Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

ह्रस्वमेवप्रवृत्तानांनिवृत्तानांतुदीर्घकम् व्याहृत्यादौचमंत्रादौकामंशब्दकलायुतम्

For those engaged in action, the short form is used; for those withdrawn, the long form. From the vyāhṛtis and the mantra, the 'u' sound is joined with the measure of sound.

वेदादौचप्रयोज्यंस्याद्वंदनेसंध्ययोरपि नवकौटिजपाञ्जप्त्वासंशुद्धःपुरुषोभवेत्

In the Vedas, the 'u' is to be applied in worship and at the two twilights; by reciting ninety crores, a person becomes purified without doubt.

पुनश्चनवकोट्यातुपृथिवीजयमाप्नुयात् पुनश्चनवकोट्यातुह्यपांजयमवाप्नुयात्

Again, after nine crores of repetitions, one attains victory over the earth; again, after nine crores, one attains victory over the waters.

पुनश्चनवकोट्यातुतेजसांजयमाप्नुयात् पुनश्चनवकोट्या तु वायोर्जयमवाप्नुयात् आकाशजयमाप्नोति नवकोटिजपेन वै

Again, after nine crores, one attains victory over fire; again, after nine crores, one attains victory over air; by reciting nine crores, one attains victory over space.

गंधादीनांक्रमेणैवनवकोटिजपेणवै अहंकारस्य च पुनर्नव कोटिजपेन वै

In the same way, by reciting nine crores for each, one attains mastery over scent and the other elements in order, and again, by nine crores of recitation, over the ego as well.

सहस्रमंत्रजप्तेन नित्यशुद्धो भवेत्पुमान् ततः परंस्वसिद्ध्यर्थंजपोभवतिहिद्विजाः

By reciting the mantra a thousand times, a person becomes ever pure; thereafter, O twice-born, further recitation is for attaining one's own accomplishment.

एवमष्टोत्तरशतकोटिजप्तेनवैपुनः प्रणवेनप्रबुद्धस्तुशुद्धयोगमवाप्नुयात्

In this way, by reciting one hundred and eight crores, one becomes awakened through the praṇava and attains pure yoga.

शुद्धयोगेनसंयुक्तोजीवन्मुक्तोनसंशयः सदाजपन्सदाध्यायञ्छिवं प्रणवरूपिणम्

Endowed with pure yoga, one is liberated while living, without doubt, always reciting and meditating on Shiva, who is of the form of praṇava.

समाधिस्थोमहायोगीशिव एव नसंशयः ऋषिच्छंदोदेवतादिन्यस्यदेहेपुनर्जपेत्

Absorbed in samadhi, the great yogi is truly Shiva, without doubt; one should again recite in the body, as per the seer, meter, deity, and so on.

प्रणवं मातृकायुक्तंदेहेत्यस्य ऋषिर्भवेत् दशमातृषडध्वादि सर्वंन्यासफलं लभेत्

The praṇava joined with the letters, when recited in the body, has the seer as its sage; by means of the ten mothers, the six paths, and so on, one attains all the fruits of nyāsa.

प्रवृत्तानां चमिश्राणांस्थूलप्रणवमिष्यते क्रियातपोजपैर्युक्तास्त्रिविधाः शिवयोगिनः

For those engaged in action and those of mixed practice, the gross praṇava is prescribed; associated with action, austerity, and recitation, the Shiva yogis are of three kinds.

धनादिविभवैश्चैवकराद्यंगैर्नमादिभिः क्रियया पूजयायुक्तःक्रियायोगीति कथ्यते

Endowed with wealth and other enjoyments, with hands and other limbs, with names and so on, one who is engaged in ritual worship is called a practitioner of kriya-yoga.

पूजायुक्तश्चमितभुग्बाह्यंद्रियजयान्वितः परद्रोहादिरहितस्तपोयोगीति कथ्यते

One who is engaged in worship, who has subdued the senses, who is free from harming others and similar faults, is called a practitioner of tapas-yoga.

एतैर्युक्तःसदाक्रुद्धःसर्वकामादिवर्जितः सदाजपपरःशांतोजपयोगीति तंविदुः

One who is always calm, free from all desires and anger, ever devoted to recitation, is known as a practitioner of japa-yoga.

उपचारैः षोडशभिः पूजया शिवयोगिनाम् सालोक्यादिक्रमेणैवशुद्धोमुक्तिंलभेन्नरः

By worship with the sixteen offerings, among the Shiva yogis, a man attains pure liberation in order, beginning with residence in the same world as Shiva.

जपयोगमथोवक्ष्येगदतः शृणुतद्विजाः तपःकर्तुर्जपः प्रोक्तोयज्जमन्परिमार्जते

Now I will speak of the yoga of recitation; listen to this, O twice-born. Recitation is declared for the performer of austerity, as it purifies the sacrifice.

शिवनामनमःपूर्वंचतुर्थ्यांपञ्चतत्त्वकम् स्थूलप्रणवरूपं हि शिवपञ्चाक्षरं द्विजाः

The name of Shiva, preceded by 'namah' in the dative case, consisting of the five elements, is indeed the gross form of the five-syllabled mantra of Shiva, O twice-born.

पञ्चाक्षरजपेनैव सर्वसिद्धिं लभेन्नरः प्रणवेनादिसंयुक्तंसदापञ्चाक्षरंजपेत्

By reciting the five-syllabled mantra, a man attains all accomplishments; one should always recite the five-syllabled mantra, joined at the beginning with praṇava.

गुरूपदेशंसंगम्यसुखवासेसुभूतले पूर्वपक्षेसमारभ्यकृष्णभूतावधिद्विजाः

Having received instruction from the guru, dwelling happily on the good earth, beginning in the eastern quarter and continuing until the dark fortnight, O twice-born,

माघंभाद्रंविशिष्टंतुसर्वकालोत्तमोत्तमम् एकवारंमिताशीतुवाग्यतोनियतेंद्रियः

The months of Māgha and Bhādra are considered the best of all times; once a day, eating moderately, with speech restrained and senses controlled.