Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

भगेनसहितंलिंगं भगंलिंगेनसंयुतम् इहामुत्रचभोगार्थंनित्यभोगार्थमेव च

The emblem joined with 'bhaga', or 'bhaga' united with the emblem, is for enjoyment here and beyond, and indeed for perpetual enjoyment.

भगवंतंमहादेवं शिवलिंगंप्रपूजयेत् लोकप्रसवितासूर्यस्तच्चिह्नं प्रसवाद्भवेत्

One should worship the blessed Mahādeva as the emblem of Shiva; the sun is the creator of the world, and that mark arises from creation.

लिंगार्थगमकंचिह्नंलिंगमित्यभिधीयते

The mark that reveals the meaning of the emblem is called the emblem.

लिंगमर्थंहिपुरुषं शिवंगमयतीत्यदः शिवशक्त्योश्चचिह्नस्यमेलनंलिंगमुच्यते

The emblem signifies the purpose of the person, for it unites with Shiva; the union of the marks of Shiva and Shakti is called the emblem.

स्वचिह्नपूजनात्प्रीतश्चिह्नकार्यं न वीयते चिह्नकार्यंतुजन्मादिजन्माद्यंविनिवर्तते

By worshipping one's own mark, satisfaction arises; the function of the mark is not lost. The function of the mark, from birth onward, is removed.

प्राकृतैः पुरुषैश्चापिबाह्याभ्यंतरसंभवैः षोडशैरुपचारैश्च शिवलिंगंप्रपूजयेत्

One should worship the emblem of Shiva with sixteen offerings, both external and internal, by ordinary persons and natural means.

एवमादित्यवारेहिपूजाजन्मनिवर्तिका आदिवारेमहालिंगंप्रणवेनैवपूजयेत्

Thus, on the day of the sun, worship removes birth; on the first day, the great emblem should be worshipped with the sacred syllable.

आदिवारे पञ्चगव्यैरभिषेको विशिष्यते गोमयंगोजलंक्षीरंदध्याज्यं पञ्चगव्यकम्

On the first day, the ablution with the five products of the cow is especially prescribed: cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd, and ghee.

क्षीराद्यंचपृथक्च्चैवमधुनाचेक्षुसारकैः गव्यक्षीरान्ननैवेद्यंप्रणवेनैवकारयेत्

Separately, offerings of milk and the like, as well as honey and sugarcane juice, should be made as food from cow's milk, using the sacred syllable.

प्रणवंध्वनिलिंगंतुनादलिंगंस्वयंभुवः बिंदुलिंगं तु यंत्रंस्यान्मकारंतुप्रतिष्ठितम्

The emblem of sound is the sacred syllable; the emblem of resonance is self-born; the emblem of the dot is the device, and the syllable 'ma' is established.

उकारंचरलिंगंस्यादकारंगुरुविग्रहम् षड्लिंगपूजयानित्यंजीवन्मुक्तोनसंशयः

The syllable 'u' is the moving emblem; 'a' is the form of the teacher. By worshipping the six emblems constantly, one is liberated while living, without doubt.

शिवस्यभक्त्यापूजा हि जन्ममुक्तिकरीनृणाम् रुद्राक्षधारणात्पादमर्धं वैभूतिधारणात्

Worship of Shiva with devotion grants liberation from birth for people; by wearing rudrākṣa, half a step is gained, and by wearing the ashes, another.

त्रिपादं मंत्रजाप्याच्च पूजया पूर्णभक्तिमान् शिवलिंगं च भक्तं च पूज्य मोक्षं लभेन्नरः

By reciting mantras, one gains three steps; with worship and full devotion, both the emblem of Shiva and the devotee are worshipped, and a person attains liberation.

य इमं पठते ऽध्यायं शृणुयाद्वा समाहितः तस्यैव शिवभक्तिश्च वर्धतेसुदृढा द्विजाः

Whoever recites or listens to this chapter with concentration, their devotion to Shiva increases firmly, O twice-born ones.

प्रणवस्यचमाहात्म्यंषड्लिंगस्यमहामुने शिवभक्तस्यपूजांचक्रमशोब्रूहिनःप्रभो

O great sage, tell us of the greatness of Praṇava, the sixfold Liṅga, and the worship of a devotee of Shiva.

तपोधनैर्भवद्भिश्च सम्यक्प्रश्नस्त्वयं कृतः अस्योत्तरंमहादेवोजानातिस्मनचापरः

O ascetics, you have asked a proper question; Mahadeva alone knows the answer to this, and no one else.

अथापिवक्ष्येतमहंशिवस्यकृपयैवहि शिवो ऽस्माकंचयुष्माकंरक्षांगृह्णातुभूरिशः

Now, by the grace of Shiva, I shall explain; may Shiva, the great Lord, protect both us and you.

प्रोहिप्रकृतिजातस्यसंसारस्यमहोदधेः नवं नावांतरमिति प्रणवं वै विदुर्बुधाः

The wise know Praṇava as a new boat for one born in the great ocean of worldly existence, which is caused by nature.

प्रःप्रपञ्चोननास्तिवो युष्माकंप्रणवंविदुः प्रकर्षेणनयेद्यस्मान्मोक्षंवः प्रणवं विदुः

The syllable 'pra' denotes the fivefold manifestation; know that Praṇava is yours, for it leads you to liberation in the highest way.

स्वजापकानांयोगिनांस्वमंत्रपूजकस्यच सर्वकर्मक्षयंकृत्वादिव्यज्ञानंतुनूतनम्

For those who recite their own mantra, for yogins and worshippers of their own mantra, Praṇava destroys all karma and bestows new divine knowledge.