Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

मयैवमसकृद्देवि प्रतिज्ञातं धरातले पतितो ऽपि विमुच्येत मद्भक्तो विद्ययानया

O Goddess, I have repeatedly declared this on earth: even if my devotee falls, by means of this knowledge, he is liberated.

कर्मायोग्यो भवेन्मर्त्यः पतितो यदि सर्वथा कर्मायोगेन यत्कर्म कृतं च नरकाय हि ततः कथं विमुच्येत पतितो विद्यया ऽनया

If a mortal is unfit for action and falls in every way, then by the ineligibility for action, whatever deed is done leads to hell; so how could one fallen be freed by this knowledge?

तथ्यमेतत्त्वया प्रोक्तं तथा हि शृणु सुन्दरि रहस्यमिति मत्वैतद्गोपितं यन्मया पुरा

What you have said is true; therefore, listen, O beautiful one, to this secret which I once concealed, considering it to be so.

समंत्रकं मां पतितः पूजयेद्यदि मोहितः नारकी स्यान्न सन्देहो मम पञ्चाक्षरं विना

If one who has fallen, deluded, worships me with the mantra, there is no doubt he becomes hell-bound if it is without my five-syllabled mantra.

अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च ये चान्ये व्रतकर्शिताः तेषामेतैर्व्रतैर्नास्ति मम लोकसमागमः

Those who subsist on water or air, and others who are emaciated by vows—by these vows alone, they do not attain my world.

भक्त्या पञ्चाक्षरेणैव यो हि मां सकृदर्चयेत् सो ऽपि गच्छेन्मम स्थानं मन्त्रस्यास्यैव गौरवात्

Whoever worships me even once with devotion using the five-syllabled mantra, he too attains my abode, due to the greatness of this mantra.

तस्मात्तपांसि यज्ञाश्च व्रतानि नियमास्तथा पञ्चाक्षरार्चनस्यैते कोट्यंशेनापि नो समः

Therefore, austerities, sacrifices, vows, and observances—even in a fraction of a crore—are not equal to the worship of the five-syllabled mantra.

बद्धो वाप्यथ मुक्तो वा पाशात्पञ्चाक्षरेण यः पूजयेन्मां स मुच्येत नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Whether bound or liberated from bonds, whoever worships me with the five-syllabled mantra is freed—there is no need for further consideration.

अरुद्रो वा सरुद्रो वा सकृत्पञ्चाक्षरेण यः पूजयेत्पतितो वापि मूढो वा मुच्यते नरः

Whether without anger or with anger, whoever worships with the five-syllabled mantra, even if fallen or deluded, that person is liberated.

षडक्षरेण वा देवि तथा पञ्चाक्षरेण वा स ब्रह्मांगेन मां भक्त्या पूजयेद्यदि मुच्यते

O Goddess, whether with the six-syllabled or the five-syllabled mantra, if one worships me with devotion in the proper manner, he is liberated.