Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

तस्माच्छीघ्रतरा मुक्तिस्तस्य संसारमंडलात् एतेष्वन्यतमोपायं कथमप्यवलम्ब्य वा

Therefore, his liberation from the cycle of worldly existence is swifter; by resorting to any one of these means, in whatever way possible—

षडध्वशुद्धिं विधिवत्प्राप्तो वा म्रियते यदि पशूनामिव तस्येह न कुर्यादौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

If, having properly attained the purification of the six paths, he dies, then, as with animals, no posthumous rites should be performed for him here.

नैवाशौचं प्रपद्येत तत्पुत्रादिविशेषतः शिवचारार्थमथवा शिवविद्यार्थमेव वा खनेद्वा भुवि तद्देहं दहेद्वा शुचिनाग्निना

One should not observe impurity rites, even for one's own son or others, if it is for the sake of Śiva's conduct, or for the pursuit of Śiva's knowledge; rather, one may bury that body in the earth or burn it with pure fire.

क्षिपेद्वाप्सु शिवास्वेव त्यजेद्वा काष्ठलोष्टवत् अथैनमपि चोद्दिश्य कर्म चेत्कर्तुमीप्सितम्

Or one may cast it into water, or abandon it in a place belonging to Śiva, just as one would discard wood or a clod of earth; or, having offered it, one may perform whatever rite is desired.

कल्याणमेव कुर्वीत शक्त्या भक्तांश्च तर्पयेत् धनं तस्य भजेच्छैवः शैवी चेतस्य सन्ततिः

One should do only what is auspicious, to the best of one's ability, and satisfy the devotees; if the wealth belongs to a Śaiva, it should be given to Śaivas, or to the lineage of a Śaiva.

इति स विजितमन्योर्यादवेनोपमन्योरधिगतमभिधाय ज्ञानयोगं मुनिभ्यः प्रणतिमुपगतेभ्यस्तेभ्य उद्भावितात्मा सपदि वियति वायुः सायमन्तर्हितो ऽभूत्

Thus, having described to the sages the knowledge and yoga attained by Upamanyu from Yādava, and having bowed to those who had approached, that self-realized Vāyu immediately vanished into the sky at dusk.

ततः प्रभातसमये नैमिषीयास्तपोधनाः सत्रान्ते ऽवभृथं कर्तुं सर्व एव समुद्ययुः

Then, at dawn, the ascetic sages of Naimiṣa, at the conclusion of the sacrificial session, all set out together to perform the concluding bath.

तदा ब्रह्मसमादेशाद्देवी साक्षात्सरस्वती प्रसन्ना स्वादुसलिला प्रावर्तत नदीशुभा

At that time, by the command of Brahmā, the goddess Sarasvatī herself, pleased, began to flow as a sacred and sweet river.

सरस्वतीं नदीं दृष्ट्वा मुनयो हृष्टमानसाः समाप्य सत्रं प्रारब्धं चक्रुस्तत्रावगाहनम्

Seeing the river Sarasvatī, the sages, their minds filled with joy, completed the sacrificial session and then bathed there.

अथ संतर्प्य देवादींस्तदीयैः सलिलैः शिवैः स्मरन्तः पूर्ववृत्तान्तं ययुर्वाराणसीं प्रति

Then, having satisfied the gods and others with those sacred waters, remembering the previous events, they set out towards Vārāṇasī.

तदा ते हिमवत्पादात्पंततीं दक्षिणामुखीम् दृष्ट्वा भागीरथी तत्र स्नात्वा तत्तीरतो ययुः

At that time, seeing the southern-flowing Bhāgīrathī descending from the foot of Himavat, they bathed there and then departed from its bank.

ततो वाराणसीं प्राप्य मुदितास्सर्व एव ते तदोत्तरप्रवाहायां गंगायामवगाह्य च

Then, having reached Vārāṇasī, all of them, filled with joy, entered the northern-flowing Gaṅgā and bathed there.

अविमुक्तेश्वरं लिंगं दृष्ट्वाभ्यर्च्य विधानतः प्रयातुमुद्यतास्तत्र ददृशुर्दिवि भास्वरम्

Having seen and duly worshipped the liṅga of Avimukteśvara, as they were about to depart, they saw something radiant in the sky.

सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशं तेजोदिव्यं महाद्भुतम् आत्मप्रभावितानेन व्याप्तसर्वदिगन्तरम्

It was a divine, wondrous light, resembling ten million suns, whose own brilliance filled all directions.

अथ पाशुपताः सिद्धाः भस्मसञ्छन्नविग्रहाः मुनयो ऽभ्येत्य शतशो लीनाः स्युस्तत्र तेजसि

Then, hundreds of accomplished Pāśupata sages, their bodies covered in ash, approached and merged into that light.

तथा विलीयमानेषु तपस्विषु महात्मसु सद्यस्तिरोदधे तेजस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्

As those great ascetics were thus dissolving, that wondrous light instantly disappeared, as if it had never been.

तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं नैमिषीया महर्षयः किमेतदित्यजानन्तो ययुर्ब्रह्मवनं प्रति

Seeing this great marvel, the great sages of Naimiṣa, not knowing what it was, set out towards Brahmāvana.

प्रागेवैषां तु गमनात्पवनो लोकपावनः दर्शनं नैमिषीयाणां संवादस्तैर्महात्मनः

But before they arrived, Vāyu, purifier of the worlds, appeared to the Naimiṣa sages, and there was a conversation with those great souls.

शद्धां बुद्धिं ततस्तेषां सांबे सानुचरे शिवे समाप्तिं चापि सत्रस्य दीर्घपूर्वस्य सत्रिणाम्

He inspired in them faith and understanding in Śiva, the Lord with his attendants, and also brought the long sacrificial session of the sacrificers to completion.

विज्ञाप्य जगतां धात्रे ब्रह्मणे ब्रह्मयोनये स्वकार्ये तदनुज्ञातो जगाम स्वपुरं प्रति

Having informed Brahmā, the creator and source of the universe, of his own task, and having received permission, he returned to his own abode.