Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

वक्ष्याम्यतिरहस्यं ते शृणु कृष्ण वचो मम वेदैश्शास्त्रैर्वेदविद्भिर्विचार्य सुविनिश्चितम्

Now I shall tell you a most secret teaching, listen to my words, O Krishna, which have been carefully determined by the Vedas, scriptures, and those learned in the Vedas.

ब्रह्मघ्नो वा सुरापो वा स्तेयीवा गुरुतल्पगः मातृहा पितृहा वापि वीरहा भ्रूणहापि वा

Whether one has killed a Brahmin, drunk liquor, stolen, violated the teacher’s wife, killed mother or father, slain a hero, or even destroyed an embryo—

संपूज्यामन्त्रकं भक्त्या शिवं परमकारणम् तैस्तैः पापैः प्रमुच्येत वर्षैर्द्वादशभिः क्रमात्

By worshipping Shiva, the supreme cause, with devotion and the proper mantra, one is freed from those sins, gradually, within twelve years.

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पतितो ऽपि यजेच्छिवम् भक्तश्चेन्नापरः कश्चिद्भिक्षाहारो जितेंद्रियः

Therefore, with all effort, even if fallen, one should worship Shiva; if he is a devotee, there is no one else—living on alms, with senses controlled.

कृत्वापि सुमहत्पापं भक्त्या पञ्चाक्षरेण तु पूजयेद्यदि देवेशं तस्मात्पापात्प्रमुच्यते

Even having committed a great sin, if one worships the Lord of gods with devotion and the five-syllable mantra, he is freed from that sin.

अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च ये चान्ये व्रतकर्शिताः तेषामेतैर्व्रतैर्नास्ति शिवलोकसमागमः

Those who subsist on water, air, or other severe vows—by these vows alone, they do not attain union with Shiva’s realm.

भक्त्या पञ्चाक्षरेणैव यः शिवं सकृदर्चयेत् सोपि गच्छेच्छिवस्थानं शिवमन्त्रस्य गौरवात्

But whoever worships Shiva even once, with devotion and the five-syllable mantra, he too attains Shiva’s abode, because of the greatness of the Shiva-mantra.

तस्मात्तपांसि यज्ञांश्च सर्वे सर्वस्वदक्षिणाः शिवमूर्त्यर्चनस्यैते कोट्यंशेनापि नो समाः

Therefore, all austerities, sacrifices, and gifts of all one’s wealth are not equal, even in a fraction of a crore, to the worship of Shiva’s form.

बद्धो वाप्यथ मुक्तो वा पश्चात्पञ्चाक्षरेण चेत् पूजयन्मुच्यते भक्तो नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Whether bound or liberated, if one worships with the five-syllable mantra afterwards, the devotee is freed—there should be no doubt about this.

अरुद्रो वा सरुद्रो वा सूक्तेन शिवमर्चयेत् यः सकृत्पतितो वापिमूढो वा मुच्यते नरः

Whether one is not wrathful or is wrathful, whoever worships Shiva with the hymn, even if he has fallen once or is deluded, that person is liberated.

षडक्षरेण वा देवं सूक्तमन्त्रेण पूजयेत् शिवभक्तो जितक्रोधो ह्यलब्धो लब्ध एव च

Or, if one worships the god with the six-syllabled mantra or with the hymn-mantra, a devotee of Shiva who has conquered anger, whether he has not attained or has attained, is indeed accomplished.

अलब्धाल्लब्ध एवात्र विशिष्टो नात्र संशयः स ब्रह्मांगेन वा तेन सहंसेन विमुच्यते

Here, one who has not attained is indeed regarded as having attained—there is no doubt in this; with the Brahman part or with the swan, he is liberated.

तस्मान्नित्यं शिवं भक्त्या सूक्तमन्त्रेण पूजयेत् एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिकालं नित्यमेव वा

Therefore, one should always worship Shiva with devotion using the hymn-mantra, whether once a day, twice a day, thrice a day, or at all times.

ये ऽर्चयंति महादेवं विज्ञेयास्ते महेश्वराः ज्ञानेनात्मसहायेन नार्चितो भगवाञ्छिवः

Those who worship the great god should be known as lords themselves; Shiva, the blessed one, is not worshipped by knowledge alone, even with the help of the self.

स चिरं संसरत्यस्मिन्संसारे दुःखसागरे दुर्ल्लभं प्राप्य मानुष्यं मूढो नार्चयते शिवम्

He wanders long in this world, in the ocean of suffering; having attained the rare human birth, the deluded one does not worship Shiva.

निष्फलं तस्य तज्जन्म मोक्षाय न भवेद्यतः दुर्ल्लभं प्राप्य मानुष्यं ये ऽर्चयन्ति पिनाकिनम्

For him, that birth is fruitless, for it does not lead to liberation; but those who, having attained the rare human birth, worship the bearer of the pināka bow—

तेषां हि सफलं जन्म कृतार्थास्ते नरोत्तमाः भवभक्तिपरा ये च भवप्रणतचेतसः

For them, indeed, birth is fruitful; those best among men have fulfilled their purpose, who are devoted to Bhava and whose minds are bowed to Bhava.

भवसंस्मरणोद्युक्ता न ते दुःखस्य भागिनः भवनानि मनोज्ञानि विभ्रमाभरणाः स्त्रियः

Those intent on remembering Bhava do not partake of suffering; delightful houses, ornaments of passion, women—

धनं चातृप्तिपर्यन्तं शिवपूजाविधेः फलम् ये वाञ्छन्ति महाभोगान्राज्यं च त्रिदशालये

And wealth, which ends in dissatisfaction—these are the fruits of Shiva's worship for those who desire great enjoyments and sovereignty in the abode of the gods.

ते वाञ्छन्ति सदाकालं हरस्य चरणाम्बुजम् सौभाग्यं कान्तिमद्रूपं सत्त्वं त्यागार्द्रभावता

They always desire the lotus feet of Hara; good fortune, beauty, radiant form, character, and a mind softened by renunciation—

शौर्यं वै जगति ख्यातिश्शिवमर्चयतो भवेत् तस्मात्सर्वं परित्यज्य शिवैकाहितमानसः

Courage and fame in the world come to one who worships Shiva; therefore, abandoning everything, with a mind intent only on Shiva—

शिवपूजाविधिं कुर्याद्यदीच्छेच्छिवमात्मनः त्वरितं जीवितं याति त्वरितं याति यौवनम्

One should perform the rite of Shiva's worship if one desires Shiva for oneself; life passes swiftly, youth passes swiftly—

त्वरितं व्याधिरभ्येति तस्मात्पूज्यः पिनाकधृक् यावन्नायाति मरणं यावन्नाक्रमते जरा

Disease comes swiftly; therefore, the bearer of the pināka bow should be worshipped, as long as death has not come, as long as old age has not overtaken—

यावन्नेन्द्रियवैकल्यं तावत्पूजय शंकरम् न शिवार्चनतुल्यो ऽस्ति धर्मो ऽन्यो भुवनत्रये

As long as the senses have not failed, so long should one worship Shankara; there is no other dharma in the three worlds equal to the worship of Shiva.

इति विज्ञाय यत्नेन पूजनीयस्सदाशिवः द्वारयागं जवनिकां परिवारबलिक्रियाम्

Knowing this, one should diligently worship Sadashiva, with door-ritual, curtain, and offerings to the attendants.

नित्योत्सवं च कुर्वीत प्रसादे यदि पूजयेत् हविर्निवेदनादूर्ध्वं स्वयं चानुचरो ऽपि वा

One should always hold a festival, and if possible, worship at the time of grace, after offering oblations, whether oneself or even an attendant.

प्रसादपरिवारेभ्यो बलिं दद्याद्यथाक्रमम् निर्गम्य सह वादित्रैस्तदाशाभिमुखः स्थितः

One should give offerings to the attendants of grace in due order, then, having gone out with musical instruments, stand facing that direction.

पुष्पं धूपं च दीपञ्च दद्यादन्नं जलैः सह ततो दद्यान्महापीठे तिष्ठन्बलिमुदङ्मुखः

One should offer flowers, incense, and a lamp, along with food and water; then, standing upon the great altar facing east, one should present the offering.

ततो निवेदितं देवे यत्तदन्नादिकं पुरा तत्सर्वं सावशेषं वा चण्डाय विनिवेदयेत्

Afterwards, whatever food and other items have been previously offered to the deity, all of it, whether with remnants or not, should be dedicated to Caṇḍa.