Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

शिवलोकप्रदा शैवास् तथा ऽभीष्टफलप्रदाः नैमिषे बदरे स्नायान्मेषगे च गुरौ रवौ

The Shaiva banks grant the world of Shiva and bestow the fruits of one's desires; one should bathe at Naimisha, Badari, Meshaga, Guru, and Ravi.

ब्रह्मलोकप्रदं विद्यात्ततः पूजादिकं तथा सिंधुनद्यां तथा स्नानं सिंहे कर्कटगे रवौ

Know that it grants the world of Brahma, and so also worship and the like; likewise, bathing in the Sindhu river when the sun is in Leo or Cancer.

केदारोदकपानं च स्नानं च ज्ञानदं विदुः गोदावर्यां सिंहमासे स्नायात्सिंहबृहस्पतौ

Drinking the water of Kedara and bathing there is known to grant knowledge; one should bathe in the Godavari during the month of Simha, when Jupiter is in Leo.

शिवलोकप्रदमिति शिवेनोक्तं तथा पुरा यमुनाशोणयोः स्नायाद्गुरौ कन्यागते रवौ

It is said by Shiva that this grants the world of Shiva; one should bathe in the Yamuna and Shona when Jupiter is in Virgo and the sun is there.

धर्मलोके दंतिलोके महाभोगप्रदं विदुः कावेर्यां च तथास्नायात्तुलागे तु रवौ गुरौ

It is known to grant the world of Dharma and Danti, and great enjoyments; likewise, one should bathe in the Kaveri when the sun and Jupiter are in Libra.

विष्णोर्वचनमहात्म्यात्सर्वाभीष्टप्रदं विदुः वृश्चिके मासि संप्राप्ते तथार्के गुरुवृश्चिके

By the greatness of Vishnu's words, it is known to grant all desired things; when the month of Scorpio arrives, and likewise when the sun and Jupiter are in Scorpio.

नर्मदायां नदीस्नानाद्विष्णुलोकम्वाप्नुयात् सुवर्णमुखरीस्नानं चापगे च गुरौ रवौ

By bathing in the Narmada river, one attains the world of Vishnu; and by bathing in the Suvarnamukhari and other rivers when Jupiter and the sun are present.

शिवलोकप्रदमिति ब्राह्मणो वचनं यथा मृगमासि तथा स्नायाज्जाह्नव्यां मृगगे गुरौ

It is said by the Brahmin that this grants the world of Shiva; likewise, one should bathe in the Jahnavi during the month of Mriga, when Jupiter is in Mriga.

शिवलोकप्रदमिति ब्रह्मणो वचनं यथा ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोः पदे भुक्त्वा तदंते ज्ञानमाप्नुयात्

It is said by Brahma that this grants the world of Shiva; after enjoying the stations of Brahma and Vishnu, one attains knowledge at the end.

गंगायां माघमासे तु तथाकुंभगते रवौ श्राद्धं वा पिंडदानं वा तिलोदकमथापिवा

In the month of Māgha, when the sun enters Aquarius, performing śrāddha, offering piṇḍa, or pouring water mixed with sesame in the Gaṅgā, is prescribed.

वंशद्वयपित्ःणां च कुलकोट्युद्धरं विदुः कृष्णवेण्यां प्रशंसंति मीनगे च गुरौ रवौ

Such acts are known to uplift countless generations of ancestors; they are praised at Kṛṣṇaveṇī, especially when the sun is in Pisces.

तत्तत्तीर्थे च तन्मासि स्नानमिंद्रपदप्रदम् गंगां वा सह्यजां वापि समाश्रित्य वसेद्बुधः

Bathing at each sacred site during its designated month grants the status of Indra; the wise should reside near the Gaṅgā or the Sahyā-born rivers.

तत्कालकृतपापस्य क्षयो भवति निश्चितम् रुद्रलोकप्रदान्येव संति क्षेत्राण्यनेकशः

At that time, the destruction of sins committed is certain; there are many fields that bestow the world of Rudra.

ताम्रपर्णी वेगवती ब्रह्मलोकफलप्रदे तयोस्तीरे हि संत्येव क्षेत्राणि स्वर्गदानि च

Tāmraparṇī and Vegavatī grant the fruit of Brahma's world; on their banks, there are indeed fields that bestow heaven.

संति क्षेत्राणि तन्मध्ये पुण्यदानि च भूरिशः तत्र तत्र वसन्प्राज्ञस्तादृशं च फलं लभेत्

Among them, there are many fields that grant merit; the wise, dwelling at each, obtain the corresponding fruit.

सदाचारेण सद्वृत्त्या सदा भावनयापि च वसेद्दयालुः प्राज्ञो वै नान्यथा तत्फलं लभेत्

By constant good conduct, virtuous behavior, and continual contemplation, the wise and compassionate should reside; otherwise, the fruit is not attained.

पुण्यक्षेत्रे कृतं पुण्यं बहुधा ऋद्धिमृच्छति पुण्यक्षेत्रे कृतं पापं महदण्वपि जायते

Merit performed in a sacred field yields abundant prosperity; sin committed in a sacred field becomes greatly magnified.

तत्कालं जीवनार्थश्चेत्पुण्येन क्षयमेष्यति पुण्यमैश्वर्यदं प्राहुः कायिकं वाचिकं तथा

If, at that time, one seeks life through merit, destruction will come; merit is said to grant prosperity, whether physical or verbal.

मानसं च तथा पापं तादृशं नाशयेद्द्विजाः मानसं वज्रलेपं तु कल्पकल्पानुगं तथा

Mental sin, likewise, is destroyed by the twice-born; mental sin, like a diamond coating, persists for aeons.

ध्यानादेव हि तन्नश्येन्नान्यथा नाशमृच्छति वाचिकं जपजालेन कायिकं कायशोषणात्

Only through meditation does it perish; otherwise, it does not meet destruction. Verbal sin is destroyed by recitation, bodily sin by bodily austerity.

दानाद्धनकृतं नश्येन्ना ऽन्यथाकल्पकोटिभिः क्वचित्पापेन पुण्यं च वृद्धिपूर्वेण नश्यति

Sin caused by wealth is destroyed by giving; otherwise, even after countless aeons, it remains. Sometimes, merit is destroyed by prior sin.

बीजांशश्चैव वृद्ध्यंशो भोगांशः पुण्यपापयोः ज्ञाननाश्यो हि बीजांशो वृद्धिरुक्तप्रकारतः

The seed, growth, and enjoyment portions belong to merit and sin; the seed portion is destroyed by knowledge, growth as previously described.

भोजांशो भोगनाश्यस्तु नान्यथा पुण्यकोटिभिः बीजप्ररोहे नष्टे तु शेषो भोगाय कल्पते

The enjoyment portion is destroyed by enjoyment, not otherwise, even by countless merits. When the seed is destroyed, the remainder is for enjoyment.

देवानां पूजया चैव ब्रह्मणानां च दानतः तपोधिक्याच्च कालेन भोगः सह्यो भवेन्नृणाम् तस्मात्पापमकृत्वैव वस्तव्यंस्सुखमिच्छता

Through worship of the gods, gifts to Brahmins, and increased austerity over time, enjoyment is achieved for men; therefore, one desiring happiness should live without committing sin.

सदाचारं श्रावयाशु येन लोकाञ्जयेद्बुधः धर्माधर्ममयान्ब्रूहि स्वर्गनारकदांस्तथा

Quickly teach good conduct, by which the wise conquer the world. Speak of acts containing dharma and adharma, which grant heaven or hell.

सदाचारयुतो विद्वान्ब्राह्मणो नाम नामतः वेदाचारयुतो विप्रो ह्येतैरेकैकवान्द्विजः

A learned one endowed with good conduct is called a brāhmaṇa by name; one versed in the Vedas is a vipra, and each of these is a twice-born.

अल्पाचारोल्पवेदश्च क्षत्रियो राजसेवकः किंचिदाचारवान्वैश्यः कृषिवाणिज्यकृत्तया

One with little conduct and little Vedic knowledge is a kṣatriya, a servant of kings; one with some conduct is a vaiśya, engaged in agriculture and trade.

शूद्रब्राह्मण इत्युक्तः स्वयमेव हि कर्षकः असूयालुः परद्रोही चंडालद्विज उच्यते

He who is called a Śūdra or a Brāhmaṇa is in fact a cultivator; one who is envious, who harms others, is called a Caṇḍāla or a twice-born.

पृथिवीपालको राजा इतरेक्षत्रिया मताः धान्यादिक्रयवान्वैश्य इतरो वणिगुच्यते

The king who protects the earth is considered a Kṣatriya; one who sells grain and such is called a Vaiśya, and another is called a merchant.