Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

तमेव मायारहितं नूतनं परिचक्षते प्रकर्षेण महात्मानं नवं शुद्धस्वरूपकम्

They call that very Praṇava, which is free from illusion and ever new, the supreme, pure essence in its highest form.

नूतनं वै करोतीति प्रणवं तं विदुर्बुधाः प्रणवंद्विविधंप्रोक्तंसूक्ष्मस्थूलविभेदतः

The wise know Praṇava as that which ever renews; Praṇava is described in various ways, as subtle and gross.

सूक्ष्ममेकाक्षरं विद्यात्स्थूलं पञ्चाक्षरं विदुः सूक्ष्ममव्यक्तपञ्चार्णं सुव्यक्तार्णं तथेतरत्

The subtle Praṇava is known as the single syllable; the gross is known as five syllables. The subtle is the unmanifest with five sounds; the other is manifest with clear sounds.

जीवन्मुक्तस्य सूक्ष्मं हि सर्वसारं हि तस्यहि मंत्रेणार्थानुसंधानं स्वदेहविलयावधि

For one liberated while living, the subtle is indeed the essence of all; by meditating on the meaning with the mantra, until the dissolution of one's own body.

स्वदेहेगलितेपूर्णंशिवंप्राप्नोतिनिश्चयः केवलंमंत्रजापीतुयोगंप्राप्नोतिनिश्चयः

When the body dissolves, one surely attains Shiva completely; but even by mantra recitation alone, one certainly attains union.

षट्त्रिंशत्कोटिजापीतुनिश्चयंयोगमाप्नुयात् सूक्ष्मंचद्विविधंज्ञेयंह्रस्वदीर्घविभेदतः

By reciting thirty-six crores, one surely attains union; the subtle is to be known as twofold, distinguished as short and long.

अकारश्च उकारश्चमकारश्चततःपरम् बिंदुनादयुतं तद्धि शब्दकालकलान्वितम्

It consists of 'a', 'u', and then 'ma', together with bindu and nada; it is endowed with the measures of sound and time.

दीर्घप्रणवमेवंहियोगिनामेवहृद्गतम् मकारंतंत्रितत्त्वं हि ह्रस्वप्रणव उच्यते

Thus, the long Praṇava is held in the heart by yogins; the short Praṇava is said to be the essence of the three principles, ending with 'ma'.

शिवःशक्तिस्तयोरैक्यंमकारंतुत्रिकात्मकम् ह्रस्वमेवंहिजाप्यंस्यात्सर्वपापक्षयैषिणाम्

Shiva and Shakti are united in 'ma', which is of triple nature; thus, the short form is to be recited by those who seek the destruction of all sins.

भूवायुकनकार्णोद्योःशब्दाद्याश्चतथादश आशान्वयेदशपुनः प्रवृत्ता इतिकथ्यते

From earth, air, sky, fire, water, and the ten directions arise the tenfold sounds; these are said to be the sources of manifestation.