Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

मायान्तमन्तरिक्षं तु ह्यमरेशादिभिः क्रमात् अंगुष्ठमात्रपर्यन्तैस्समंतात्संततं ततम्

The region up to Māyā and the intermediate space are pervaded in order by the lords of immortals and others, extending from the size of a thumb to the utmost limits.

महामायावसाना द्यौर्वाय्वाद्यैर्भुवनाधिपैः अनाश्रितान्तैरध्वान्तर्वर्तिभिस्समधिष्ठिताः

The heavens, ending with Mahāmāyā, are presided over by the lords of worlds such as Vāyu and others; those who dwell at the end of the unsupported, within the paths, are similarly established.

ते हि साक्षाद्दिविषदस्त्वन्तरिक्षसदस्तथा पृथिवीपद इत्येवं देवा देवव्रतैः स्तुता

Indeed, they are directly the gods in heaven, likewise those in the intermediate space, and those on earth; thus, the gods are praised by the vows of the gods.

एवन्त्रिभिर्मलैरामैः पक्वैरेव पृथक्पृथक् निदानभूतैस्संसाररोगः पुंसां प्रवर्तते

Thus, by these three impurities, unripe and ripe, separately, the disease of transmigration arises in men as its cause.

अस्य रोगस्य भैषज्यं ज्ञानमेव न चापरम् भिषगाज्ञापकः शम्भुश्शिवः परमकारणम्

The only remedy for this disease is knowledge; there is no other. Śambhu, Śiva, the supreme cause, is the one who prescribes the medicine.

अदुःखेना ऽपि शक्तो ऽसौ पशून्मोचयितुं शिवः कथं दुःखं करोतीति नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Shiva, who is able to liberate beings from bondage without any suffering, how could he cause suffering? There should be no doubt about this.

दुःखमेव हि सर्वो ऽपि संसार इति निश्चितम् कथं दुःखमदुःखं स्यात्स्वभावो ह्यविपर्ययः

Indeed, all of existence is certainly suffering; how could suffering become non-suffering? For the essential nature does not change.

न हि रोगी ह्यरोगी स्याद्भिषग्भैषज्यकारणात् रोगार्तं तु भिषग्रोगाद्भैषजैस्सुखमुद्धरेत्

A sick person does not become healthy merely because of the physician or medicine; but the physician, using remedies, brings relief to the one afflicted with disease.

एवं स्वभावमलिनान्स्वभावाद्दुःखिनः पशून् स्वाज्ञौषधविधानेन दुःखान्मोचयते शिवः

In the same way, Shiva frees beings, who are by nature impure and suffering, from their suffering by means of his own knowledge and remedies.

न भिषक्कारणं रोगे शिवः संसारकारणम् इत्येतदपि वैषम्यं न दोषायास्य कल्पते

The physician is not the cause of disease, nor is Shiva the cause of worldly existence; even this apparent inequality is not a fault of his.

दुःखे स्वभावसंसिद्धे कथन्तत्कारणं शिवः स्वाभाविको मलः पुंसां स हि संसारयत्यमून्

Since suffering is inherent by nature, how could Shiva be its cause? The innate impurity of beings is what causes them to wander in worldly existence.

संसारकारणं यत्तु मलं मायाद्यचेतनम् तत्स्वयं न प्रवर्तेत शिवसान्निध्यमन्तरा

That impurity, which is the cause of worldly existence, is insentient, like Māyā; it does not act on its own, except in the presence of Shiva.

यथा मणिरयस्कांतस्सान्निध्यादुपकारकः अयसश्चलतस्तद्वच्छिवो ऽप्यस्येति सूरयः

Just as iron moves because of the proximity of a magnet, so too, the wise say, does this impurity act only in the presence of Shiva.

न निवर्तयितुं शक्यं सान्निध्यं सदकारणम् अधिष्ठाता ततो नित्यमज्ञातो जगतश्शिवः

This proximity, which is the constant cause, cannot be removed; therefore, Shiva, the ruler, remains ever unknown to the world.

न शिवेन विना किंचित्प्रवृत्तमिह विद्यते तत्प्रेरितमिदं सर्वं तथापि न स मुह्यति

Nothing at all occurs here without Shiva; all this is impelled by him, yet he is not deluded.

शक्तिराज्ञात्मिका तस्य नियन्त्री विश्वतोमुखी तया ततमिदं शश्वत्तथापि स न दुष्यति

His power, which is of the nature of command and controls all, pervades everything; yet even so, he is not tainted.

अनिदं प्रथमं सर्वमीशितव्यं स ईश्वरः ईशनाच्च तदीयाज्ञा तथापि स न दुष्यति

He is the Lord, the first to be ruled over all; from his rulership comes his command, yet even so, he is not tainted.

यो ऽन्यथा मन्यते मोहात्स विनष्यति दुर्मतिः तच्छक्तिवैभवादेव तथापि स न दुष्यति

Whoever, out of delusion, thinks otherwise is destroyed, being of poor understanding; yet even so, because of the greatness of his power, he is not tainted.

एतस्मिन्नंतरे व्योम्नः श्रुताः वागरीरिणी सत्यमोममृतं सौम्यमित्याविरभवत्स्फुटम्

Meanwhile, from the sky were heard the words: 'Truth, Om, nectar, gentle'—these clearly manifested.

ततो हृष्टतराः सर्वे विनष्टाशेषसंशयाः मुनयो विस्मयाविष्टाः प्रेणेमुः पवनं प्रभुम्

Then all the sages, exceedingly delighted and free from all doubts, filled with wonder, bowed to the Lord of the wind.

तथा विगतसन्देहान्कृत्वापि पवनो मुनीन् नैते प्रतिष्ठितज्ञाना इति मत्वैवमब्रवीत्

Even after removing their doubts, the Wind, thinking that these sages had not attained firm knowledge, spoke thus.

परोक्षमपरोक्षं च द्विविधं ज्ञानमिष्यते परोक्षमस्थिरं प्राहुरपरोक्षं तु सुस्थिरम्

Knowledge is said to be of two kinds: indirect and direct. Indirect knowledge is considered unstable, but direct knowledge is truly firm.

हेतूपदेशगम्यं यत्तत्परोक्षं प्रचक्षते अपरोक्षं पुनः श्रेष्ठादनुष्ठानाद्भविष्यति

That which is known through reasoning and instruction is called indirect; but direct knowledge arises from superior practice.

नापरोक्षादृते मोक्ष इति कृत्वा विनिश्चयम् श्रेष्ठानुष्ठानसिद्ध्यर्थं प्रयतध्वमतन्द्रिताः

Having firmly determined that liberation is not attained without direct realization, strive diligently for the accomplishment of the highest practice.

किं तच्छ्रेष्टमनुष्ठानं मोक्षो येनपरोक्षितः तत्तस्य साधनं चाद्य वक्तुमर्हसि मारुत

What is that highest practice by which liberation is directly realized? You ought to speak today of its means, O Maruta.

शैवो हि परमो धर्मः श्रेष्ठानुष्ठानशब्दितः यत्रापरोक्षो लक्ष्येत साक्षान्मोक्षप्रदः शिवः

The supreme Dharma is Shaiva, known as the highest practice, wherein direct realization is observed, and Shiva himself grants liberation.

स तु पञ्चविधो ज्ञेयः पञ्चभिः पर्वभिः क्रमात् क्रियातपोजपध्यानज्ञानात्मभिरनुत्तरैः

It is to be understood as fivefold, proceeding through five stages: action, austerity, recitation, meditation, and knowledge, each supreme in turn.

तैरेव सोत्तरैस्सिद्धो धर्मस्तु परमो मतः परोक्षमपरोक्षं च ज्ञानं यत्र च मोक्षदम्

By these, along with their higher forms, the supreme Dharma is accomplished; where both indirect and direct knowledge are found, that grants liberation.

परमो ऽपरमश्चोभौ धर्मौ हि श्रुतिचोदितौ धर्मशब्दाभिधेयेर्थे प्रमाणं श्रुतिरेव नः

Both the supreme and the non-supreme Dharmas are prescribed by scripture; for the meaning denoted by the word 'Dharma,' scripture alone is our authority.