Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व वायो शंकरविग्रह तत्समो न हि वक्तास्ति त्रैलोक्येष्वपरः प्रभुः

O Vayu, tell us all this—about Shankara's form. For there is no one equal to you in speech, nor any other master in the three worlds.

इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां महर्षीणां प्रभंजनः संस्मृत्य शिवमीशानं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे

Hearing their words, Prabhanjana, the great sage, recalled Shiva, the Lord, and began to speak.

पुरा साक्षान्महेशेन श्रीकंठाख्येन मन्दरे देव्यै देवेन कथितं ज्ञानं पाशुपतं परम्

Long ago, the supreme Pashupata knowledge was directly taught by Mahesha, known as Shrikantha, on Mandara to the goddess by the god.

तदेव पृष्टं कृष्णेन विष्णुना विश्वयोनिना पशुत्वं च सुरादीनां पतित्वं च शिवस्य च

That same knowledge was asked by Krishna, Vishnu, the source of the universe—about the creaturehood of the gods and others, and the lordship of Shiva.

यथोपदिष्टं कृष्णाय मुनिना ह्युपमन्युना तथा समासतो वक्ष्ये तच्छृणुध्वमतंद्रिताः

As it was instructed to Krishna by the sage Upamanyu, so I will briefly declare it. Listen attentively.

पुरोपमन्युमासीनं विष्णुःकृष्णवपुर्धरः प्रणिपत्य यथान्यायमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्

Previously, Vishnu, bearing the form of Krishna, approached Upamanyu seated, and respectfully spoke these words in proper manner.

भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि देव्यै देवेन भाषितम् दिव्यं पाशुपतं ज्ञानं विभूतिं वास्य कृत्स्नशः

O revered one, I wish to hear the divine Pashupata knowledge spoken by the god to the goddess, and his entire glory.

कथं पशुपतिर्देवः पशवः के प्रकीर्तिताः कैः पाशैस्ते निबध्यंते विमुच्यंते च ते कथम्

How is the god Pashupati the lord of creatures? Who are called creatures? By what bonds are they bound and released, and how?

इति संचोदितः श्रीमानुपमन्युर्महात्मना प्रणम्य देवं देवीं च प्राह पुष्टो यथा तथा

Thus prompted by the great-souled Upamanyu, the illustrious sage, after bowing to the god and goddess, spoke as he was asked.

ब्रह्माद्याः स्थावरांताश्च देवदेवस्य शूलिनः पशवः परिकीर्त्यंते संसारवशवर्तिनः

From Brahma onward, down to immobile beings, all are called creatures of the god of gods, the wielder of the trident, subject to the power of worldly existence.

तेषां पतित्वाद्देवेशः शिवः पशुपतिः स्मृतः मलमायादिभिः पाशैः स बध्नाति पशून्पतिः

Because of his lordship over them, Shiva is remembered as Pashupati. With bonds such as impurity and illusion, the Lord binds the creatures.

स एव मोचकस्तेषां भक्त्या सम्यगुपासितः चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वानि मायाकर्मगुणा अमी

He alone is their liberator, when properly worshipped with devotion. The twenty-four principles—maya, karma, and the qualities—are these.

विषया इति कथ्यन्ते पाशा जीवनिबन्धनाः ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यंतान् पशून्बद्ध्वा महेश्वरः

These are called the objects, the bonds of life. Maheshvara binds creatures from Brahma down to grass with these.

पाशैरेतैः पतिर्देवः कार्यं कारयति स्वकम् तस्याज्ञया महेशस्य प्रकृतिः पुरुषोचिताम्

With these bonds, the Lord compels each to perform their own actions. By the command of Mahesha, nature produces what is proper for the person.

बुद्धिं प्रसूते सा बुद्धिरहंकारमहंकृतिः इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च तन्मात्रापञ्चकं तथा

She produces intellect; that intellect gives rise to ego, and ego to the senses—ten plus one—and likewise the five subtle elements.

शासनाद्देवदेवस्य शिवस्य शिवदायिनः तन्मात्राण्यपि तस्यैव शासनेन महीयसा

By the command of the god of gods, Shiva, the bestower of auspiciousness, even the subtle elements are produced by his great command.

महाभूतान्यशेषाणि भावयंत्यनुपूर्वशः ब्रह्मादीनां तृणान्तानां देहिनां देहसंगतिम्

All the great elements are generated successively, forming the bodies of embodied beings, from Brahma to the smallest blade of grass.

महाभूतान्यशेषाणि जनयंति शिवाज्ञया अध्यवस्यति वै बुद्धिरहंकारोभिमन्यते

The great elements, without exception, are generated by Shiva’s command; intellect comprehends, and ego claims ownership.

चित्तं चेतयते चापि मनः संकल्पयत्यपि श्रोत्रादीनि च गृह्णन्ति शब्दादीन्विषयान् पृथक्

The mind perceives, and also forms intentions; the senses such as hearing grasp their respective objects, like sound and so forth, each separately.

स्वानेव नान्यान्देवस्य दिव्येनाज्ञाबलेन वै वागादीन्यपि यान्यासंस्तानि कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च

Each acts according to its own nature, not another’s, by the divine power of the god’s command; likewise, speech and the other organs of action exist as established.

यथा स्वं कर्म कुर्वन्ति नान्यत्किंचिच्छिवाज्ञया शब्दादयोपि गृह्यंते क्रियन्ते वचनादयः

Each performs its own function, nothing else, by Shiva’s command; sounds and the rest are received, and actions such as speech are carried out.

अविलंघ्या हि सर्वेषामाज्ञा शंभोर्गरीयसी अवकाशमशेषाणां भूतानां संप्रयच्छति

For all, the command of Shambhu is inviolable and supreme; it grants opportunity to all beings without exception.

आकाशः परमेशस्य शासनादेव सर्वगः प्राणाद्यैश्च तथा नामभेदैरंतर्बहिर्जगत्

Space, by the order of the Supreme Lord, is all-pervading; likewise, through breath and other distinctions of name, the world exists within and without.

बिभर्ति सर्वं शर्वस्य शासनेन प्रभञ्जनः हव्यं वहति देवानां कव्यं कव्याशिनामपि

Wind sustains everything by Sharva’s command; it carries offerings for the gods and ancestral oblations for those who consume them.

पाकाद्यं च करोत्यग्निः परमेश्वरशासनात् संजीवनाद्यं सर्वस्य कुर्वत्यापस्तदाज्ञया

Agni performs cooking and other tasks by the Supreme Lord’s command; water, by that order, enacts revival and other functions for all.

विश्वम्भरा जगन्नित्यं धत्ते विश्वेश्वराज्ञया देवान्पात्यसुरान् हंति त्रिलोकमभिरक्षति

The earth always supports the world by the command of the Lord of the universe; she nourishes the gods, destroys the demons, and protects the three worlds.

आज्ञया तस्य देवेन्द्रः सर्वैर्देवैरलंघ्यया आधिपत्यमपां नित्यं कुरुते वरुणस्सदा

By his command, Indra of the gods, with all the other gods, unfailingly exercises sovereignty over the waters; Varuna always rules them.

पाशैर्बध्नाति च यथा दंड्यांस्तस्यैव शासनात् ददाति नित्यं यक्षेन्द्रो द्रविणं द्रविणेश्वरः

He binds the guilty with fetters by that very command; the lord of the Yakshas always gives wealth, as the master of riches.

पुण्यानुरूपं भूतेभ्यः पुरुषस्यानुशासनात् करोति संपदः शश्वज्ज्ञानं चापि सुमेधसाम्

According to merit, he bestows prosperity upon beings by the instruction of the person; he grants enduring knowledge to the wise.