Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

न तत्कर्तृ स्वयं दृष्टं बुद्धिमत्कारणं विना धर्माधर्मोपदेशश्च बंधमोक्षौ विचारणात्

None of these are seen to act on their own, without an intelligent cause; the teaching of righteousness and unrighteousness, as well as bondage and liberation, arises from discernment.

न सर्वज्ञं विना पुंसामादिसर्गः प्रसिद्ध्यति वैद्यं विना निरानंदाः क्लिश्यंते रोगिणो यथा

Without the all-knowing one, the original creation of beings does not come about, just as without a physician, the afflicted suffer without relief.

तस्मादनादिः सर्वज्ञः परिपूर्णस्सदाशिवः अस्ति नाथः परित्राता पुंसां संसारसागरात्

Therefore, Sadashiva, who is beginningless, all-knowing, and complete, exists as the Lord, the savior of beings from the ocean of worldly existence.

आदिमध्यांतनिर्मुक्तस्स्वभावविमलः प्रभुः सर्वज्ञः परिपूर्णश्च शिवो ज्ञेयश्शिवागमे

He is free from beginning, middle, and end, pure by his own nature, the Lord, all-knowing and complete; Shiva is to be known in the Shiva scriptures.

तस्याभिधानमन्त्रो ऽयमभिधेयश्च स स्मृतः अभिधानाभिधेयत्वान्मंत्रस्सिद्धः परश्शिवः

His name is this mantra, and he is remembered as the one denoted by it; because of the relationship of name and named, the mantra is established as the supreme Shiva.

एतावत्तु शिवज्ञानमेतावत्परमं पदम् यदोंनमश्शिवायेति शिववाक्यं षडक्षरम्

This alone is the knowledge of Shiva, this alone is the supreme state: the six-syllabled Shiva statement, 'Om Namah Shivaya.'

विधिवाक्यमिदं शैवं नार्थवादं शिवात्मकम् यस्सर्वज्ञस्सुसंपूर्णः स्वभावविमलः शिवः

This Shaiva statement is an injunction, not mere praise, and is of the nature of Shiva; for Shiva, who is all-knowing, perfectly complete, and pure by nature.

लोकानुग्रहकर्ता च स मृषार्थं कथं वदेत् यद्यथावस्थितं वस्तु गुणदोषैः स्वभावतः

He, being the benefactor of the worlds, how could he speak falsely? Whatever exists, with its qualities and faults, exists by its own nature.

यावत्फलं च तत्पूर्णं सर्वज्ञस्तु यथा वदेत् रागाज्ञानादिभिर्दोषैर्ग्रस्तत्वादनृतं वदेत्

And whatever result is complete, the all-knowing one speaks accordingly; only one afflicted by faults like passion and ignorance would speak untruth.

ते चेश्वरे न विद्येते ब्रूयात्स कथमन्यथा अज्ञाताशेषदोषेण सर्वज्ञेय शिवेन यत् प्रणीतममलं वाक्यं तत्प्रमाणं न संशयः

But such faults do not exist in the Lord; how could he speak otherwise? What is composed by Shiva, the all-knowing, free from all unknown faults, that pure statement is authoritative, without doubt.

तस्मादीश्वरवाक्यानि श्रद्धेयानि विपश्चिता यथार्थपुण्यपापेषु तदश्रद्धो व्रजत्यधः

Therefore, the words of the Lord are to be trusted by the wise; in matters of merit and demerit as they truly are, one who lacks faith in them falls down.

स्वर्गापवर्गसिद्ध्यर्थं भाषितं यत्सुशोभनम् वाक्यं मुनिवरैः शांतैस्तद्विज्ञेयं सुभाषितम्

Whatever beautiful words have been spoken by the great sages, peaceful and wise, for the attainment of heaven and liberation, those are to be known as well-spoken.

रागद्वेषानृतक्रोधकामतृष्णानुसारि यत् वाक्यं निरयहेतुत्वात्तद्दुर्भाषितमुच्यते

Any speech that follows attachment, aversion, falsehood, anger, desire, or craving is called harsh speech, for it leads to hell.

संस्कृतेनापि किं तेन मृदुना ललितेन वा अविद्यारागवाक्येन संसारक्लेशहेतुना

What use is even gentle or elegant Sanskrit, if it is spoken with ignorance and attachment, causing the suffering of worldly existence?

यच्छ्रुत्वा जायते श्रेयो रागादीनां च संशयः विरूपमपि तद्वाक्यं विज्ञेयमिति शोभनम्

That speech, even if unrefined, which when heard brings about welfare and casts doubt upon attachment and the like, should be known as auspicious.

बहुत्वेपि हि मंत्राणां सर्वज्ञेन शिवेन यः प्रणीतो विमलो मन्त्रो न तेन सदृशः क्वचित्

Though there are many mantras, none is equal anywhere to the pure mantra composed by the all-knowing Shiva.

सांगानि वेदशास्त्राणि संस्थितानि षडक्षरे न तेन सदृशस्तस्मान्मन्त्रो ऽप्यस्त्यपरः क्वचित्

Even the Vedas and their branches, established in the six-syllable mantra, are not equal to it; nor is any other mantra comparable.

सप्तकोटिमहामन्त्रैरुपमन्त्रैरनेकधा मन्त्रः षडक्षरो भिन्नस्सूत्रं वृत्यात्मना यथा

Though there are seventy million great mantras and countless subsidiary mantras, the six-syllable mantra is distinct, like a thread among woven cloth.

शिवज्ञानानि यावंति विद्यास्थानापि यानि च षडक्षरस्य सूत्रस्य तानि भाष्यं समासतः

All the teachings about Shiva and all the sources of knowledge are, in essence, commentaries on the six-syllable mantra.

किं तस्य बहुभिर्मंत्रैश्शास्त्रैर्वा बहुविस्तरैः यस्योन्नमः शिवायेति मन्त्रो ऽयं हृदि संस्थितः

What is the use of many mantras or scriptures with elaborate explanations, for one whose heart is established in the mantra 'Obeisance to Shiva'?