Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

शिवस्य मूर्तयः स्थूलाः शिवशास्त्रे विनिश्चिताः घोरा मिश्रा प्रशान्ताश्च मूर्तयस्ता मुनीश्वरैः

The gross forms of Shiva are established in the scriptures of Shiva: fierce, mixed, and peaceful forms, as declared by the great sages.

फलाभिलाषरहितैश्चिन्त्याश्चिन्ताविशारदैः घोराश्चेच्चिंतिताः कुर्युः पापरोगपरिक्षयम्

They should be contemplated by those free from desire for results, skilled in meditation; if the fierce forms are meditated upon, they destroy sin and disease.

चिरेण मिश्रे सौम्ये तु न सद्यो न चिरादपि सौम्ये मुक्तिर्विशेषेण शांतिः प्रज्ञा प्रसिध्यति

By meditating on the mixed or gentle forms, liberation does not come immediately or after a long time; but with the gentle form, liberation, peace, and wisdom are especially attained.

सिध्यंति सिद्धयश्चात्र क्रमशो नात्र संशयः

Here, the attainments are accomplished in order; there is no doubt about this.

श्रीकंठनाथं स्मरतां सद्यः सर्वार्थसिद्धयः प्रसिध्यंतीति मत्वैके तं वै ध्यायंति योगिनः

Some, believing that by remembering Lord Śrīkaṇṭha all desired attainments are quickly accomplished, meditate on him—these are the yogis.

स्थित्यर्थं मनसः केचित्स्थूलध्यानं प्रकुर्वते स्थूलं तु निश्चलं चेतो भवेत्सूक्ष्मे तु तत्स्थिरम्

Some, for the stability of the mind, practice gross meditation; when the mind is fixed on the gross, it becomes steady in the subtle as well.

शिवे तु चिंतिते साक्षात्सर्वाः सिध्यन्ति सिद्धयः मूर्त्यंतरेषु ध्यातेषु शिवरूपं विचिंतयेत्

When Shiva is meditated upon, all attainments are directly accomplished; when other forms are meditated upon, one should contemplate the form of Shiva within them.

लक्षयेन्मनसः स्थैर्यं तत्तद्ध्यायेत्पुनः पुनः ध्यानमादौ सविषयं ततो निर्विषयं जगुः

One should observe the steadiness of the mind, and again and again meditate on that; at first, meditation is with an object, then, it is said, without an object.

तत्र निर्विषयं ध्यानं नास्तीत्येव सतां मतम् बुद्धेर्हि सन्ततिः काचिद्ध्यानमित्यभिधीयते

Among the wise, it is held that meditation without an object does not exist, for any continuous flow of the intellect is called meditation.

तेन निर्विषया बुद्धिः केवलेह प्रवर्तते तस्मात्सविषयं ध्यानं बालार्ककिरणाश्रयम्

Therefore, here the intellect operates only when it has no object; thus, meditation with an object is like the rays of the rising sun.

सूक्ष्माश्रयं निर्विषयं नापरं परमार्थतः यद्वा सविषयं ध्यानं तत्साकारसमाश्रयम्

Subtle meditation is without an object; there is nothing higher in the ultimate sense. Or, meditation with an object is based on a form.

निराकारात्मसंवित्तिर्ध्यानं निर्विषयं मतम् निर्बीजं च सबीजं च तदेव ध्यानमुच्यते

Meditation without an object is considered awareness whose nature is formless; both with and without a seed, that alone is called meditation.

निराकारश्रयत्वेन साकाराश्रयतस्तथा तस्मात्सविषयं ध्यानमादौ कृत्वा सबीजकम्

Because of reliance on the formless as well as on form, therefore, at first, one should perform meditation with an object, which is with a seed.

अंते निर्विषयं कुर्यान्निर्बीजं सर्वसिद्धये प्राणायामेन सिध्यंति देव्याः शांत्यादयः क्रमात्

In the end, one should make it without an object, without a seed, for the attainment of all perfections; by means of breath-control, the states of peace and so on of the Goddess are gradually accomplished.

शांतिः प्रशांतिर्दीप्तिश्च प्रसादश्च ततः परम् शमः सर्वापदां चैव शांतिरित्यभिधीयते

Peace, deep tranquility, radiance, and then supreme clarity—these are called peace, the cessation of all calamities.

तमसो ऽन्तबहिर्नाशः प्रशान्तिः परिगीयते बहिरन्तःप्रकाशो यो दीप्तिरित्यभिधीयते

The destruction of darkness within and without is called deep tranquility; the illumination that is both inner and outer is called radiance.

स्वस्थता या तु सा बुद्धः प्रसादः परिकीर्तितः कारणानि च सर्वाणि सबाह्याभ्यंतराणि च

That state of well-being is known as clarity by the wise; all causes, both external and internal,

बुद्धेः प्रसादतः क्षिप्रं प्रसन्नानि भवन्त्युत ध्याता ध्यानं तथा ध्येयं यद्वा ध्यानप्रयोजनम् एतच्चतुष्टयं ज्ञात्वा ध्याता ध्यानं समाचरेत्

Quickly become favorable through the clarity of the intellect: the meditator, the meditation, the object of meditation, or the purpose of meditation—knowing these four, the meditator should practice meditation.

ज्ञानवैराग्यसंपन्नो नित्यमव्यग्रमानसः श्रद्दधानः प्रसन्नात्मा ध्याता सद्भिरुदाहृतः

He who is endowed with knowledge and detachment, whose mind is always undistracted, who has faith and a serene self, is called a meditator by the good.

ध्यै चिंतायां स्मृतो धातुः शिवचिंता मुहुर्मुहुः

In meditation, the root is said to be contemplation; repeated contemplation of Shiva.

योगाभ्यासस्तथाल्पे ऽपि यथा पापं विनाशयेत् ध्यायतः क्षणमात्रं वा श्रद्धया परमेश्वरम्

Even a little practice of yoga destroys sin, just as meditating on the Supreme Lord for even a moment with faith.

अव्याक्षिप्तेन मनसा ध्यानमित्यभिधीयते

Meditation is said to be that which is done with an undistracted mind.

बुद्धिप्रवाहरूपस्य ध्यानस्यास्यावलंबनम् ध्येयमित्युच्यते सद्भिस्तच्च सांबः स्वयं शिवः

The object of meditation, according to the wise, is that which serves as the support for this meditation, which is of the nature of the flow of the intellect; and that is Shiva himself, together with his consort.

विमुक्तिप्रत्ययं पूर्णमैश्वर्यं चाणिमादिकम् शिवध्यानस्य पूर्णस्य साक्षादुक्तं प्रयोजनम्

The direct result of complete meditation on Shiva is liberation, perfect sovereignty, and powers such as becoming minute.

यस्मात्सौख्यं च मोक्षं च ध्यानादभयमाप्नुयात् तस्मात्सर्वं परित्यज्य ध्यानयुक्तो भवेन्नरः

Since happiness and liberation, and freedom from fear, are attained through meditation, therefore, abandoning everything else, a person should be devoted to meditation.

नास्ति ध्यानं विना ज्ञानं नास्ति ध्यानमयोगिनः ध्यानं ज्ञानं च यस्यास्ति तीर्णस्तेन भवार्णवः

There is no knowledge without meditation, nor meditation without a yogin; whoever possesses both meditation and knowledge has crossed the ocean of worldly existence.

ज्ञानं प्रसन्नमेकाग्रमशेषोपाधिवर्जितम् योगाभ्यासेन युक्तस्य योगिनस्त्वेव सिध्यति

Knowledge that is serene, one-pointed, and free from all limiting adjuncts is attained only by the yogin who is engaged in the practice of yoga.

प्रक्षीणाशेषपापानां ज्ञाने ध्याने भवेन्मतिः पापोपहतबुद्धीनां तद्वार्तापि सुदुर्लभा

For those whose every sin has been destroyed, the mind abides in knowledge and meditation; for those whose intellect is afflicted by sin, even talk of these is exceedingly rare.

यथावह्निर्महादीप्तः शुष्कमार्द्रं च निर्दहेत् तथा शुभाशुभं कर्म ध्यानाग्निर्दहते क्षणात्

Just as a blazing fire burns both dry and wet things, so the fire of meditation instantly burns up both good and bad actions.