Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

पदमेव हि तन्नित्यमनित्याः पदिनः स्मृताः पदानां प्रतिकृत्तौ तु मुच्यन्ते पदिनो यतः

That state alone is eternal; those possessing states are considered non-eternal. When the states are cut off, those possessing them are liberated.

परिवृत्त्यन्तरे भूयस्तत्पदप्राप्तिरुच्यते आत्मान्तराभिधानं स्याद्यदाद्यं नाम पञ्चकम्

When there is another transformation, the attainment of that state is described; the first five names are said to be alternative appellations of the Self.

अन्यत्तु त्रितयं नाम्नामुपादानादियोगतः त्रिविधोपाधिवचनाच्छिव एवानुवर्तते

But the other three names, due to their connection with material causes and the threefold limiting adjuncts, continue to refer to Śiva alone.

अनादिमलसंश्लेषः प्रागभावात्स्वभावतः अत्यंतं परिशुद्धात्मेत्यतो ऽयं शिव उच्यते

Because of the absence of prior impurity and by its very nature, he is eternally pure; therefore, he is called Śiva.

अथवाशेषकल्याणगुणैकधन ईश्वरः शिव इत्युच्यते सद्भिश्शिवतत्त्वार्थवादिभिः

Or, as the sole possessor of all auspicious qualities without exception, the Lord is called Śiva by the wise who speak of the true nature of Śiva.

त्रयोविंशतितत्त्वेभ्यः प्रकृतिर्हि परा मता प्रकृतेस्तु परं प्राहुः पुरुषं पञ्चविंशकम्

Of the twenty-three principles, Prakṛti is considered supreme; beyond Prakṛti, they declare the twenty-fifth, Puruṣa, to be higher.

यं वेदादौ स्वरं प्राहुर्वाच्यवाचकभावतः वेदैकवेद्ययाथात्म्याद्वेदान्ते च प्रतिष्ठितः

That which, at the beginning of the Veda, is called the sound by virtue of the relation of word and meaning, and which is established at the end of the Veda as the sole true object to be known.

तस्य प्रकृतिलीनस्य यः परस्स महेश्वरः तदधीनप्रवृत्तित्वात्प्रकृतेः पुरुषस्य च

The Supreme Lord is the one who is beyond that which is merged in Prakṛti, since the activity of both Prakṛti and Puruṣa depends on him.

अथवा त्रिगुणं तत्त्वमुपेयमिदमव्ययम् मायान्तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्मायिनं तु महेश्वरम्

Or, this imperishable principle, composed of the three guṇas, is to be understood; know Prakṛti as Māyā, and the Supreme Lord as the wielder of Māyā.

मायाविक्षोभको ऽनंतो महेश्वरसमन्वयात् कालात्मा परमात्मादिः स्थूलः सूक्ष्मः प्रकीर्तितः

The infinite one who agitates Māyā, in union with the Supreme Lord, is called the self of time, the supreme self, and so forth, both gross and subtle.