Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

बाणलिंगे ऽपि वा कुर्यान्निर्धनो धनवानपि स्वयंभूते ऽथ वा लिंगे आर्षके वैदिके ऽपि वा

One may perform rites even on a stone liṅga, whether poor or wealthy, or on a self-manifested liṅga, or one established by sages, or even a Vedic liṅga.

अभावे हेमरत्नानामशक्तौ च तदर्जने मनसैवाचरेदेतद्द्रव्यैर्वा प्रतिरूपकैः

If gold or jewels are unavailable or cannot be obtained, one should perform the rite mentally or with substitute materials.

क्वचिदंशे तु यः शक्तस्त्वशक्तः क्वचिदंशके सो ऽपि शक्त्यनुसारेण कुर्वंश्चेत्फलमृच्छति

If someone is able to perform a part of the rite but not another part, even so, by acting according to their ability, they will obtain the result.

कर्मण्यनुष्ठिते ऽप्यस्मिन्फलं यत्र न दृश्यते द्विस्त्रिर्वावर्तयेत्तत्र सर्वथा दृश्यते फलम्

If, after performing the rite, the result is not seen, one should repeat it two or three times; in every case, the result will be seen.

पूजोपयुक्तं यद्द्रव्यं हेमरत्नाद्यनुत्तमम् तत्सर्वं गुरवे दद्याद्दक्षिणां च ततः पृथक्

All the best materials used in worship, such as gold and jewels, should be given to the teacher, and a separate fee should also be given.

स चेन्नेच्छति तत्सर्वं शिवाय विनिवेदयेत् अथवा शिवभक्तेभ्यो नान्येभ्यस्तु प्रदीयते

If the teacher does not wish to accept them, all should be offered to Shiva, or else to devotees of Shiva, but not to anyone else.

यः स्वयं साधयेच्छक्त्या गुर्वादिनिरपेक्षया सो ऽप्येवमाचरेदत्र न गृह्णीयात्स्वयं पुनः

One who accomplishes the rite by their own power, without dependence on a teacher or others, should also act in this way, and should not take the offerings for themselves again.

स्वयं गृह्णाति यो लोभात्पूजांगद्रव्यमुत्तमम् कांक्षितं न लभेन्मूढो नात्र कार्या विचारणा

If someone, out of greed, takes the best offerings used in worship for themselves, that deluded person will not obtain the desired result—there is no doubt about this.

अर्चितं यत्तु तल्लिंगं गृह्णीयाद्वा नवा स्वयम् गृह्णीयाद्यदि तन्नित्यं स्वयं वान्यो ऽपि वार्चयेत्

If one takes the worshipped liṅga, whether new or already worshipped, and worships it regularly, either oneself or another may perform the worship.

यथोक्तमेव कर्मैतदाचरेद्यो ऽनपायतः फलं व्यभिचरेन्नैवमित्यतः किं प्ररोचकम्

As previously stated, one should perform this act without deviation; if the result does not waver, then why is further encouragement needed?

तथाप्युद्देशतो वक्ष्ये कर्मणः सिद्धिमुत्तमम् अपि शत्रुभिराक्रांतो व्याधिभिर्वाप्यनेकशः

Nevertheless, I will briefly explain the supreme accomplishment of this act—even if beset by enemies or afflicted by many diseases.

मृत्योरास्यगतश्चापि मुच्यते निरपायतः पूजायते ऽतिकृपणो रिक्तो वैश्रवणायते

Even if one is at death’s door, he is freed without deviation; the destitute becomes worshipped, the empty-handed becomes like Kubera.

कामायते विरूपो ऽपि वृद्धो ऽपि तरुणायते शत्रुर्मित्रायते सद्यो विरोधी किंकरायते

Even the deformed becomes desirable, the old becomes youthful; the enemy becomes a friend at once, and the adversary becomes a servant.

विषायते यदमृतं विषमप्यमृतायते स्थलायते समुद्रो ऽपि स्थलमप्यर्णवायते

What is mortal becomes immortal, and poison turns to nectar; even the ocean becomes land, and land becomes an ocean.

महीधरायते श्वभ्रं स च श्वभ्रायते गिरिः पद्माकरायते वह्निः सरो वैश्वानरायते

A chasm becomes a mountain, and a mountain becomes a chasm; a lotus-pond becomes fire, and fire becomes a lake of Vaiśvānara.

वनायते यदुद्यानं तदुद्यानायते वनम् सिंहायते मृगः क्षुद्रः सिंहः क्रीडामृगायते

A forest becomes a garden, and a garden becomes a forest; a feeble deer becomes a lion, and a lion becomes a plaything for deer.

स्त्रियो ऽभिसारिकायन्ते लक्ष्मीः सुचरितायते स्वैरप्रेष्यायते वाणी कीर्तिस्तु गणिकायते

Women become eager lovers, fortune becomes virtuous conduct, speech becomes a willing servant, and fame becomes a courtesan.

स्वैराचारायते मेधा वज्रसूचीयते मनः महावातायते शक्तिर्बलं मत्तगजायते

Intelligence becomes self-willed, the mind becomes adamantine, power becomes a great wind, and strength becomes that of a maddened elephant.

स्तम्भायते समुद्योगैः शत्रुपक्षे स्थिता क्रिया शत्रुपक्षायते ऽरीणां सर्व एव सुहृज्जनः

By determined effort, actions aligned with the enemy’s side become paralyzed; all those hostile become friends.

शत्रवः कुणपायन्ते जीवन्तोपि सबांधवाः आपन्नो ऽपि गतारिष्टः स्वयं खल्वमृतायते

Enemies become like corpses, even if living and with their kin; even when afflicted, one escapes calamity and himself becomes immortal.

रसाय नायते नित्यमपथ्यमपि सेवितम् अनिशं क्रियमाणापि रतिस्त्वभिनवायते

Even what is always unwholesome, if consumed, becomes nourishing; and even if indulged in constantly, pleasure always feels new.

अनागतादिकं सर्वं करस्थामलकायते यादृच्छिकफलायन्ते सिद्धयो ऽप्यणिमादयः

All things past, future, and present become as clear as a fruit in the palm; even the attainments like aṇimā come as chance results.

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन सर्वकामार्थसिद्धिषु अस्मिन्कर्मणि निर्वृत्ते त्वनवाप्यं न विद्यते

Why say more? In the accomplishment of all desires and aims, when this act is completed, there is nothing unattainable.

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि केवलामुष्मिकं विधिम् नैतेन सदृशं किंचित्कर्मास्ति भुवनत्रये

Now I will explain the purely otherworldly rite; there is no act in the three worlds equal to this.

पुण्यातिशयसंयुक्तः सर्वैर्देवैरनुष्ठितः ब्रह्मणा विष्णुना चैव रुद्रेण च विशेषतः

Endowed with supreme merit, it has been performed by all the gods—by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and especially by Rudra.

इंद्रादिलोकपारैश्च सूर्याद्यैर्नवभिर्ग्रहैः विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठाद्यैर्ब्रह्मविद्भिर्महर्षिभिः

By Indra and the other guardians of the worlds, by the nine planets beginning with the Sun, by sages like Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha, knowers of Brahman.

श्वेतागस्त्यदधीचाद्यैरस्माभिश्च शिवाश्रितैः नंदीश्वरमहाकालभृंगीशाद्यैर्गणेश्वरैः

By Śvetāśvatara, Agastya, Dadhīci, and others, by us who are devoted to Śiva, and by the lords of the gaṇas such as Nandīśvara, Mahākāla, and Bhṛṅgi.

पातालवासिभिर्दैत्यैः शेषाद्यैश्च महोरगैः सिद्धैर्यक्षैश्च गंधर्वै रक्षोभूतपिशाचकैः

By the Daityas dwelling in the netherworlds, by the great serpents such as Shesha, by Siddhas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and by Rakshasas, Bhutas, and Pisachas,

स्वंस्वं पदमनुप्राप्तं सर्वैरयमनुष्ठितः अनेन विधिना सर्वे देवा देवत्वमागताः

Each attained their own proper station; all performed this rite. By this method, all the gods attained their divinity.