Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

द्विजानां वेदविदुषां कोटिं संपूज्य यत्फलम् भिक्षामात्रप्रदानेन तत्फलं शिवयोगिने

The fruit obtained by worshipping a crore of twice-born knowers of the Veda is gained by giving even a single alms to a Śiva-yogin.

यज्ञाग्निहोत्रदानेन तीर्थहोमेषु यत्फलम् योगिनामन्नदानेन तत्समस्तं फलं लभेत्

Whatever fruit is gained by offering sacrifices, fire rituals, or pilgrimages, the yogin attains all that fruit by giving food.

ये चापवादं कुर्वंति विमूढाश्शिवयोगिनाम् श्रोतृभिस्ते प्रपद्यन्ते नरकेष्वामहीक्षयात्

Those deluded ones who slander Śiva-yogins fall, along with their listeners, into hells ruled by Yama.

सति श्रोतरि वक्तास्यादपवादस्य योगिनाम् तस्माच्छ्रोता च पापीयान्दण्ड्यस्सुमहतां मतः ये पुनः सततं भक्त्या भजंति शवयोगिनः

If there is a listener, the speaker of slander against yogins is also at fault; therefore, the listener is considered even more sinful and deserving of severe punishment. But those who always worship the Śiva-yogins with devotion—

ते विदंति महाभोगानंते योगं च शांकरम् भोगार्थिभिर्नरैस्तस्मात्संपूज्याः शिवयोगिनः

They know the boundless enjoyments and the endless yoga of Shiva; therefore, those who desire enjoyment should worship the yogins devoted to Shiva.

प्रतिश्रयान्नपानाद्यैः शय्याप्रावरणादिभिः योगधर्मः ससारत्वादभेद्यः पापमुद्गरैः

By providing shelter, food, drink, beds, coverings, and the like, the discipline of yoga, being substantial, is not broken by the hammers of sin.

वज्रतंदुलवज्ज्ञेयं तथा पापेन योगिनः न लिप्यंते च तापौघैः पद्मपत्रं यथांभसा

Just as rice grains are hard, so too are yogins firm against sin; they are not tainted by the multitude of afflictions, just as a lotus leaf is not wetted by water.

यस्मिन्देशे वसेन्नित्यं शिवयोगरतो मुनिः सो ऽपि देशो भवेत्पूतः सपूत इति किं पुनः

Wherever a sage devoted to Shiva-yoga dwells continually, that place too becomes pure—how much more so, then, if it is already pure.

तस्मात्सर्वं परित्यज्य कृत्यमन्यद्विचक्षणः सर्वदुःखप्रहाणाय शिवयोगं समभ्यसेत्

Therefore, abandoning all other duties, the wise should practice Shiva-yoga for the removal of all suffering.

सिद्धयोगफलो योगी लोकानां हितकाम्यया भोगान्भुक्त्वा यथाकामं विहरेद्वात्र वर्तताम्

The yogin, having attained the fruits of accomplished yoga, may, out of desire for the welfare of the worlds, enjoy pleasures as he wishes or remain here as he pleases.

अथवा क्षुद्रमित्येव मत्वा वैषयिकं सुखम् त्यक्त्वा विरागयोगेन स्वेच्छया कर्म मुच्यताम्

Or, considering worldly pleasure as insignificant, let him abandon it and, through the yoga of detachment, be freed from action by his own will.

यस्त्वासन्नां मृतिं मर्त्यो दृष्टारिष्टं च भूयसा स योगारम्भनिरतः शिवक्षेत्रं समाश्रयेत्

But if a mortal, seeing imminent death or many evil omens, is intent on beginning yoga, he should take refuge in a sacred place of Shiva.

स तत्र निवसन्नेव यदि धीरमना नरः प्राणान्विनापि रोगाद्यैः स्वयमेव परित्यजेत्

If, while residing there, a man with a steadfast mind abandons his life, even without disease or other causes, he departs on his own.

कृत्वाप्यनशनं चैव हुत्वा चांगं शिवानले क्षिप्त्वा वा शिवतीर्थेषु स्वदेहमवगाहनात्

Whether by fasting, by offering his body into Shiva's fire, or by immersing his own body in the sacred waters of Shiva's fords—

शिवशास्त्रोक्तविधिवत्प्राणान्यस्तु परित्यजेत्

—if one gives up his life according to the procedure taught in Shiva's scriptures—

रोगाद्यैर्वाथ विवशः शिवक्षेत्रं समाश्रितः म्रियते यदि सोप्येवं मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

Or if, overcome by disease or other afflictions, one dies while having taken refuge in Shiva's sacred place, he too is liberated in this way—of this there is no doubt.

यथा हि मरणं श्रेष्ठमुशंत्यनशनादिभिः शास्त्रविश्रंभधीरेण मनसा क्रियते यतः

For, just as the best kind of death is performed with a mind unwavering in the teachings, through fasting and the like—

शिवनिन्दारतं हत्वा पीडितः स्वयमेव वा यस्त्यजेद्दुस्त्यजान्प्राणान्न स भूयः प्रजायते

He who, having killed one intent on reviling Shiva or being tormented himself, gives up his difficult-to-abandon life, is not born again.

शिवनिन्दारतं हंतुमशक्तो यः स्वयं मृतः सद्य एव प्रमुच्येत त्रिः सप्तकुलसंयुतः

But if one, unable to kill the reviler of Shiva, dies himself, he is immediately liberated along with twenty-one generations of his family.

शिवार्थे यस्त्यजेत्प्राणाञ्छिवभक्तार्थमेव वा न तेन सदृशः कश्चिन्मुक्तिमार्गस्थितो नरः

He who gives up his life for the sake of Shiva, or for the sake of a devotee of Shiva—there is no one equal to him among those on the path to liberation.