Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

इति मातृवचः श्रुत्वा तथ्यं शोकादिसूचकम् बालो ऽप्यनुतपन्नंतः प्रगल्भमिदमब्रवीत्

Hearing these words of his mother, which were true and indicative of sorrow, even as a child, he was not distressed within, and boldly spoke these words:

शोकेनालमितो मतः सांबो यद्यस्ति शंकरः त्यज शोकं महाभागे सर्वं भद्रं भविष्यति

If Sāmbā, the son, is truly dead from grief, and if Śaṃkara exists, then abandon your sorrow, O greatly fortunate one; all will turn out well.

शृणु मातर्वचो मेद्य महादेवो ऽस्ति चेत्क्वचित् चिराद्वा ह्यचिराद्वापि क्षीरोदं साधयाम्यहम्

Listen, mother, to my words: if Mahādeva exists anywhere, whether after a long time or soon, I will obtain the ocean of milk.

इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य बालकस्य महामतेः प्रय्तुवाच तदा माता सुप्रसन्ना मनस्विनी

Hearing the words of that wise boy, the mother, her mind greatly pleased, then spoke to him:

शुभं विचारितं तात त्वया मत्प्रीतिवर्धनम् विलंबं मा कथास्त्वं हि भज सांबं सदाशिवम्

O dear one, you have considered well, increasing my delight; do not delay—always worship Sāmbā Sadāśiva.

सर्वस्मादधिको ऽस्त्येव शिवः परमकारणम् तत्कृतं हि जगत्सर्वं ब्रह्माद्यास्तस्य किंकराः

Śiva alone is indeed supreme over all, the ultimate cause; by him, the entire world is created, and even Brahmā and others are his servants.

तत्प्रसादकृतैश्वर्या दासास्तस्य वयं प्रभोः तं विनान्यं न जानीमश्शंकरं लोकशंकरम्

We are servants of that Lord, whose prosperity is obtained by his grace; apart from him, we know no other—Śaṃkara, the benefactor of the world.

अन्यान्देवान्परित्यज्य कर्मणा मनसा गिरा तमेव सांबं सगणं भज भावपुरस्सरम्

Abandoning all other gods, with action, mind, and speech, worship only Sāmbā and his attendants, with heartfelt devotion.

तस्य देवाधिदेवस्य शिवस्य वरदायिनः साक्षान्नमश्शिवायेति मंत्रो ऽयं वाचकः स्मृतः

Of that god of gods, Śiva, the bestower of boons, the mantra 'namaḥ śivāya' is said to be the direct expression.

सप्तकोटिमहामंत्राः सर्वे सप्रणवाः परे तस्मिन्नेव विलीयंते पुनस्तस्माद्विनिर्गताः

All the seventy million great mantras, along with the praṇava, ultimately dissolve into him and again emerge from him.

सप्रसादाश्च ते मंत्राः स्वाधिकाराद्यपेक्षया सर्वाधिकारस्त्वेको ऽयं मंत्र एवेश्वराज्ञया

Those mantras, with or without grace, function according to their respective authorities; but this one mantra alone holds all authority, by the command of the Lord.

यथा निकृष्टानुत्कृष्टान्सर्वानप्यात्मनः शिवः क्षमते रक्षितुं तद्वन्मंत्रो ऽयमपि सर्वदा

Just as Shiva himself is able to protect all, whether inferior or superior, so too is this mantra always able to do the same.

प्रबलश्च तथा ह्येष मंत्रो मन्त्रान्तरादपि सर्वरक्षाक्षमो ऽप्येष नापरः कश्चिदिष्यते

Indeed, this mantra is more powerful than any other mantra; none other is considered equal to it in the ability to grant complete protection.

तस्मान्मन्त्रान्तरांस्त्यक्त्वा पञ्चाक्षरपरो भव तस्मिञ्जिह्वांतरगते न किंचिदिह दुर्लभम्

Therefore, abandoning other mantras, devote yourself to the five-syllable mantra; when it resides within the tongue, nothing here is unattainable.

अधोरास्त्रं च शैवानां रक्षाहेतुरनुत्तमम् तच्च तत्प्रभवं मत्वा तत्परो भव नान्यथा

The lower missile, too, is the supreme means of protection for Shaivas; knowing it arises from that, be devoted to it and nothing else.

भस्मेदन्तु मया लब्धं पितुरेव तवोत्तमम् विरजानलसंसिद्धं महाव्यापन्निवारणम्

And the best ash, obtained by me from your father, is pure, perfected by fire, and wards off great calamities.

मंत्रं च ते मया दत्तं गृहाण मदनुज्ञया अनेनैवाशु जप्तेन रक्षा तव भविष्यति

I have also given you the mantra—receive it with my permission; by reciting this alone, your protection will be assured.

एवं मात्रा समादिश्य शिवमस्त्वित्युदीर्य च विसृष्टस्तद्वचो मूर्ध्नि कुर्वन्नेव तदा मुनिः

Thus, instructing him in this way, and uttering 'May Shiva be,' she departed, placing those words upon his head at that moment.

तां प्रणम्यैवमुक्त्वा च तपः कर्तुं प्रचक्रमे तमाह च तदा माता शुभं कुर्वंतु ते सुराः

After bowing to her and hearing these words, he began his austerity; then his mother said, 'May the gods bring you good fortune.'

अनुज्ञातस्तया तत्र तपस्तेपे स दुश्चरम् हिमवत्पर्वतं प्राप्य वायुभक्षः समाहितः

Granted permission by her, he undertook severe austerity there; reaching Mount Himavat, he remained focused, subsisting on air.

अष्टेष्टकाभिः प्रसादं कृत्वा लिंगं च मृन्मयम् तत्रावाह्य महादेवं सांबं सगणमव्ययम्

He constructed an altar with eight bricks and made a clay linga; there he invoked the great god Mahadeva, together with Ambika and his attendants, the imperishable one.

भक्त्या पञ्चाक्षरेणैव पुत्रैः पुष्पैर्वनोद्भवैः समभ्यर्च्य चिरं कालं चचार परमं तपः

With devotion, using only the five-syllable mantra and forest flowers gathered by his sons, he worshipped for a long time and performed supreme austerity.

ततस्तपश्चरत्तं तं बालमेकाकिनं कृशम् उपमन्युं द्विजवरं शिवसंसक्तमानसम्

Then, as he was practicing austerity, that young, solitary, emaciated Upamanyu, the best of twice-born, whose mind was fixed on Shiva—

पुरा मरीचिना शप्ताः केचिन्मुनिपिशाचकाः संपीड्य राक्षसैर्भावैस्तपसोविघ्नमाचरन्

Some sage-demons, once cursed by Marichi, afflicted him with demonic powers, causing obstacles to his austerity.

स च तैः पीड्यमानो ऽपि तपः कुर्वन्कथञ्चन सदा नमः शिवायेति क्रोशति स्मार्तनादवत्

Even while being tormented by them, he somehow continued his austerity, always crying out 'Salutations to Shiva!' in a voice filled with remembrance.

तन्नादश्रवणादेव तपसो विघ्नकारिणः ते तं बालं समुत्सृज्य मुनयस्समुपाचरन्

Just by hearing that cry, those who were causing obstacles to his austerity abandoned the boy, and the sages approached him together.

तपसा तस्य विप्रस्य चोपमन्योर्महात्मनः चराचरं च मुनयः प्रदीपितमभूज्जगत्

Through the austerity of that noble Brahmin Upamanyu, the entire world, both moving and unmoving, became illuminated, along with the sages.

अथ सर्वे प्रदीप्तांगा वैकुण्ठं प्रययुर्द्रुतम् प्रणम्याहुश्च तत्सर्वं हरये देवसत्तमाः

Then, all of them, their bodies blazing, quickly went to Vaikuntha, and after bowing, reported everything to Hari, the best of gods.

श्रुत्वा तेषां तदा वाक्यं भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः किमिदन्त्विति संचिन्त्य ज्ञात्वा तत्कारणं च सः

Hearing their words, the blessed Supreme Person, pondering, thought, 'What is this?' and, understanding the cause, he—