Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

ज्ञानामृतेन तृप्तस्य भक्त्या शैवशिवात्मनः नांतर्न च बहिः कृष्ण कृत्यमस्ति कदाचन

For one satisfied by the nectar of knowledge, whose soul is devoted to Śiva, O Kṛṣṇa, there is never any duty to be performed, neither inward nor outward.

तस्मात्क्रमेण संत्यज्य बाह्यमाभ्यंतरं तथा ज्ञानेन ज्ञेयमालोक्याज्ञानं चापि परित्यजेत्

Therefore, gradually abandoning both external and internal, one should perceive what is to be known through knowledge, and also renounce ignorance.

नैकाग्रं चेच्छिवे चित्तं किं कृतेनापि कर्मणा एकाग्रमेव चेच्चित्तं किं कृतेनापि कर्मणा

If the mind is not concentrated on Śiva, what use is action, even if performed? If the mind is concentrated, what use is action, even if performed?

तस्मात्कर्माण्यकृत्वा वा कृत्वा वांतर्बहिःक्रमात् येन केनाप्युपायेन शिवे चित्तं निवेशयेत्

Therefore, whether actions are performed or not, externally or internally, by whatever means, one should establish the mind in Śiva.

शिवे निविष्टचित्तानां प्रतिष्ठितधियां सताम् परत्रेह च सर्वत्र निर्वृतिः परमा भवेत्

For those whose minds are established in Śiva, whose intellect is steadfast, supreme bliss arises everywhere, both here and beyond.

इहोन्नमः शिवायेति मंत्रेणानेन सिद्धयः स तस्मादधिगंतव्यः परावरविभूतये

Here, with the mantra 'Om namaḥ Śivāya', attainments are achieved; therefore, it is to be pursued for mastery over all realms, higher and lower.

महर्षिवर सर्वज्ञ सर्वज्ञानमहोदधे पञ्चाक्षरस्य माहात्म्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः

O great sage, all-knowing one, ocean of omniscience, I wish to hear, in truth, the greatness of the five-syllable mantra.

पञ्चाक्षरस्य माहात्म्यं वर्षकोटिशतैरपि अशक्यं विस्तराद्वक्तुं तस्मात्संक्षेपतः शृणु

The greatness of the five-syllable mantra cannot be fully described even in hundreds of millions of years; therefore, listen to it in brief.

वेदे शिवागमे चायमुभयत्र षडक्षरेः सर्वेषां शिवभक्तानामशेषार्थसाधकः

In the Veda and in the Śiva scriptures, this six-syllable mantra accomplishes all purposes for devotees of Śiva.

तदल्पाक्षरमर्थाढ्यं वेदसारं विमुक्तिदम् आज्ञासिद्धमसंदिग्धं वाक्यमेतच्छिवात्मकम्

Though brief in syllables, it is rich in meaning, the essence of the Veda, bestowing liberation, established by command, free from doubt, and this statement is of the nature of Śiva.

नानासिद्धियुतं दिव्यं लोकचित्तानुरंजकम् सुनिश्चितार्थं गंभीरं वाक्यं तत्पारमेश्वरम्

Endowed with various attainments, divine, pleasing to the minds of people, its meaning is certain and profound; this statement is supreme, belonging to the Lord.

मन्त्रं सुखमुकोच्चार्यमशेषार्थप्रसिद्धये प्राहोन्नमः शिवायेति सर्वज्ञस्सर्वदेहिनाम्

The mantra is easily pronounced for the accomplishment of all purposes; the all-knowing one declares 'Om namaḥ Śivāya' for all embodied beings.

तद्बीजं सर्वविद्यानां मंत्रमाद्यं षडक्षरम् अतिसूक्ष्मं महार्थं च ज्ञेयं तद्वटबीजवत्

Its seed is the source of all knowledge, the primary mantra, the six-syllable one, extremely subtle and of great import; it should be known like the seed of the banyan tree.

देवो गुणत्रयातीतः सर्वज्ञः सर्वकृत्प्रभुः ओमित्येकाक्षरे मन्त्रे स्थितः सर्वगतः शिवः

The deity transcends the three qualities, is all-knowing, the Lord of all actions; Śiva abides in the mantra as the single syllable 'Om', pervading all.

इशानाद्यानि सूक्ष्माणि ब्रह्माण्येकाक्षराणि तु मंत्रे नमश्शिवायेति संस्थितानि यथाक्रमम् मंत्रे षडक्षरे सूक्ष्मे पञ्चब्रह्मतनुः शिवः

The subtle syllables beginning with 'Ishana', which are the single-syllabled Brahman, are established in the mantra 'Namah Shivaya' in their proper order; in the subtle six-syllabled mantra, Shiva abides as the fivefold Brahman-form.

वाच्यवाचकभावेन स्थितः साक्षात्स्वभावतः वाच्यश्शिवोप्रमेयत्वान्मंत्रस्तद्वाचकस्स्मृतः

He remains as both the signified and the signifier, directly and by his own nature; Shiva is called the signified because he is incomparable, and the mantra is remembered as his signifier.

वाच्यवाचकभावो ऽयमनादिसंस्थितस्तयोः यथा ऽनादिप्रवृत्तोयं घोरसंसारसागरः

This relationship of signified and signifier has existed from the beginningless past between the two, just as this dreadful ocean of worldly existence has flowed from beginningless time.

शिवो ऽपि हि तथानादिसंसारान्मोचकः स्थितः व्याधीनां भेषजं यद्वत्प्रतिपक्षः स्वभावतः

In the same way, Shiva is established as the liberator from beginningless worldly existence, just as a remedy is, by its very nature, the counter to diseases.

तद्वत्संसारदोषाणां प्रतिपक्षः शिवस्स्मृतः असत्यस्मिन् जगन्नाथे तमोभूतमिदं भवेत्

In the same way, Shiva is remembered as the counter to the faults of worldly existence; without the Lord of the world, this would become enveloped in darkness.

अचेतनत्वात्प्रकृतेरज्ञत्वात्पुरषस्य च प्रधानपरमाण्वादि यावत्किंचिदचेतनम्

Because of the insentience of Prakriti and the ignorance of Purusha, everything from the chief principle down to the ultimate atom is insentient.