Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

स्वस्य वक्षःस्थले स्वैरं नर्तयित्वा कुमारकम् अनुभूय च तत्क्रीडां संभाव्य च परस्परम्

He freely made the boy dance upon his own chest, experienced his play, and they regarded each other with affection.

स्तन्यमाज्ञापयन्देव्याः पाययित्वामृतोपमम् तवावतारो जगतां हितायेत्यनुशास्य च

He ordered the goddess to give him her breast, and had him drink the milk, like nectar; instructing him, 'Your descent is for the welfare of the worlds.'

स्वयन्देवश्च देवी च न तृप्तिमुपजग्मतुः ततः शक्रेण संधाय बिभ्यता तारकासुरात्

Yet even the god and the goddess did not attain satisfaction; then, by Indra’s arrangement, fearing Tāraka the demon—

कारयित्वाभिषेकं च सेनापत्ये दिवौकसाम् पुत्रमन्तरतः कृत्वा देवेन त्रिपुरद्विषा

Having performed the consecration for the office of commander of the gods, placing the son in their midst, by the god, the enemy of Tripura—

स्वयमंतर्हितेनैव स्कन्दमिन्द्रादिरक्षितम् तच्छक्त्या क्रौञ्चभेदिन्या युधि कालाग्निकल्पया

He himself, remaining invisible, protected Skanda together with Indra and the others, with that spear, the breaker of Krauñca, fierce as the fire of destruction, in battle.

छेदितं तारकस्यापि शिरश्शक्रभिया सह स्तुतिं चक्रुर्विशेषेण हरिधातृमुखाः सुराः

When Tāraka's head was cut off by Indra out of fear, the gods, led by Hari and Dhātṛ, offered special praise.

तथा रक्षोधिपः साक्षाद्रावणो बलगर्वितः उद्धरन्स्वभुजैर्दीर्घैः कैलासं गिरिमात्मनः

Likewise, the lord of the Rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa, proud of his strength, tried to lift Mount Kailāsa with his own long arms.

तदागो ऽसहमानस्य देवदेवस्य शूलिनः पदांगुष्ठपरिस्पन्दान्ममज्ज मृदितो भुवि

Then, as the god of gods, the wielder of the trident, could not tolerate it, with a mere movement of his big toe, he pressed the mountain down into the earth.

बटोः केनचिदर्थेन स्वाश्रितस्य गतायुषः त्वरयागत्य देवेन पादांतं गमितोन्तकः

For some reason, Yama, the ender of life, came swiftly and brought the life of a certain devotee, who had sought refuge, to the feet of the god.

स्ववाहनमविज्ञाय वृषेन्द्रं वडवानलः सगलग्रहमानीतस्ततो ऽस्त्येकोदकं जगत्

Not recognizing his own vehicle, the great bull, the submarine fire, having seized all the planets, was brought forth; thus, there is a single water in the world.

अलोकविदितैस्तैस्तैर्वृत्तैरानन्दसुन्दरैः अंगहारस्वसेनेदमसकृच्चालितं जगत्

By those wondrous and delightful acts, unknown to the world, the universe, along with its hosts, was repeatedly shaken.

शान्त एव सदा सर्वमनुगृह्णाति चेच्छिवः सर्वाणि पूरयेदेव कथं शक्तेन मोचयेत्

If Shiva, who is always peaceful, were to grant everything to all, then how could he liberate anyone by his power?

अनादिकर्म वैचित्र्यमपि नात्र नियामकम् कारणं खलु कर्मापि भवेदीश्वरकारितम्

The diversity of beginningless karma is not the determining factor here; indeed, even karma as a cause is made to act by the Lord.

किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन नास्तिक्यं हेतुकारकम् यथा ह्याशु निवर्तेत तथा कथय मारुत

Why speak at length? Atheism is not the cause; tell me, O Wind, how it could quickly be dispelled.

स्थने संशयितं विप्रा भवद्भिर्हेतुचोदितैः जिज्ञासा हि न नास्तिक्यं साधयेत्साधुबुद्धिषु

O Brāhmaṇas, your doubts, prompted by reasoning, are appropriate; for inquiry does not establish atheism in those of noble understanding.

प्रमणमत्र वक्ष्यामि सताम्मोहनिवर्तकम् असतां त्वन्यथाभावः प्रसादेन विना प्रभोः

I will state the means of knowledge here, which removes the delusion of the good; but for the wicked, there is a different state, unless there is the Lord's grace.

शिवस्य परिपूर्णस्य परानुग्रहमन्तरा न किंचिदपि कर्तव्यमिति साधु विनिश्चितम्

It is rightly determined that, apart from the supreme grace of the all-complete Shiva, nothing at all is to be accomplished.

स्वभाव एव पर्याप्तः परानुग्रहकर्मणि अन्यथा निस्स्वभवेन न किमप्यनुगृह्यते

His very nature alone is sufficient for the act of supreme grace; otherwise, by one devoid of nature, nothing at all can be bestowed.

परं सर्वमनुग्राह्यं पशुपाशात्मकं जगत् परस्यानुग्रहार्थं तु पत्युराज्ञासमन्वयः

Indeed, the whole world, consisting of bound souls, is to be favored; but for the sake of supreme grace, the Lord's command is in accord.

पतिराज्ञापकः सर्वमनुगृह्णाति सर्वदा तदर्थमर्थस्वीकारे परतंत्रः कथं शिवः

The Lord, as the giver of commands, always bestows favor on all; how then could Shiva, in accepting a purpose, be dependent on another?

अनुग्राह्यनपेक्षो ऽस्ति न हि कश्चिदनुग्रहः अतः स्वातन्त्र्यशब्दार्थाननपेक्षत्वलक्षणः

There is no favoring dependent on the one to be favored; therefore, the meaning of the word 'independence' is characterized by non-dependence.

एतत्पुनरनुग्राह्यं परतंत्रं तदिष्यते अनुग्रहादृते तस्य भुक्तिमुक्त्योरनन्वयात्

But if that which is to be favored is dependent on another, it is accepted as such; apart from grace, there is no connection to enjoyment or liberation for it.

मूर्तात्मनो ऽप्यनुग्राह्या शिवाज्ञाननिवर्तनात् अज्ञानाधिष्ठितं शम्भोर्न किंचिदिह विद्यते

Even for those with embodied forms, favor is withdrawn by Shiva's command; in this world, nothing exists that is not established by Śambhu's knowledge.

येनोपलभ्यते ऽस्माभिस्सकलेनापि निष्कलः स मूर्त्यात्मा शिवः शैवमूर्तिरित्युपचर्यते

That by which we perceive the formless through the form, that Shiva whose essence is form—he is conventionally called the Shaiva form.

न ह्यसौ निष्कलः साक्षाच्छिवः परमकारणम् साकारेणानुभावेन केनाप्यनुपलक्षितः

For that formless Shiva, the supreme cause, is not directly perceived by anyone through a manifest form.

प्रमाणगम्यतामात्रं तत्स्वभावोपपादकम् न तावतात्रोपेक्षाधीरुपलक्षणमंतरा

It is only for the sake of being accessible to valid means of knowledge, and to explain his nature, that such a designation is made; otherwise, there is no neglect or intermediate indication here.

आत्मोपमोल्वणं साक्षान्मूर्तिरेव हि काचन शिवस्य मूर्तिर्मूर्त्यात्मा परस्तस्योपलक्षणम्

Truly, only a form that is directly comparable to oneself can be called a form; the form of Shiva, whose essence is form, is a mark of his transcendence.

यथा काष्ठेष्वनारूढो न वह्निरुपलभ्यते एवं शिवो ऽपि मूर्त्यात्मन्यनारूढ इति स्थितिः

Just as fire is not perceived in wood before it is kindled, so too Shiva is not manifest in the form-essence before he arises therein—such is the state.

यथाग्निमानयेत्युक्ते ज्वलत्काष्ठादृते स्वयम् नाग्निरानीयते तद्वत्पूज्यो मूर्त्यात्मना शिवः

Just as, when one says 'bring fire,' it is not brought except from burning wood, so too Shiva is to be worshipped in the form-essence.