Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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Even for those with embodied forms, favor is withdrawn by Shiva's command; in this world, nothing exists that is not established by Śambhu's knowledge.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

अत एव हि पूजादौ मूर्त्यात्मपरिकल्पनम् मूर्त्यात्मनि कृतं साक्षाच्छिव एव कृतं यतः

Therefore, at the beginning of worship, the conceptualization of the form-essence is made; whatever is done to the form-essence is indeed done directly to Shiva.

लिंगादावपि तत्कृत्यमर्चायां च विशेषतः तत्तन्मूर्त्यात्मभावेन शिवो ऽस्माभिरुपास्यते

Even in the liṅga and other images, and especially in worship, Shiva is to be approached by us in the state of that particular form-essence.

यथानुगृह्यते सो ऽपि मूर्त्यात्मा पारमेष्ठिना तथा मूर्त्यात्मनिष्ठेन शिवेन पशवो वयम्

Just as he, the form-essence, is favored by the Supreme Lord, so too are we creatures favored by Shiva, who is established in the form-essence.

लोकानुग्रहणायैव शिवेन परमेष्ठिना सदाशिवादयस्सर्वे मूर्त्यात्मनो ऽप्यधिष्ठिताः

For the welfare of the worlds alone, all—from Sadāśiva onward—are always established by the Supreme Lord Shiva even in the form-essence.

आत्मनामेव भोगाय मोक्षाय च विशेषतः तत्त्वातत्त्वस्वरूपेषु मूर्त्यात्मसु शिवान्वयः

For the sake of enjoyment and especially for liberation of souls, the connection of Shiva with the form-essence exists in the realities and non-realities.

भोगः कर्मविपाकात्मा सुखदुःखात्मको मतः न च कर्म शिवो ऽस्तीति तस्य भोगः किमात्मकः

Enjoyment is understood as the result of karma, consisting of pleasure and pain; but since Shiva has no karma, what kind of enjoyment could he have?

सर्वं शिवो ऽनुगृह्णाति न निगृह्णाति किंचन निगृह्णतां तु ये दोषाश्शिवे तेषामसंभवात्

Shiva grants everything and withholds nothing; for those who withhold, faults arise, but such faults cannot exist in Shiva.

ये पुनर्निग्रहाः केचिद्ब्रह्मादिषु निदर्शिताः ते ऽपि लोकहितायैव कृताः श्रीकण्ठमूर्तिना

And whatever acts of restraint are shown in Brahma and others, those too are done by Shiva in the form of Śrīkaṇṭha, only for the good of the world.

ब्रह्माण्डस्याधिपत्यं हि श्रीकण्ठस्य न संशयः श्रीकण्ठाख्यां शिवो मूर्तिं क्रीडतीमधितिष्ठति

There is no doubt that the lordship of the universe belongs to Śrīkaṇṭha; Shiva presides over the playful form known as Śrīkaṇṭha.

सदोषा एव देवाद्या निगृहीता यथोदितम् ततस्तेपि विपाप्मानः प्रजाश्चापि गतज्वराः

The gods and others who are restrained are indeed those with faults, as described; thus, they become purified of sin, and the people too are freed from distress.

निग्रहो ऽपि स्वरूपेण विदुषां न जुगुप्सितः अत एव हि दण्ड्येषु दण्डो राज्ञां प्रशस्यते

Even restraint, by its very nature, is not to be despised by the wise; for this reason, punishment of the punishable is praised among kings.

यत्सिद्धिरीश्वरत्वेन कार्यवर्गस्य कृत्स्नशः न स चेदीशतां कुर्याज्जगतः कथमीश्वरः

That accomplishment which, as Lord, is the complete function of all works—if he did not exercise lordship over the world, how could he be its Lord?

ईशेच्छा च विधातृत्वं विधेराज्ञापनं परम् आज्ञावश्यमिदं कुर्यान्न कुर्यादिति शासनम्

The will of the Lord is creative power; the command of the Creator is supreme. His order is: 'This must be done, this must not be done'—that is the rule.

तच्छासनानुवर्तित्वं साधुभावस्य लक्षणम् विपरीतसमाधोः स्यान्न सर्वं तत्तु दृश्यते

To act in accordance with that rule is the mark of virtue; if one acts contrary, it is not so. Yet, not all conduct is seen to be thus.

साधु संरक्षणीयं चेद्विनिवर्त्यमसाधु यत् निवर्तते च सामादेरंते दण्डो हि साधनम्

If something is virtuous, it should be protected; if it is not, it should be turned away. When persuasion fails, punishment is the means.

हितार्थलक्षणं चेदं दण्डान्तमनुशासनम् अतो यद्विपरीतं तदहितं संप्रचक्षते

This discipline, ending in punishment, is defined by the aim of benefit; therefore, whatever is contrary to this is called harmful.

हिते सदा निषण्णानामीश्वरस्य निदर्शनम् स कथं दुष्यते सद्भिरसतामेव निग्रहात्

Those who are always established in what is beneficial are an example of the Lord. How, then, can the virtuous be blamed, when they restrain only the wicked?

अयुक्तकारिणो लोके गर्हणीयाविवेकिता यदुद्वेजयते लोकन्तदयुक्तं प्रचक्षते

In the world, those who act improperly and without discernment are to be censured; whatever disturbs people is called improper.

सर्वो ऽपि निग्रहो लोके न च विद्वेषपूर्वकः न हि द्वेष्टि पिता पुत्रं यो निगृह्याति शिक्षयेत्

All restraint in the world is not born of hatred; for a father does not hate his son when he restrains and teaches him.

माध्यस्थेनापि निग्राह्यान्यो निगृह्णाति मार्गतः तस्याप्यवश्यं यत्किंचिन्नैर्घृण्यमनुवर्तते

Even one who is neutral must restrain others when necessary; yet, in doing so, some degree of harshness inevitably follows.