Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

यावज्जीवं जपेन्नित्यमष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम् अनन्यस्तत्परो भूत्वा स याति परमां गतिम्

He should recite daily, throughout his life, one thousand and eight times, being devoted to nothing else; thus he attains the highest state.

जपेदक्षरलक्षं वै चतुर्गुणितमादरात् नक्ताशी संयमी यस्स पौरश्चरणिकः स्मृतः

He should recite one hundred thousand syllables, four times that amount with devotion; one who eats only at night and is self-restrained is known as a performer of the prescribed rite.

यः पुरश्चरणं कृत्वा नित्यजापी भवेत्पुनः तस्य नास्ति समो लोके स सिद्धः सिद्धदो भवेत्

He who, having performed the preliminary rites, becomes a constant reciter—there is no one equal to him in the world; he is accomplished and becomes a bestower of accomplishment.

स्नानं कृत्वा शुचौ देशे बद्ध्वा रुचिरमानसम् त्वया मां हृदि संचिंत्य संचिंत्य स्वगुरुं ततः

Having bathed, in a pure place, with a mind made serene, you should contemplate me in your heart, and then likewise your own teacher.

उदङ्मुखः प्राङ्मुखो वा मौनी चैकाग्रमानसः विशोध्य पञ्चतत्त्वानि दहनप्लावनादिभिः

Facing north or east, keeping silence, with mind concentrated, having purified the five elements by means such as fire and water,

मन्त्रन्यासादिकं कृत्वा सफलीकृतविग्रहः आवयोर्विग्रहौ ध्यायन्प्राणापानौ नियम्य च

Having performed the placing of the mantra and related rites, making the body fruitful, meditating on both our forms, and restraining the in-breath and out-breath,

विद्यास्थानं स्वकं रूपमृषिञ्छन्दो ऽधिदैवतम् बीजं शक्तिं तथा वाक्यं स्मृत्वा पञ्चाक्षरीं जपेत्

Recalling the seat of the mantra, its own form, the seer, the meter, the presiding deity, the seed, the power, and the statement, one should recite the five-syllabled mantra.

उत्तमं मानसं जाप्यमुपांशुं चैवमध्यमम् अधमं वाचिकं प्राहुरागमार्थविशारदाः

Mental recitation is said to be the highest, muttered recitation is considered intermediate, and spoken recitation is called the lowest by those skilled in the meaning of the scriptures.

उत्तमं रुद्रदैवत्यं मध्यमं विष्णुदैवतम् अधमं ब्रह्मदैवत्यमित्याहुरनुपूर्वशः

The highest is said to have Rudra as its deity, the intermediate has Vishnu as its deity, and the lowest has Brahma as its deity, in this order.

यदुच्चनीचस्वरितैःस्पष्टास्पष्टपदाक्षरैः मंत्रमुच्चारयेद्वाचा वाचिको ऽयं जपस्स्मृतः

When the mantra is pronounced aloud with high and low tones, with clear or unclear syllables and words, this is called spoken recitation.