Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

कर्पूरखुरचूर्णेन पञ्चसौगंधिकैर्युतम् तांबूलयुक्तं तु यदा महानैवेद्यलक्षणम्

With camphor, cardamom powder, and five aromatic substances, together with betel leaf, this is the mark of the great offering.

महानैवेद्यमेतद्वै देवतार्पणपूर्वकम् वर्णानुक्रमपूर्वेण तद्भक्तेभ्यः प्रदापयेत्

This great offering, preceded by dedication to the deity, should be given to the devotees according to the order of their caste.

एवं चौदननैवेद्याद्भूमौ राष्ट्रपतिर्भवेत् महानैवेद्यदानेन नरः स्वर्गमवाप्नुयात्

Thus, from the offering of cooked food, one becomes a ruler of the land; by giving the great offering, a man attains heaven.

महानैवेद्यदानेन सहस्रेण द्विजर्षभाः सत्यलोके च तल्लोके पूर्णमायुरवाप्नुयात्

By giving a thousand great offerings, the best of twice-born attain full lifespan in the world of truth and in that realm.

सहस्राणां च त्रिंशत्या महानैवेद्यदानतः तदूर्ध्वलोकमाप्यैव न पुनर्जन्मभाग्भवेत्

By giving thirty thousand great offerings, one attains the higher world and does not become subject to rebirth.

सहस्राणां च षट्त्रिंशज्जन्म नैवेद्यमीरितम् तावन्नैवेद्यदानं तु महापूर्णं तदुच्यते

Of thirty-six thousand, the offering for birth is declared; until that offering is given, the great fullness is said to be so.

महापूर्णस्य नैवेद्यं जन्मनैवेद्यमिष्यते जन्मनैवेद्यदानेन पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते

The offering of the great fullness is considered the offering for birth; by giving the offering for birth, there is no further rebirth.

ऊर्जे मासि दिने पुण्ये जन्म नैवेद्यमाचरेत् संक्रांतिपातजन्मर्क्षपौर्णमास्यादिसंयुते

In the auspicious month of Urja, on a holy day, one should perform the birth offering, especially when it coincides with a solstice, equinox, birth star, full moon, or similar occasions.

अब्दजन्मदिने कुर्याज्जन्मनैवेद्यमुत्तमम् मासांतरेषु जन्मर्क्षपूर्णयोगदिनेपि च

On the anniversary of one's birth each year, one should make the supreme birth offering; and in other months, on the day when the birth star and full moon coincide, as well.

मेलनेचशनेर्वापितावत्साहस्रमाचरेत् जन्मनैवेद्यदानेनजन्मार्पणफलंलभेत्

At gatherings, during meals, or at the sowing of seeds, one should perform the birth offering a thousand times; by giving the birth offering, one attains the fruit of dedicating one's birth.

जन्मार्पणाच्छिवः प्रीतिःस्वसायुज्यंददातिहि इदंतज्जन्मनैवेद्यंशिवस्यैवप्रदापयेत्

By dedicating one's birth, Shiva is pleased and grants union with himself; this birth offering should be presented only to Shiva.

योनिलिंगस्वरूपेणशिवोजन्मानिरूपकः तस्माज्जन्मनिवृत्त्यर्थंजन्म पूजा शिवस्य हि

Shiva, in the form of the yoni and linga, is the determiner of birth; therefore, to bring about release from birth, the worship of Shiva's birth is indeed prescribed.

बिंदुनादात्मकंसर्वंजगत्स्थावरजंगमम् बिंदुःशक्तिःशिवोनादःशिवशक्त्यात्मकंजगत्

All the world, both moving and unmoving, is composed of bindu and nada; bindu is Shakti, Shiva is nada, and the universe is of the nature of Shiva and Shakti.

नादाधारमिदंबिंदुर्बिंद्वाधारमिदं जगत् जगदाधारभूतौहिबिंदुनादौ व्यवस्थितौ

This bindu is the support of nada, and nada is the support of bindu; the world is established upon bindu and nada, which are the foundation of all existence.

विन्दुनादयुतंसर्वंसकलीकरणंभवेत् सकलीकरणाज्जन्मजगत्प्राप्नोत्यसंशयः

Everything endowed with bindu and nada becomes manifest; from this manifestation, the world is born—of this there is no doubt.

बिंदुनादात्मकंलिंगंजगत्कारणमुच्यते बिंदुर्देर्वीशिवोनादःशिवलिंगंतुकथ्यते

The linga, composed of bindu and nada, is said to be the cause of the world; bindu is Devi, Shiva is nada, and the Shiva-linga is thus described.

तस्माज्जन्मनिवृत्त्यर्थंशिवलिंगंप्रपूजयेत् मातादेवीबिंदुरूपानादरूपः शिवः पिता

Therefore, to bring about release from birth, one should worship the Shiva-linga; the mother, Devi, is of the form of bindu, and the father, Shiva, is of the form of nada.

पूजिताभ्यांपितृभ्यांतुपरमानंद एव हि परमानंदलाभार्थंशिवलिंगंप्रपूजयेत्

When both parents are worshipped, supreme bliss is indeed attained; for the sake of attaining this supreme bliss, one should worship the Shiva-linga.

सादेवीजगतांमातासशिवोजगतः पिता पित्रोः शुश्रूषकेनित्यंकृपाधिक्यं हि वर्धते

Devi is the mother of all worlds, and Shiva is the father of the universe; by always serving both parents, compassion increases greatly.

कृपयांतर्गतैश्वर्यंपूजकस्यददातिहि तस्मादंतर्गतानंदलाभार्थंमुनिपुंगवाः

Through compassion, the worshipper is granted inner sovereignty; therefore, O best of sages, for the sake of attaining inner bliss, one should worship.

पितृमातृस्वरूपेणशिवलिंगंप्रपूजयेत् भर्गः पुरुषरूपो हि भर्गाप्रकृतिरुच्यते

One should worship the Shiva-linga as embodying the forms of father and mother; Bharga is said to be of the nature of Purusha, and Bharga is called Prakriti.

अव्यक्तांतरधिष्ठानं गर्भः पुरुष उच्यते सुव्यक्तांतरधिष्ठानंगर्भः प्रकृतिरुच्यते

The embryo with an unmanifest inner abode is called Purusha; the embryo with a manifest inner abode is called Prakriti.

पुरुषत्वादिगर्भोहिगर्भवाञ्जनकोयतः पुरुषात्प्रकृतोयुक्तंप्रथमंजन्मकथ्यते

The embryo is Purusha, for he is the progenitor; from Purusha, united with Prakriti, the first birth is said to arise.

प्रकृतेर्व्यक्ततांयातंद्वितीयं जन्म कथ्यते जन्मजंतुर्मृत्युजन्म पुरुषात्प्रतिपद्यते

When Prakriti becomes manifest, the second birth is described; the being born from birth attains death, originating from Purusha.

अन्यतोभाव्यते ऽवश्यंमाययाजन्मकथ्यते जीर्यतेजन्मकालाद्यत्तस्माज्जीव इति स्मृतः

Otherwise, birth is inevitably brought about by Māyā; what is born perishes in time, and thus the embodied soul is so called.

जन्मतेतन्यते पाशैर्जीवशब्दार्थ एव हि जन्मपाशनिवृत्त्यर्थंजन्मलिंगंप्रपूजयेत्

Birth binds the soul with fetters; the term 'jīva' refers to this. To remove the bondage of birth, one should worship the emblem of birth.

भं वृद्धिं गच्छतीत्यर्थाद्भगःप्रकृतिरुच्यते प्राकृतैः शब्दमात्राद्यैः प्राकृतेंद्रियभोजनात्

Because 'bhaṃ' means to grow, 'bhaga' is called the source; through ordinary words and natural means, by the enjoyment of the senses, it is known as nature.

भगस्येदं भोगमिति शब्दार्थो मुख्यतः श्रुतः मुख्यो भगस्तु प्रकृतिर्भगवाञ्छिव उच्यते

The primary meaning of 'bhaga' is enjoyment; this is heard as its chief sense. The main 'bhaga' is nature, and Shiva is called the possessor of 'bhaga'.

भगवान्भोगदाताहिना ऽन्योभोगप्रदायकः भगस्वामीचभगवान्भर्ग इत्युच्यतेबुधैः

The blessed one is the giver of enjoyment; no other grants enjoyment. The lord of 'bhaga' is also called 'bharga' by the wise.