Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

अथ पञ्चाक्षरं नित्यं जपेदयुतमादरात् संध्ययोश्च सहस्रं वा ज्ञेयं शिवपदप्रदम्

Then, one should always recite the five-syllable mantra ten thousand times with devotion; or a thousand times at each twilight—this is known to bestow the state of Shiva.

प्रणवेनादिसंयुक्तं ब्राह्मणानां विशिष्यते दीक्षायुक्तं गुरोर्ग्राह्यं मंत्रं ह्यथ फलाप्तये

The mantra joined at the beginning with praṇava is especially for the brahmins; with initiation, it should be received from the guru for the attainment of results.

कुंभस्नानं मंत्रदीक्षां मातृकान्यासमेव च ब्राह्मणः सत्यपूतात्मा गुरुर्ज्ञानी विशिष्यते

Bathing with a pot, mantra initiation, and installation of the letters—among brahmins, the guru who is truthful and pure in mind, and learned, is distinguished.

द्विजानां च नमःपूर्वमन्येषां च नमोन्तकम् स्त्रीणां च क्वचिदिच्छंति नमो तं च यथाविधि

For twice-borns, it is with 'namah' at the beginning; for others, 'namah' at the end; for women, sometimes they desire 'namah' as appropriate.

विप्रस्त्रीणां नमः पूर्वमिदमिच्छंति केचन पञ्चकोटिजपं कृत्वा सदा शिवसमो भवेत्

Some wish for 'namah' at the beginning for brahmin women; having performed five crore recitations, one always becomes equal to Shiva.

एकद्वित्रिचतुःकोट्याब्रह्मादीनां पदं व्रजेत् जपेदक्षरलक्षंवा अक्षराणां पृथक्पृथक्

By reciting a hundred thousand syllables, or separately reciting the syllables, one attains the state of Brahma and the others, numbering one, two, three, or four crores.

अथवाक्षरलक्षं वा ज्ञेयं शिवपदप्रदम् सहस्रं तु सहस्राणां सहस्रेण दिनेन हि

Alternatively, the recitation of a hundred thousand syllables is known to grant the state of Shiva; a thousand times a thousand, multiplied by a thousand, within a single day.

जपेन्मंत्रादिष्टसिद्धिर्नित्यं ब्राह्मणभोजनात् अष्टोत्तरसहस्रं वै गायत्रीं प्रातरेव हि

By reciting the mantra as prescribed, one attains success; and by daily feeding Brahmins, one should recite the Gayatri eight thousand and eight times in the morning.

ब्राह्मणस्तु जपेन्नित्यं क्रमाच्छिवपदप्रदान् वेदमंत्रांस्तु सूक्तानि जपेन्नियममास्थितः

A Brahmin should always recite, in order, the mantras that bestow the state of Shiva, and, observing discipline, should recite Vedic mantras and hymns.

एकं दशार्णं मंत्रं च शतोनं च तदूर्ध्वकम् अयुतं च सहस्रं च शतमेकं विना भवेत्

One, ten, a hundred, and above that, a thousand, ten thousand, and a hundred thousand—except for one hundred—are the numbers for mantra recitation.

वेदपारायणं चैव ज्ञेयं शिवपदप्रदम् अन्यान्बहुतरान्मंत्राञ्जपेदक्षरलक्षतः

The recitation of the Vedas is also known to grant the state of Shiva; one should recite many other mantras, each with a hundred thousand syllables.

एकाक्षरांस्तथा मंत्राञ्जपेदक्षरकोटितः ततः परं जपेच्चैव सहस्रं भक्तिपूर्वकम्

One should recite single-syllable mantras up to a crore of syllables, and then, with devotion, recite a thousand more.

एवं कुर्याद्यथाशक्ति क्रमाच्छिव पदं लभेत् नित्यं रुचिकरं त्वेकं मंत्रमामरणांतिकम्

Thus, one should act according to one's ability and gradually attain the state of Shiva; one mantra, pleasing and recited daily, should be continued until death.

जपेत्सहस्रमोमिति सर्वाभीष्टं शिवाज्ञया पुष्पारामादिकं वापि तथा संमार्जनादिकम्

One should recite 'Om' a thousand times by Shiva’s command to fulfill all desires, or else perform acts such as tending flower gardens or sweeping.

शिवाय शिवकार्याथे कृत्वा शिवपदं लभेत् शिवक्षेत्रे तथा वासं नित्यं कुर्याच्च भक्तितः

For Shiva or for Shiva’s purposes, having performed such acts, one attains the state of Shiva; one should always dwell in a Shiva-kshetra with devotion.

जडानामजडानां च सर्वेषां भुक्तिमुक्तिदम् तस्माद्वासं शिवक्षेत्रे कुर्यदामरणं बुधः

For the dull and the wise alike, it grants both enjoyment and liberation; therefore, the wise should reside in a Shiva-kshetra until death.

लिंगाद्धस्तशतं पुण्यं क्षेत्रे मानुषके विदुः सहस्रारत्निमात्रं तु पुण्यक्षेत्रे तथार्षके

From a linga, a hundredfold merit is known in a human-made kshetra; in a sacred or ancient kshetra, the merit is equal to a thousand gold coins.

दैवलिंगे तथा ज्ञेयं सहस्रारत्निमानतः धनुष्प्रमाणसाहस्रं पुण्यं क्षेत्रे स्वयं भुवि

In a divine linga, the merit is said to be a thousand gold coins; in a self-manifested kshetra, the merit is a thousand times the measure of a bow.

पुण्यक्षेत्रे स्थिता वापी कूपाद्यपुष्कराणि च शिवगंगेति विज्ञेयं शिवस्य वचनं यथा

In a sacred kshetra, tanks, wells, and ponds are to be known as Shiva-Ganga, according to Shiva’s own words.

तत्र स्नात्वा तथा दत्त्वा जपित्वा हि शिवं व्रजेत् शिवक्षेत्रं समाश्रित्य वसेदामरणं तथा

There, by bathing, giving, and reciting, one attains Shiva; having taken refuge in a Shiva-kshetra, one should dwell there until death.

दाहं दशाहं मास्यं वा सपिंडीकरणं तु वा आब्दिकं वा शिवक्षेत्रे क्षेत्रे पिंडमथापि वा

Whether cremation, ten-day rites, monthly, or annual offerings are performed in a Shiva-kshetra, or even the offering of a rice-ball, it is so.

सर्वपाप विनिर्मुक्तः सद्यः शिवपदं लभेत् अथवा सप्तरात्रं वा वसेद्वा पञ्चरात्रकम्

Freed from all sins, one immediately attains the state of Shiva; or, by dwelling for seven nights or five nights.

त्रिरात्रमेकरात्रं वा क्रमाच्छिवपदं लभेत् स्ववर्णानुगुणं लोके स्वाचारात्प्राप्नुते नरः

Or, by staying for three nights or even one night, one gradually attains the state of Shiva; a person attains, according to his own conduct, that which accords with his own varna in the world.

वर्णोद्धारेण भक्त्या च तत्फलातिशयं नरः सर्वं कृतं कामनया सद्यः फलमवाप्नुयात्

By reciting the syllables with devotion, a person may instantly obtain all the desired results, even surpassing the fruits of complete ritual acts.

सर्वं कृतमकामेन साक्षाच्छिवपदप्रदम् प्रातर्मध्याह्नसायाह्नमहस्त्रिष्वेकतः क्रमात्

All acts performed without desire directly grant the state of Shiva; in the morning, midday, and evening, one should perform them in sequence, at least once in any of these three times.

प्रातर्विधिकरं ज्ञेयं मध्याह्नं कामिकं तथा सायाह्नं शांतिकं ज्ञेयं रात्रावपि तथैव हि

The morning rite is to be known as that which fulfills duties, midday as that which fulfills desires, and evening as that which brings peace; the same applies at night as well.

कालो निशीथो वै प्रोक्तोमध्ययामद्वयं निशि शिवपूजा विशेषेण तत्काले ऽभीष्टसिद्धिदा

The time called midnight is said to be the middle of the night; worship of Shiva at that time especially grants the fulfillment of one's wishes.

एवं ज्ञात्वा नरः कुर्वन्यथोक्तफलभाग्भवेत् कलौ युगे विशेषेण फलसिद्धिस्तु कर्मणा

Knowing this, if a person acts accordingly, he attains the results as described; especially in the Kali age, the fruit of action is quickly attained.

उक्तेन केनचिद्वापि अधिकारविभेदतः सद्वृत्तिः पापभीरुश्चेत्ततत्फलमवाप्नुयात्

Whoever, according to their eligibility, performs as prescribed—even if only a little, with good conduct and fear of sin—will obtain that result.