Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

सदाशिवेश्वराद्या हि विद्या ऽविद्येश्वरादयः अभवन्पुरुषाश्चास्याः प्रकृतिश्च परात्परा

From her arose Sadāśiva, Īśvara, and others, as well as Vidyeśvara and Avidyeśvara; from her also came the Purushas and the supreme Prakriti.

महदादिविशेषांतास्त्वजाद्याश्चापि मूर्तयः यच्चान्यदस्ति तत्सर्वं तस्याः कार्यं न संशयः

All forms, from the great principle down to the particular, and those beginning with non-being, whatever else exists—all this is her effect, without doubt.

सा शक्तिस्सर्वगा सूक्ष्मा प्रबोधानंदरूपिणी शक्तिमानुच्यते देवश्शिवश्शीतांशुभूषणः

She is the power, all-pervading, subtle, embodying the essence of awakening; the possessor of power is called the god Shiva, adorned with the moon.

वेद्यश्शिवश्शिवा विद्या प्रज्ञा चैव श्रुतिः स्मृतिः धृतिरेषा स्थितिर्निष्ठा ज्ञानेच्छाकर्मशक्तयः

Shiva is the knowable, Shiva is knowledge, wisdom, as well as revelation and tradition; she is firmness, stability, steadfastness, and the powers of knowledge, will, and action.

आज्ञा चैव परं ब्रह्म द्वे विद्ये च परापरे शुद्धविद्या शुद्धकला सर्वं शक्तिकृतं यतः

Command, the supreme Brahman, the two knowledges—higher and lower—pure knowledge, pure art: all arises from power.

माया च प्रकृतिर्जीवो विकारो विकृतिस्तथा असच्च सच्च यत्किंचित्तया सर्वमिदं ततम्

Māyā, nature, the individual soul, transformation, and modification, as well as the unreal and the real—whatever exists, all this is pervaded by her.

सा देवी मायया सर्वं ब्रह्मांडं सचराचरम् मोहयत्यप्रयत्नेन मोचयत्यपि लीलया

That goddess, by her māyā, effortlessly deludes the entire universe, moving and unmoving, and by her play she also liberates.

अनया सह सर्वेशः सप्तविंशप्रकारया विश्वं व्याप्य स्थितस्तस्मान्मुक्तिरत्र प्रवर्तते

With her, the Lord of all, in twenty-seven forms, pervades the universe and abides; therefore, liberation arises here.

मुमुक्षवः पुरा केचिन्मुनयो ब्रह्मवादिनः संशयाविष्टमनसो विस्मृशंति यथातथम्

Once, some sages, seekers of liberation and expounders of Brahman, their minds seized by doubt, reflected thoroughly.

किं कारणं कुतो जाता जीवामः केन वा वयम् कुत्रास्माकं संप्रतिष्ठा केन वाधिष्ठिता वयम्

What is the cause? From where are we born? By whom do we live? Where is our foundation? By whom are we established?

केन वर्तामहे शश्वत्सुखेष्वन्येषु चानिशम् अविलंघ्या च विश्वस्य व्यवस्था केन वा कृता

By whom do we continually exist, in pleasures and otherwise, day and night? And by whom is the unbreakable order of the universe established?

कालस्य भावो नियतिर्यदृच्छा नात्र युज्यते भूतानि योनिः पुरुषो योगी चैषां परो ऽथ वा

The nature of time, destiny, or chance is not appropriate here; the elements, the source, the person, or the supreme yogi—these are considered.

अचेतनत्वात्कालादेश्चेतनत्वेपि चात्मनः सुखदुःखानि भूतत्वादनीशत्वाद्विचार्यते

Because time and the rest are insentient, and even if the self is sentient, pleasure and pain arise from the elements and from lack of mastery—thus it is considered.

तद्ध्यानयोगानुगतां प्रपश्यञ्छक्तिमैश्वरीम् पाशविच्छेदिकां साक्षान्निगूढां स्वगुणैर्भृशम्

Perceiving that divine power, which is attained through meditation and yoga, which directly severs bonds, hidden yet exceedingly endowed with her own qualities—

तया विच्छिन्नपाशास्ते सर्वकारणकारणम् शक्तिमंतं महादेवमपश्यन्दिव्यचक्षुषा

By her, their bonds cut, they beheld with divine sight the great Lord, the possessor of power, the cause of all causes.

यः कारणान्यशेषाणि कालात्मसहितानि च अप्रमेयो ऽनया शक्त्या सकलं यो ऽधितिष्ठति

He who, along with time and self, upholds all causes without remainder, immeasurable, by this very power, governs all.

ततः प्रसादयोगेन योगेन परमेण च दृष्टेन भक्तियोगेन दिव्यः गतिमवाप्नुयुः

Then, by the union of grace and supreme yoga, and by the yoga of devotion that is seen, they attain the divine state.

तस्मात्सह तथा शक्त्या हृदि पश्यंति ये शिवम् तेषां शाश्वतिकी शांतिर्नैतरेषामिति श्रुतिः

Therefore, those who, together with that power, behold Shiva in the heart—eternal peace is theirs, not of others, so declares revelation.

न हि शक्तिमतश्शक्त्या विप्रयोगो ऽस्ति जातुचित् तस्माच्छक्तेः शक्तिमतस्तादात्म्यान्निर्वृतिर्द्वयोः

Indeed, there is never any separation between the possessor of power and the power itself; therefore, from the identity of power and the possessor of power, liberation arises for both.

क्रमो विवक्षितो नूनं विमुक्तौ ज्ञानकर्मणोः प्रसादे सति सा मूर्तिर्यस्मात्करतले स्थिता

The sequence of knowledge and action intended for liberation is surely established; when grace is present, that form appears as if held in the palm of the hand.

देवो वा दानवो वापि पशुर्वा विहगो ऽपि वा कीरो वाथ कृमिर्वापि मुच्यते तत्प्रसादतः

Whether god, demon, animal, bird, parrot, or even a worm—by that grace, any of these are liberated.

गर्भस्थो जायमानो वा बालो वा तरुणो.पि वा वृद्धो वा म्रियमाणो वा स्वर्गस्थो वाथ नारकी

Whether in the womb, being born, a child, a youth, an old person, one who is dying, dwelling in heaven, or even in hell—

पतितो वापि धर्मात्मा पंडितो मूढ एव वा प्रसादे तत्क्षणादेव मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

Whether fallen, righteous, learned, or ignorant—upon receiving grace, one is instantly liberated; there is no doubt about this.

अयोग्यानां च कारुण्याद्भक्तानां परमेश्वरः प्रसीदति न संदेहो विगृह्य विविधान्मलान्

Out of compassion, the Supreme Lord shows grace even to the unfit devotees, without doubt, removing their various impurities.

प्रसदादेव सा भक्तिः प्रसादो भक्तिसंभवः अवस्थाभेदमुत्प्रेक्ष्य विद्वांस्तत्र न मुह्यति

Devotion arises only from grace, and grace is born of devotion; considering the differences of state, the wise are not confused therein.

प्रसादपूर्विका येयं भुक्तिमुक्तिविधायिनी नैव सा शक्यते प्राप्तुं नरैरेकेन जन्मना

This grace, which bestows both enjoyment and liberation, cannot be attained by humans in a single birth.

अनेकजन्मसिद्धानां श्रौतस्मार्तानुवर्तिनाम् विरक्तानां प्रबुद्धानां प्रसीदति महेश्वरः

The Great Lord is gracious to those perfected through many births, who follow Vedic and Smriti injunctions, who are detached and awakened.

प्रसन्ने सति देवेश पशौ तस्मिन्प्रवर्तते अस्ति नाथो ममेत्यल्पा भक्तिर्बुद्धिपुरस्सरा

When the Lord of gods is gracious, even in the animal, there arises the thought, 'There is a Lord, He is mine,' and a little devotion accompanied by understanding.

तपसा विविधैश्शैवैर्धर्मैस्संयुज्यते नरः तत्र योगे तदभ्यासस्ततो भक्तिः परा भवेत्

Through various Shaiva austerities and righteous acts, a person is united; there, through practice of yoga, supreme devotion arises.