Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

गायत्र्यनुष्टुप् त्रिष्टुप् च छंदांसि बृहती विराट् इन्द्रो रुद्रो हरिर्ब्रह्मा स्कंदस्तेषां च देवताः

Gāyatrī, Anuṣṭup, Triṣṭup, Bṛhatī, and Virāṭ are the meters; Indra, Rudra, Hari, Brahmā, and Skanda are their respective deities.

मम पञ्चमुखान्याहुः स्थाने तेषां वरानने पूर्वादेश्चोर्ध्वपर्यंतं नकारादि यथाक्रमम्

They say that I have five faces; in their proper places, O beautiful-faced one, from the east upward, the syllables beginning with 'na' are arranged in order.

अदात्तः प्रथमो वर्णश्चतुर्थश्च द्वितीयकः पञ्चमः स्वरितश्चैव तृतीयो निहतः स्मृतः

The first syllable is unaspirated, the fourth is the second, the fifth is svarita (intoned), and the third is said to be nihata (suppressed).

मूलविद्या शिवं शैवं सूत्रं पञ्चाक्षरं तथा नामान्यस्य विजानीयाच्छैवं मे हृदयं महत्

The root-vidyā, Śiva, the Śaiva sūtra, the five-syllable mantra, and his names—know these as my great Śaiva heart.

नकारश्शिर उच्येत मकारस्तु शिखोच्यते शिकारः कवचं तद्वद्वकारो नेत्रमुच्यते

The syllable 'na' is called the head, 'ma' is said to be the crest, 'śi' is the armor, likewise 'va' is called the eye.

यकारो ऽस्त्रं नमस्स्वाहा वषट् हुंवौषडित्यपि फडित्यपि च वर्णानामन्ते ऽङ्गत्वं यदा तदा

'Ya' is the missile; 'namaḥ', 'svāhā', 'vaṣaṭ', 'huṃ', 'vauṣaṭ', and 'phaṭ'—when these are placed at the end of the syllables, they become its limbs.

तत्रापि मूलमंत्रो ऽयं किंचिद्भेदसमन्वयात् तत्रापि पञ्चमो वर्णो द्वादशस्वरभूषितः

Even there, this root-mantra, with some variations, has the fifth syllable adorned with twelve vowels.

तास्मादनेन मंत्रेण मनोवाक्कायभेदतः आवयोरर्चनं कुर्याज्जपहोमादिकं तथा

Therefore, with this mantra, one should perform worship of us by mind, speech, and body, as well as recitation, oblation, and the like.

यथाप्रज्ञं यथाकालं यथाशास्त्रं यथामति यथाशक्ति यथासंपद्यथायोगं यथारति

According to one’s understanding, time, scripture, capacity, ability, resources, fitness, and inclination.

यदा कदापि वा भक्त्या यत्र कुत्रापि वा कृता येन केनापि वा देवि पूजा मुक्तिं नयिष्यते

Whenever, wherever, by whomever, and however worship is performed with devotion, O goddess, it will lead to liberation.

मय्यासक्तेन मनसा यत्कृतं मम सुन्दरि मत्प्रियं च शिवं चैव क्रमेणाप्यक्रमेण वा

Whatever is done with a mind attached to me, O beautiful one, whether in order or not, if it is dear to me and auspicious, it is accepted.

तथापि मम भक्ता ये नात्यंतविवशाः पुनः तेषां सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु मयेव नियमः कृतः

Even so, for my devotees who are not completely helpless, I have established rules for them in all scriptures.

तत्रादौ संप्रवक्ष्यामि मन्त्रसंग्रहणं शुभम् यं विना निष्फलं जाप्यं येन वा सफलं भवेत्

Now, I shall first explain the auspicious collection of mantras, without which recitation is fruitless, and by which it becomes fruitful.

आज्ञाहीनं क्रियाहीनं श्रद्धाहीनं वरानने आज्ञार्थं दक्षिणाहीनं सदा जप्तं च निष्फलम्

O beautiful one, a recitation that lacks command, lacks proper action, lacks faith, is done without purpose, lacks offering, or is always performed—such a recitation is fruitless.

आज्ञासिद्धं क्रियासिद्धं श्रद्धासिद्धं ममात्मकम् एवं चेद्दक्षिणायुक्तं मंत्रसिद्धिर्महत्फलम्

But when it is established by command, performed with proper action, endowed with faith, and accompanied by offering, then the mantra attains success and yields great fruit.

उपगम्य गुरुं विप्रमाचार्यं तत्त्ववेदिनम् जापितं सद्गुणोपेतं ध्यानयोगपरायणम्

Approaching a guru, a learned Brahmin, a teacher who knows the truth, who is endowed with good qualities and devoted to meditation and yoga, one should recite.

तोषयेत्तं प्रयत्नेन भावशुद्धिसमन्वितः वाचा च मनसा चैव कायेन द्रविणेन च

With pure intent, one should strive to please him by every effort—by speech, by mind, by body, and by wealth.

आचार्यं पूजयेद्विप्रः सर्वदातिप्रयत्नतः हस्त्यश्वरथरत्नानि क्षेत्राणि च गृहाणि च

A Brahmin should always worship the teacher with utmost effort, offering elephants, horses, chariots, jewels, lands, and houses.

भूषणानि च वासांसि धान्यानि च धनानि च एतानि गुरवे दद्याद्भक्त्या च विभवे सति

He should also give ornaments, garments, grains, and wealth to the guru with devotion, if he has the means.

वित्तशाठ्यं न कुर्वीत यदीच्छेत्सिद्धिमात्मनः पश्चान्निवेद्य स्वात्मानं गुरवे सपरिच्छदम्

One who desires success for himself should not act with miserliness regarding wealth; afterwards, he should dedicate himself and all his possessions to the guru.

एवं संपूज्य विधिवद्यथाशक्तित्ववंचयन् आददीत गुरोर्मंत्रं ज्ञानं चैव क्रमेण तु

Thus, having worshipped properly and to the best of his ability, without deceit, he should receive the mantra and knowledge from the guru, step by step.

एवं तुष्टो गुरुः शिष्यं पूजकं वत्सरोषितम् शुश्रूषुमनहंकारं स्नातं शुचिमुपोषितम्

When the guru is thus pleased with the disciple who serves, who is free from pride, who is pure, bathed, and disciplined,

स्नापयित्वा विशुद्ध्यर्थं पूर्णकुंभघृतेन वै जलेन मन्त्रशुद्धेन पुण्यद्रव्ययुतेन च

He should bathe him for purification with clarified butter from a full vessel, with water sanctified by mantras, and with auspicious substances.

अलंकृत्य सुवेषं च गंधस्रग्वस्त्रभूषणैः पुण्याहं वाचयित्वा च ब्राह्मणानभिपूज्य च

He should adorn him in fine attire with perfumes, garlands, clothes, and ornaments, recite auspicious hymns, and honor the Brahmins.

समुद्रतीरे नद्यां च गोष्ठे देवालये ऽपि वा शुचौ देशे गृहे वापि काले सिद्धिकरे तिथौ

On the seashore, by a river, in a cowshed, in a temple, or in a pure place, or even at home, at a time and on a date that brings success,

नक्षत्रे शुभयोगे च सर्वदोषविवर्जिते अनुगृह्य ततो दद्याज्ज्ञानं मम यथाविधि

Under a favorable star and auspicious conjunction, free from all defects, he should then bestow knowledge upon him according to the proper method.

स्वरेणोच्चारयेत्सम्यगेकांते ऽतिप्रसन्नधीः उच्चार्योच्चारयित्वा तमावयोर्मंत्रमुत्तमम्

With a clear voice, in solitude, with a mind extremely pleased, he should recite and cause him to recite the supreme mantra of us both.

शिवं चास्तु शुभं चास्तु शोभनो ऽस्तु प्रियो ऽस्त्विति एवं दद्याद्गुरुर्मंत्रमाज्ञां चैव ततः परम्

May there be auspiciousness, may there be goodness, may there be beauty, may there be affection—thus the guru should give the mantra and the command thereafter.

एवं लब्ध्वा गुरोर्मंत्रमाज्ञां चैव समाहितः संकल्प्य च जपेन्नित्यं पुरश्चरणपूर्वकम्

Having thus received the mantra and command from the guru, with focused mind, he should resolve and recite it daily, preceded by the prescribed rites.