Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

अत्यल्पो ऽपि यथा दीपः सुमहन्नाशयेत्तमः योगाभ्यासस्तथाल्पो ऽपि महापापं विनाशयेत्

Even a very small lamp can dispel great darkness; in the same way, even a little practice of yoga destroys great sin.

ध्यायतः क्षणमात्रं वा श्रद्धया परमेश्वरम् यद्भवेत्सुमहच्छ्रेयस्तस्यांतो नैव विद्यते

For one who meditates on the Supreme Lord, even for a moment with faith, the resulting supreme good has no end.

नास्ति ध्यानसमं तीर्थं नास्ति ध्यानसमं तपः नास्ति ध्यानसमो यज्ञस्तस्माद्ध्यानं समाचरेत्

There is no pilgrimage equal to meditation, no austerity equal to meditation, no sacrifice equal to meditation; therefore, one should practice meditation.

तीर्थानि तोयपूर्णानि देवान्पाषाणमृन्मयान् योगिनो न प्रपद्यंते स्वात्मप्रत्ययकारणात्

The yogins do not resort to pilgrimages filled with water or to gods made of stone or clay, because their conviction is rooted in their own Self.

योगिनां च वपुः सूक्ष्मं भवेत्प्रत्यक्षमैश्वरम् यथा स्थूलमयुक्तानां मृत्काष्ठाद्यैः प्रकल्पितम्

For yogins, the subtle body is directly perceived as divine, just as for those not engaged in yoga, the gross forms made of clay or wood are imagined.

यथेहांतश्चरा राज्ञः प्रियाः स्युर्न बहिश्चराः तथांतर्ध्याननिरताः प्रियाश्शंभोर्न कर्मिणः

Just as those who dwell within the palace are dear to the king, not those outside, so those devoted to inner meditation are dear to Śambhu, not those engaged in ritual acts.

बहिस्करा यथा लोके नातीव फलभोगिनः दृष्ट्वा नरेन्द्रभवने तद्वदत्रापि कर्मिणः

Those who remain outside, as in the world, do not enjoy much reward, even if seen in the king’s palace; so too, here, those who act only ritually.

यद्यंतरा विपद्यंते ज्ञानयोगार्थमुद्यतः योगस्योद्योगमात्रेण रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यति

If those who strive for knowledge and yoga fall short along the way, by effort alone in yoga they will go to the world of Rudra.

अनुभूय सुखं तत्र स जातो योगिनां कुले ज्ञानयोगं पुनर्लब्ध्वा संसारमतिवर्तते

Having experienced happiness there, he is born in the family of yogins; regaining knowledge and yoga, he transcends worldly existence.

जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य यां गतिं लभते नरः न तां गतिमवाप्नोति सर्वैरपि महामखैः

Even the one who merely desires to know yoga attains a state which cannot be reached by all the greatest sacrifices.