Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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'?

तेनाधीतं श्रुतं तेन कृतं सर्वमनुष्ठितम् येनोन्नमश्शिवायेति मंत्राभ्यासः स्थिरीकृतः

All that is studied, heard, or performed is accomplished by one who has firmly practiced the mantra 'Obeisance to Shiva.'

नमस्कारादिसंयुक्तं शिवायेत्यक्षरत्रयम् जिह्वाग्रे वर्तते यस्य सफलं तस्य जीवितम्

For one whose tongue always utters the three syllables 'to Shiva,' joined with acts like salutation, his life is fruitful.

अंत्यजो वाधमो वापि मूर्खो वा पंडितो ऽपि वा पञ्चाक्षरजपे निष्ठो मुच्यते पापपंजरात्

Whether outcaste, lowest-born, ignorant, or learned—whoever is steadfast in reciting the five-syllable mantra is freed from the cage of sin.

इत्युक्तं परमेशेन देव्या पृष्टेन शूलिना हिताय सर्वमर्त्यानां द्विजानां तु विशेषतः

Thus has it been spoken by the Lord, the Trident-bearer, in response to the Goddess's question, for the benefit of all mortals, especially the twice-born.

कलौ कलुषिते काले दुर्जये दुरतिक्रमे अपुण्यतमसाच्छन्ने लोके धर्मपराङ्मुखे

In the Kali age, when the time is corrupt, unconquerable, and hard to overcome, when the world is covered by the greatest impurity and has turned away from righteousness—

क्षीणे वर्णाश्रमाचारे संकटे समुपस्थिते सर्वाधिकारे संदिग्धे निश्चिते वापि पर्यये

When the practices of caste and stage of life have declined, when hardship has arisen, when all authority is in doubt or in transition—

तदोपदेशे विहते गुरुशिष्यक्रमे गते केनोपायेन मुच्यंते भक्तास्तव महेश्वर

When instruction has ceased and the tradition of teacher and disciple is lost, by what means are your devotees liberated, O Great Lord?

आश्रित्य परमां विद्यां हृद्यां पञ्चाक्षरीं मम भक्त्या च भावितात्मानो मुच्यंते कलिजा नराः

Those men of the Kali age who take refuge in my supreme, heartfelt five-syllable mantra, and who are devoted in mind, are liberated.

मनोवाक्कायजैर्दोषैर्वक्तुं स्मर्तुमगोचरैः दूषितानां कृतघ्नानां निंदकानां छलात्मनाम्

For those corrupted by faults of mind, speech, and body, for the ungrateful, the slanderers, and the deceitful, who are unable even to speak or remember—

लुब्धानां वक्रमनसामपि मत्प्रवणात्मनाम् मम पञ्चाक्षरी विद्या संसारभयतारिणी

Even for the greedy and those with crooked minds, if their hearts are inclined toward me, my five-syllable mantra carries them across the fear of worldly existence.