Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

तस्मात्तव मुखोद्गीर्णं साक्षादिव पिनाकिनः शिवज्ञानामृतं पीत्वा न मे तृप्तमभून्मनः

Therefore, having drunk the nectar of Shiva-knowledge that flowed directly from your mouth, O wielder of the bow, my mind has not been satisfied.

साक्षात्सर्वजगत्कर्तुर्भर्तुरंकं समाश्रिता भगवन्किन्नु पप्रच्छ भर्तारं परमेश्वरी

Directly resting in the lap of the Lord, the creator and sustainer of all worlds—O Lord, what indeed did the supreme Lady ask her husband?

स्थाने पृष्टं त्वया कृष्ण तद्वक्ष्यामि यथातथम् भवभक्तस्य युक्तस्य तव कल्याणचेतसः

Rightly have you asked, O Krishna; I shall tell you truly, for you are devoted to Shiva, disciplined, and of auspicious mind.

महीधरवरे दिव्ये मंदरे चारुकंदरे देव्या सह महादेवो दिव्यो ध्यानगतो ऽभवत्

On the splendid Mandara, the best of mountains, in a lovely cave, the great Lord, together with the goddess, entered into divine meditation.

तदा देव्याः प्रियसखी सुस्मितास्या शुभावती फुल्लान्यतिमनोज्ञानि पुष्पाणि समुदाहरत्

Then, the goddess’s dear companion, with a smiling face and auspicious appearance, brought forth fully blossomed, exceedingly charming flowers.

ततः स्वमंकमारोप्य देवीं देववरोरहः अलंकृत्य च तैः पुष्पैरास्ते हृष्टतरः स्वयम्

Thereupon, the Lord of gods, placing the goddess on his lap, adorned her with those flowers and sat, exceedingly delighted.

अथांतःपुरचारिण्यो देव्यो दिव्यविभूषणाः अंतरंगा गणेन्द्राश्च सर्वलोकमहेश्वरीम्

Then, the goddesses of the inner chambers, adorned with divine ornaments, and the intimate leaders of the hosts, approached the great Lady of all worlds.

भर्तारं परिपूर्णं च सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् चामरासक्तहस्ताश्च देवीं देवं सिषेविरे

With fly-whisks in hand, the goddesses served the Lord and Lady—he who is the perfect husband and the great Lord of all worlds.

ततः प्रियाः कथा वृत्ता विनोदाय महेशयोः त्राणाय च नृणां लोके ये शिवं शरणं गताः

Then, delightful stories and events were recounted for the enjoyment of the Great Lord and Lady, and for the protection of those people in the world who have sought refuge in Shiva.

तदावसरमालोक्य सर्वलोकमहेश्वरी भर्तारं परिपप्रच्छ सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्

Observing the moment, the great Lady of all worlds questioned her husband, the great Lord of all worlds.

केन वश्यो महादेवो मर्त्यानां मंदचेतसाम् आत्मतत्त्वाद्यशक्तानामात्मनामकृतात्मनाम्

By what means is the great god made subject to mortals of dull understanding, who lack the power of self-knowledge and have not realized the true nature of the self?

न कर्मणा न तपसा न जपैर्नासनादिभिः न ज्ञानेन न चान्येन वश्यो ऽहं श्रद्धया विना

Not by action, nor by austerity, nor by recitation, nor by postures and the like, nor by knowledge, nor by any other means am I made subject—without faith.

श्रद्धा मय्यस्ति चेत्पुंसां येन केनापि हेतुना वश्यः स्पृश्यश्च दृश्यश्च पूज्यस्संभाष्य एव च

If there is faith in me in a person, for whatever reason, then I become accessible, touchable, visible, worshipped, and approachable in speech.

साध्या तस्मान्मयि शद्धा मां वशीकर्तुमिच्छता श्रद्धा हेतुस्स्वधर्मस्य रक्षणं वर्णिनामिह

Therefore, let faith in me be cultivated by one who wishes to bring me under control; faith is the cause of upholding one’s own duty here among those with social order.

स्ववर्णाश्रमधर्मेण वर्तते यस्तु मानवः तस्यैव भवति श्रद्धा मयि नान्यस्य कस्यचित्

A person who lives according to the duty of their own class and stage of life—only that person has faith in me, not anyone else.

आम्नायसिद्धमखिलं धर्ममाश्रमिणामिह ब्रह्मणा कथितं पूर्वं ममैवाज्ञापुरस्सरम्

All the duties established by tradition for those in the stages of life here were formerly taught by Brahma, in accordance with my command.

स तु पैतामहो धर्मो बहुवित्तक्रियान्वितः नात्यन्त फलभूयिष्ठः क्लेशाया ससमन्वितः तेन धर्मेण महतां श्रद्धां प्राप्य सुदुर्ल्लभाम्

That ancestral duty, accompanied by many rituals and acts of charity, does not yield excessive fruit, but is attended by hardship; by that great duty, one attains faith, which is very difficult to obtain.

वर्णिनो ये प्रपद्यंते मामनन्यसमाश्रयाः तेषां सुखेन मार्गेण धर्मकामार्थमुक्तयः

Those who belong to the social orders and take refuge in me alone, for them, the paths to virtue, desire, wealth, and liberation are attained with ease.

वर्णाश्रमसमाचारो मया भूयः प्रकल्पितः तस्मिन्भक्तिमतामेव मदीयानां तु वर्णिनाम्

The conduct of the social orders and stages of life was further established by me, but only for my own devotees among those who follow the social order.

अधिकारो न चान्येषामित्याज्ञा नैष्ठिकी मम तदाज्ञप्तेन मार्गेण वर्णिनो मदुपाश्रयाः

There is no authority for others—this is my firm command; those of the social order who take refuge in me must follow the path prescribed by that command.

मलमायादिपाशेभ्यो विमुक्ता मत्प्रसादतः परं मदीयमासाद्य पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् परमं मम साधर्म्यं प्राप्य निर्वृतिमाययुः

Freed from the bonds of impurity and illusion by my grace, attaining my supreme state—which is difficult to return from—they reach the highest likeness to me and attain bliss.

तस्माल्लब्ध्वाप्यलब्ध्वा वा वर्णधर्मं मयेरितम् आश्रित्य मम भक्तश्चेत्स्वात्मनात्मानमुद्धरेत्

Therefore, whether one has obtained or not obtained the social duty prescribed by me, if he is my devotee, relying on me, let him uplift his own self by his own self.

अलब्धलाभ एवैष कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकः तस्मान्मे मुखतो लब्धं वर्णधर्मं समाचरेत्

Even the mere attempt to obtain it is many millions of times greater; therefore, having received the social duty from my mouth, one should practice it.

ममावतारा हि शुभे योगाचार्यच्छलेन तु सर्वांतरेषु सन्त्यार्ये संततिश्च सहस्रशः

My incarnations, O auspicious one, appear under the guise of teachers of yoga, and in every age, noble lineages arise by the thousands.

अयुक्तानामबुद्धीनामभक्तानां सुरेश्वरि दुर्लभं संततिज्ञानं ततो यत्नात्समाश्रयेत्

For those who are unfit, lacking understanding, and without devotion, O Lady of the gods, knowledge of the lineage is difficult to obtain; therefore, one should seek it with effort.

सा हानिस्तन्महच्छिद्रं स मोहस्सांधमूकता यदन्यत्र श्रमं कुर्यान्मोक्षमार्गबहिष्कृतः

That is loss, a great defect, that is delusion and blindness and muteness—when one exerts oneself elsewhere, excluded from the path of liberation.

ज्ञानं क्रिया च चर्या च योगश्चेति सुरेश्वरि चतुष्पादः समाख्यातो मम धर्मस्सनातनः

O Lady of the gods, knowledge, action, conduct, and yoga—these four are declared to be the eternal dharma of mine.

पशुपाशपतिज्ञानं ज्ञानमित्यभिधीयते षडध्वशुद्धिर्विधिना गुर्वधीना क्रियोच्यते

Knowledge is said to be the understanding of the soul, bondage, and the Lord; action is the ritual purification of the six paths, performed according to rule and dependent on the teacher.

वर्णाश्रमप्रयुक्तस्य मयैव विहितस्य च ममार्चनादिधर्मस्य चर्या चर्येति कथ्यते

Conduct is called the observance of duties prescribed by me for those engaged in the varṇas and āśramas, and for my worship and related dharmas.