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.
ते च पाशुपता ज्ञेयास्संहितानां प्रवर्तकाः तत्संततीया गुरवः शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः
These are known as the Pashupata teachers, the promulgators of the collections; their lineages of gurus number in the hundreds and thousands.
तत्रोक्तः परमो धर्मश्चर्याद्यात्मा चतुर्विधः तेषु पाशुपतो योगः शिवं प्रत्यक्षयेद्दृढम्
There, the supreme Dharma is described, consisting of conduct and the like in four forms; among them, the Pashupata yoga firmly realizes Shiva directly.
तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठमनुष्ठानं योगः पाशुपतो मतः तत्राप्युपायको युक्तो ब्रह्मणा स तु कथ्यते
Therefore, the highest practice is considered to be the Pāśupata yoga; among these, the means that is joined with Brahman is now explained.
नामाष्टकमयो योगश्शिवेन परिकल्पितः तेन योगेन सहसा शैवी प्रज्ञा प्रजायते
Yoga, consisting of eight names, was established by Śiva; through that yoga, Śaiva wisdom arises swiftly.
प्रज्ञया परमं ज्ञानमचिराल्लभते स्थिरम् प्रसीदति शिवस्तस्य यस्य ज्ञानं प्रतिष्ठितम्
By means of wisdom, one quickly attains the highest, steady knowledge; Śiva is pleased with the one whose knowledge is firmly established.
प्रसादात्परमो योगो यः शिवं चापरोक्षयेत् शिवापरोक्षात्संसारकारणेन वियुज्यते
Through his grace, the supreme yoga is that by which one directly perceives Śiva; through the direct perception of Śiva, one is separated from the cause of worldly existence.
ततः स्यान्मुक्तसंसारो मुक्तः शिवसमो भवेत् ब्रह्मप्रोक्त इत्युपायः स एव पृथगुच्यते
Then, one becomes liberated from worldly existence, and, being liberated, becomes equal to Śiva; this means, spoken by Brahmā, is declared separately.
शिवो महेश्वरश्चैव रुद्रो विष्णुः पितामहः संसारवैद्यः सर्वज्ञः परमात्मेति मुख्यतः
Śiva, Maheśvara, Rudra, Viṣṇu, and Pitāmaha—the supreme physician of worldly existence, the all-knower, and the Supreme Self—are the principal names.
नामाष्टकमिदं मुख्यं शिवस्य प्रतिपादकम् आद्यन्तु पञ्चकं ज्ञेयं शान्त्यतीताद्यनुक्रमात्
This eightfold set of names is the primary indicator of Śiva; the first five, beginning with Śāntyatīta, should be known in sequence.
संज्ञा सदाशिवादीनां पञ्चोपाधिपरिग्रहात् उपाधिविनिवृत्तौ तु यथास्वं विनिवर्तते
The designations of Sadāśiva and the others arise from the association with five limiting adjuncts; when these adjuncts cease, each designation withdraws accordingly.