Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

ब्रह्मचर्यं सदा स्नानं भस्मना सलिलेन वा शांतिर्मौनं क्षमा नित्यं संविभागो यथाविधि

Celibacy, daily bathing with ashes or water, tranquility, silence, constant forgiveness, and sharing according to rule are prescribed.

अष्टाभ्यां च चतुर्दश्यां पौर्णमास्यां विशेषतः एकादश्यां च विधिवदुपवासोममार्चनम्

On the eighth, fourteenth, and especially the full-moon days, and properly on the eleventh, fasting and worship of Soma are enjoined.

इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तो मयाश्रमनिषेविणाम् ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशां देवि यतीनां ब्रह्मचारिणाम्

Thus, in brief, I have declared the dharma for those devoted to the āśramas—Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, ascetics, and celibates.

तथैव वानप्रस्थानां गृहस्थानां च सुन्दरि शूद्राणामथ नारीणां धर्म एष सनातनः

In the same way, O beautiful one, for forest-dwellers, householders, Shudras, and women, this is the eternal dharma.

ध्येयस्त्वयाहं देवेशि सदा जाप्यः षडक्षरः वेदोक्तमखिलं धर्ममिति धर्मार्थसंग्रहः

O goddess of the gods, you should always meditate on me, recite the six-syllabled mantra, and practice all dharma as taught in the Vedas—this is the summary of dharma and artha.

अथ ये मानवा लोके स्वेच्छया धृतविग्रहाः भावातिशयसंपन्नाः पूर्वसंस्कारसंयुताः

Now, those people in the world who, by their own will, take up discipline, endowed with intense feeling and previous impressions—

विरक्ता वानुरक्ता वा स्त्र्यादीनां विषयेष्वपि

Whether detached or attached, even regarding women and other objects—

तेषां ममात्मविज्ञानं विशुद्धानां विवेकिनाम् मत्प्रसादाद्विशुद्धानां दुःखमाश्रमरक्षणात्

For those who are pure and discerning, knowledge of my true Self arises by my grace; though purified, they suffer due to the burdens of worldly duties.

नास्ति कृत्यमकृत्यं च समाधिर्वा परायणम् न विधिर्न निषेधश्च तेषां मम यथा तथा

For them, there is neither duty nor non-duty, nor absorption nor supreme goal; there is no injunction or prohibition for them, just as it is for me.

तथेह परिपूर्णस्य साध्यं मम न विद्यते तथैव कृतकृत्यानां तेषामपि न संशयः

In the same way, for one who is complete here, there is nothing left to accomplish for me; likewise, for those who have fulfilled their purpose, there is no doubt.

मद्भक्तानां हितार्थाय मानुषं भावमाश्रिताः रुद्रलोकात्परिभ्रष्टास्ते रुद्रा नात्र संशयः

For the welfare of my devotees, those Rudras who have fallen from the world of Rudra take on human form—there is no doubt about this.

ममानुशासनं यद्वद्ब्रह्मादीनां प्रवर्तकम् तथा नराणामन्येषां तन्नियोगः प्रवर्तकः

Just as my command initiates action for Brahma and the others, so too does my directive set in motion the actions of humans and others.

ममाज्ञाधारभावेन सद्भावातिशयेन च तदालोकनमात्रेण सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्

By holding my command as supreme and with exceptional sincerity, even a mere glimpse of that destroys all sins.

प्रत्ययाश्च प्रवर्तंते प्रशस्तफलसूचकाः मयि भाववतां पुंसां प्रागदृष्टार्थगोचराः

Signs indicating auspicious results arise in those devoted to me, even before the desired goal is seen.

कंपस्वेदो ऽश्रुपातश्च कण्ठे च स्वरविक्रिया आनंदाद्युपलब्धिश्च भवेदाकस्मिकी मुहुः

Trembling, sweating, the flow of tears, changes in the voice at the throat, and sudden repeated experiences of joy—these occur unexpectedly.

स तैर्व्यस्तैस्समस्तैर्वा लिंगैरव्यभिचारिभिः मंदमध्योत्तमैर्भावैर्विज्ञेयास्ते नरोत्तमाः

By these unmistakable signs, whether occurring singly or together, and by their mild, moderate, or intense forms, the best among men are to be recognized.

यथायोग्निसमावेशान्नायो भवति केवलम् स तथैव मम सान्निध्यान्न ते केवलमानुषाः

Just as iron, by contact with fire, is no longer merely iron, so too, by my presence, they are not merely human.

हस्तपादादिसाधर्म्याद्रुद्रान्मर्त्यवपुर्धरान् प्राकृतानिव मन्वानो नावजानीत पंडितः

Because they resemble mortals in hands, feet, and so on, one should not consider them ordinary; the wise do not look down on them, knowing they are Rudras in human form.

अवज्ञानं कृतं तेषु नरैर्व्यामूढचेतनैः आयुः श्रियं कुलं शीलं हित्वा निरयमावहेत्

If people with deluded minds show contempt for them, such scorn leads to loss of life, wealth, lineage, and virtue, and brings about hell.

ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानामपि तूलायते पदम् मत्तोन्यदनपेक्षाणामुद्धृतानां महात्मनाम्

Even the status of Brahma, Vishnu, and the lords of the gods is like a blade of grass to those great souls who depend on nothing but me.

अशुद्धं बौद्धमैश्वर्यं प्राकृतं पौरुषं तथा गुणेशानामतस्त्याज्यं गुणातीतपदैषिणाम्

Impure, intellectual power, worldly and manly strength, and the dominion of the lords of qualities—all these are to be abandoned by those who seek the state beyond qualities.

अथ किं बहुनोक्तेन श्रेयः प्राप्त्यैकसाधनम् मयि चित्तसमासंगो येन केनापि हेतुना

So why speak at length? The one means to attain the highest good is the absorption of the mind in me, by whatever cause.

इत्थं श्रीकण्ठनाथेन शिवेन परमात्मना हिताय जगतामुक्तो ज्ञानसारार्थसंग्रहः

Thus, by Lord Shrikantha Shiva, the Supreme Self, this summary of the essence of knowledge has been spoken for the welfare of the worlds.

विज्ञानसंग्रहस्यास्य वेदशास्त्राणि कृत्स्नशः सेतिहासपुराणानि विद्या व्याख्यानविस्तरः

This compendium of knowledge contains, in full, the Vedas, scriptures, histories, Puranas, sciences, and extensive commentaries.

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयमनुष्ठेयमधिकारो ऽथ साधनम् साध्यं चेति षडर्थानां संग्रहत्वेष संग्रहः

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, what is to be practiced, qualification, means, and the goal—these six topics are all gathered in this compendium.

गुरोरधिकृतं ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं पाशः पशुः पतिः लिंगार्चनाद्यनुष्ठेयं भक्तस्त्वधिकृतो ऽपि यः

Knowledge authorized by the guru is to be known; the bond, the soul, and the Lord. Worship of the liṅga and similar rites are to be performed, even by one who is devoted and authorized.

साधनं शिवमंत्राद्यं साध्यं शिवसमानता षडर्थसंग्रहस्यास्य ज्ञानात्सर्वज्ञतोच्यते

The means are the Śiva-mantra and similar practices; the goal is equality with Śiva. From knowledge of this collection of six principles, omniscience is said to arise.

प्रथमं कर्म यज्ञादेर्भक्त्या वित्तानुसारतः बाह्येभ्यर्च्य शिवं पश्चादंतर्यागरतो भवेत्

First, actions such as sacrifice are performed with devotion, according to one's means. After worshipping Śiva externally, one should then worship from within, with inner intent.

रतिरभ्यंतरे यस्य न बाह्ये पुण्यगौरवात् न कर्म करणीयं हि बहिस्तस्य महात्मनाः

For one whose delight is inward, not outward, due to the greatness of merit, no external action need be performed by that great soul.