is his form; because he is of the nature of both with and without parts, he is called by the word 'Brahman,' the supreme.

अपि लिंगे च बेरे च नित्यमभ्यर्च्यते जनैः अब्रह्मत्वात्तदन्येषां निष्कलत्वं न हि क्वचित्

Indeed, both the linga and the image are always worshipped by people; because the others are not Brahman, they are never without parts.

तस्मात्ते निष्कले लिंगे नाराध्यंते सुरेश्वराः अब्रह्मत्वाच्च जीवत्वात्तथान्ये देवतागणाः

Therefore, the linga that is without parts is not worshipped by the lords of the gods; and because the others are not Brahman and are living beings, so too are the other hosts of deities.

तूष्णीं सकलमात्रत्वादर्च्यंते बेरमात्रके जीवत्वं शंकरान्येषां ब्रह्मत्वं शंकरस्य च

Only the image, being with parts, is worshipped in silence; the others are living beings, O Shankara, but Shankara alone is Brahman.

वेदांतसारसंसिद्धं प्रणवार्थे प्रकाशनात् एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो मंदरे नन्दिकेश्वरः

Because it is established by the essence of Vedanta and revealed by the meaning of the Pranava, in the past, Nandikeshvara was questioned on Mandara in the same way.

सनत्कुमारमुनिना ब्रह्मपुत्रेण धीमता शिवान्यदेववश्यानां सर्वेषामपि सर्वतः

By Sanatkumara, the wise sage and son of Brahma, was asked about Shiva and the other dependent deities, concerning all of them everywhere.

बेरमात्रं च पूजार्थं श्रुतं दृष्टं च भूरिशः शिवमात्रस्य पूजायां लिंगं बेरं च दृश्यते

The image alone is heard and seen often as the object of worship; in the worship of Shiva alone, both the linga and the image are observed.

अतस्तद्ब्रूहि कल्याण तत्त्वं मे साधुबोधनम् अनुत्तरमिमं प्रश्नं रहस्यं ब्रह्मलक्षणम्

Therefore, tell me, O auspicious one, the true principle for my good understanding; this unsurpassed question is the secret, the mark of Brahman.

कथयामि शिवेनोक्तं भक्तियुक्तस्य ते ऽनघ शिवस्य ब्रह्मरूपत्वान्निष्कलत्वाच्च निष्कलम्

I shall relate to you what was spoken by Shiva, O sinless one, with devotion: because Shiva is of the nature of Brahman and is without parts, he is without parts.

लिंगं तस्यैव पूजायां सर्ववेदेषु संमतम् तस्यैव सकलत्वाच्च तथा सकलनिष्कलम्

His linga alone is accepted in all the Vedas for worship; and because he is with parts, so too is he both with and without parts.

सकलं च तथा बेरं पूजायां लोकसंमतम् शिवान्येषां च जीवत्वात्सकलत्वाच्च सर्वतः

Similarly, the image is accepted everywhere for worship; and because the others are living beings and with parts, so it is everywhere.

बेरमात्रं च पूजायां संमतं वेदनिर्णये स्वाविर्भावे च देवानां सकलं रूपमेव हि

The image alone is accepted for worship according to the Vedic decision; and when the gods manifest, only the form with parts appears.

शिवस्य लिंगं बेरं च दर्शने दृश्यते खलु उक्तं त्वया महाभाग लिंगबेरप्रचारणम्

The linga and the image of Shiva are indeed seen in vision; O fortunate one, you have spoken of the propagation of the linga and image.

शिवस्य च तदन्येषां विभज्य परमार्थतः तस्मात्तदेव परमं लिंगबेरादिसंभवम्

The distinction between Shiva and the others is made in ultimate reality; therefore, that alone is supreme, arising from the linga and image and so forth.

श्रोतुमिच्छामि योगींद्र लिंगाविर्भावलक्षणम् शृणु वत्स भवत्प्रीत्या वक्ष्यामि परमार्थतः

O lord of yogis, I wish to hear the marks of the manifestation of the liṅga. Listen, dear one, out of affection for you I shall speak the highest truth.

पुरा कल्पे महाकाले प्रपन्ने लोकविश्रुते आयुध्येतां महात्मानौ ब्रह्मविष्णू परस्परम्

Long ago, at the end of a great age, when the world was renowned, the two great souls, Brahmā and Viṣṇu, began to contend with each other.

तयोर्मानं निराकर्तुं तन्मध्ये परमेश्वरः निष्कलस्तंभरूपेण स्वरूपं समदर्शयत्

To dispel their pride, the Supreme Lord, in the form of an endless pillar, revealed his own true nature between them.

ततः स्वलिंगचिह्नत्वात्स्तम्भतो निष्कलं शिवः स्वलिंगं दर्शयामास जगतां हितकाम्यया

Then, from the sign of his own liṅga, Śiva, in the form of the pillar, showed his own liṅga, wishing for the welfare of all beings.

तदाप्रभृति लोकेषु निष्कलं लिंगमैश्वरम् सकलं च तथा बेरं शिवस्यैव प्रकल्पितम्

From that time onward, in the worlds, the liṅga of the Lord is considered formless, and likewise, the image with form is established as Śiva's.

शिवान्येषः तु देवानां बेरमात्रं प्रकल्पितम् तत्तद्बेरं तु देवानां तत्तद्भोगप्रदं शुभम् शिवस्य लिंगबेरत्वं भोगमोक्षप्रदं शुभम्

For the other gods, only the image is established; each god's image grants them their respective enjoyments and is auspicious. But the liṅga-image of Śiva bestows both enjoyment and liberation, and is auspicious.

पुरा कदाचिद्योगींद्र विष्णुर्विषधरासनः सुष्वाप परया भूत्या स्वानुगैरपि संवृतः

Once, O lord of yogis, Viṣṇu, reclining on the serpent, slept in supreme prosperity, surrounded by his attendants.

यदृच्छया गतस्तत्र ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदांवरः अपृच्छत्पुंडरीकाक्षं शयनं सर्वसुन्दरम्

By chance, Brahmā, the foremost knower of Brahman, came there and questioned the lotus-eyed one, lying on his beautiful bed.

कस्त्वं पुरुषवच्छेषे दृष्ट्वा मामपि दृप्तवत् उत्तिष्ठ वत्स मां पश्य तव नाथमिहागतम्

Who are you, lying here like a man, looking at me with pride? Arise, child, see me, your master, who has come here.

आगतं गुरुमाराध्यं दृष्ट्वा यो दृप्तवच्चरेत् द्रोहिणस्तस्य मूढस्य प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते

One who, seeing his guru and lord arrive, behaves with arrogance, is a betrayer and a fool; expiation is prescribed for him.