Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

परमो योगपर्यन्तो धर्मः श्रुतिशिरोगतः धर्मस्त्वपरमस्तद्वदधः श्रुतिमुखोत्थितः

The supreme Dharma, culminating in yoga, is found at the head of scripture; the non-supreme Dharma, likewise, arises below from the mouth of scripture.

अपश्वात्माधिकारत्वाद्यो धरमः परमो मतः साधारणस्ततो ऽन्यस्तु सर्वेषामधिकारतः

That Dharma which is considered supreme is due to the eligibility of the soul; the other, being common, is accessible to all.

स चायं परमो धर्मः परधर्मस्य साधनम् धर्मशास्त्रादिभिस्सम्यक् सांग एवोपबृंहितः

This supreme Dharma is also the means for the other Dharma, and is properly supported by Dharma texts and similar sources, complete with its limbs.

शैवो यः परमो धर्मः श्रेष्ठानुष्ठानशब्दितः इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां कथंचिदुपबृंहितः

The Shaiva supreme Dharma, known as the highest practice, is in some measure supported by the Itihasas and Puranas.

शैवागमैस्तु संपन्नः सहांगोपांविस्तरः तत्संस्काराधिकारैश्च सम्यगेवोपबृंहितः

It is perfected by the Shaiva Agamas, along with their extensive auxiliaries, and is properly supported by the rites and eligibility they prescribe.

शैवागमो हि द्विविधः श्रौतो ऽश्रौतश्च संस्कृतः श्रुतिसारमयः श्रौतस्स्वतंत्र इतरो मतः

The Shaiva Agama is of two kinds: scriptural and non-scriptural, both refined; the scriptural is composed of the essence of scripture, while the other is considered independent.

स्वतंत्रो दशधा पूर्वं तथाष्टादशधा पुनः कामिकादिसमाख्याभिस्सिद्धः सिद्धान्तसंज्ञितः

The independent Agama is first tenfold, then eighteenfold again, established by names such as Kamika and others, and known as Siddhanta.

श्रुतिसारमयो यस्तु शतकोटिप्रविस्तरः परं पाशुपतं यत्र व्रतं ज्ञानं च कथ्यते

The one composed of the essence of scripture is vast, extending to a hundred crores, where the supreme Pashupata vow and knowledge are taught.

युगावर्तेषु शिष्येत योगाचार्यस्वरूपिणा तत्रतत्रावतीर्णेन शिवेनैव प्रवर्त्यते

In the cycles of ages, it is transmitted by those who embody the yoga teacher, and is propagated by Shiva himself, descending here and there.

संक्षिप्यास्य प्रवक्तारश्चत्वारः परमर्षय रुरुर्दधीचो ऽगस्त्यश्च उपमन्युर्महायशाः

In summary, its four principal expounders are the great sages: Ruru, Dadhichi, Agastya, and the illustrious Upamanyu.