Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां स्वस्वायुर्दिनमुच्यते

A day is said to be the lifespan of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheśa, each according to their own.

पुनः कारणसत्यांताः कारणब्रह्मणस्तथा गंधादिभ्यस्तु भूतेभ्यस्तदूर्ध्वं निर्मिताः सदा

Again, those who reach the end of the cause are the cause-Brahman; above the elements such as scent, those are always created.

सूक्ष्मगंधस्वरूपाहिस्थितालोकाश्चतुर्दश पुनः कारणविष्णोर्वैस्थिता लोकाश्चतुर्दश

The fourteen worlds established there are of the nature of subtle scent; again, the fourteen worlds are established in the cause-Vishnu.

पुनःकारणरुद्रस्यलोकाष्टाविंशका मताः पुनश्चकारणेशस्यषट्पञ्चाशत्तदूर्ध्वगाः

The worlds of Kāraṇa Rudra are said to be twenty-eight; above these, the worlds of Kāraṇa Īśa are fifty-six.

ततः परंब्रह्मचर्यलोकाख्यं शिवसंमतम् तत्रैवज्ञानकैलासेपञ्चावरणसंयुते

Then, the world called Brahmacarya, esteemed by Śiva, is there in the Jñāna Kailāsa, endowed with five enclosures.

पञ्चमंडलसंयुक्तंपञ्चब्रह्मकलान्वितम् आदिशक्तिसमायुक्तमादिलिंगंतुतत्रवै

It is joined with five circles, endowed with the five energies of Brahman, united with the primordial power; truly, there is the primal liṅga.

शिवालयमिदंप्रोक्तंशिवस्यपरमात्मनः परशक्त्यासमायुक्तस्तत्रैवपरमेश्वरः

This is proclaimed as the abode of Śiva, the Supreme Self; there, the Supreme Lord abides, united with the supreme power.

सृष्टिः स्थितिश्चसंहारस्तिरोभावोप्यनुग्रहः पञ्चकृत्यप्रवीणो ऽसौसच्चिदानंदविग्रहः

Creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace—he is skilled in these five acts, his form is existence, consciousness, and bliss.

ध्यानधर्मः सदायस्यसदानुग्रहतत्परः समाध्यासनमासीनः स्वात्मारामोविराजते

His nature is meditation and righteousness, ever intent on bestowing grace; seated in the posture of absorption, he shines, delighting in his own Self.

तस्यसंदर्शनंसांध्यंकर्मध्यानादिभिः क्रमात् नित्यादिकर्मयजनाच्छिवकर्ममतिर्भवेत्

His vision is attained gradually through twilight rites, meditation, and the like; by performing daily and other prescribed acts, one’s mind becomes devoted to Śiva’s actions.

क्रियादिशिवकर्मभ्यः शिवज्ञानंप्रसाधयेत् तद्दर्शनगताःसर्वेमुक्ता एव नसंशयः

From ritual and other Śiva-acts, one should strive for knowledge of Śiva; all those who attain that vision are liberated, without doubt.

मुक्तिरात्मस्वरूपेणस्वात्मारामत्वमेवहि क्रियातपोजपज्ञानध्यानधर्मेषुसुस्थितः

Liberation is truly the delight in one’s own Self, in one’s true nature; firmly established in ritual, austerity, recitation, knowledge, and meditation.

शिवस्यदर्शनंलब्धास्वात्मारामत्वमेवहि यथारविःस्वकिरणादशुद्धिमपनेष्यति

Having attained the vision of Śiva, one truly delights in one’s own Self, just as the sun removes impurity by its own rays.

कृपाविचक्षणःशंभुरज्ञानमपनेष्यति अज्ञानविनिवृत्तौतुशिवज्ञानंप्रवर्तते

Śambhu, skilled in compassion, will remove ignorance; when ignorance is dispelled, knowledge of Śiva arises.

शिवज्ञानात्स्वस्वरूपमात्मारामत्वमेष्यति आत्मारामत्वसंसिद्धौकृतकृत्योभवेन्नरः

From knowledge of Śiva, one attains delight in one’s own true nature; having perfected delight in the Self, a person becomes one who has accomplished all.

पुनश्चशतलक्षेणब्रह्मणःपदमाप्नुयात् पुनश्चशतलक्षेणविष्णोःपदमवाप्नुयात्

Again, after a hundred thousand (lifetimes), one attains the state of Brahmā; again, after a hundred thousand, one attains the state of Viṣṇu.

पुनश्चशतलक्षेणरुद्रस्यपदमाप्नुयात् पुनश्च शतलक्षेण ऐश्वर्यं पदमाप्नुयात्

Again, after a hundred thousand, one attains the state of Rudra; and again, after a hundred thousand, one attains the state of sovereignty.

पुनश्चैवंविधेनैव जपेन सुसमाहितः शिवलोकादिभूतं हि कालचक्रमवाप्नुयात्

Again, in this very way, by recitation with full concentration, one attains the wheel of time, which is the essence of Śiva’s world and others.

कालचक्रंपञ्चचक्रमेकैकेनक्रमोत्तरे सृष्टिमोहौब्रह्मचक्रंभोगमोहौतुवैष्णवम्

The wheel of time is fivefold, each succeeding in order: the wheel of creation is Brahmā’s, the wheel of enjoyment is Viṣṇu’s.

कोपमोहौरौद्रचक्रंभ्रमणंचैश्वरंविदुः शिवचक्रंज्ञानमोहौपञ्चचक्रंविदुर्बुधाः

The wheel of anger is Rudra’s, the wheel of delusion is Īśvara’s; the wise know the wheel of Śiva as knowledge and delusion—the fivefold wheel.

पुनश्चदशकोट्या हि कारणब्रह्मणः पदम् पुनश्च दशकोट्याहितत्पदैश्वर्यमाप्नुयात्

Again, after ten crores, one attains the state of Kāraṇa Brahman; again, after ten crores, one attains the sovereignty of that state.

एवं क्रमेण विष्ण्वादेः पदंलब्ध्वामहौजसः क्रमेणतत्पदैश्वर्यं लब्ध्वाचैवमहात्मनः

Thus, in succession, having attained the station of Vishnu and others, of great power, and then having obtained the sovereignty of those stations, and also of the great Self,

शतकोटिमनुं जप्त्वा पञ्चोत्तरमतंद्रितः शिवलोकमवाप्नोतिपञ्चमावरणाद्बहिः

By reciting the mantra a hundred crore times, with unwavering devotion, one attains Shiva's realm, beyond the fifth enclosure.

राजसंमंडपंतत्रनंदीसंस्थानमुत्तमम् तपोरूपश्चवृषभस्तत्रैवपरिदृश्यते

There, the royal pavilion is found, with Nandi's supreme seat; and the bull, in the form of austerity, is also seen there.

सद्योजातस्यतत्स्थानंपञ्चमावरणंपरम् वामदेवस्यचस्थानंचतुर्थावरणंपुनः

The place of Sadyojata is the fifth, the highest enclosure; and the place of Vamadeva is again the fourth enclosure.

अघोरनिलयंपश्चात्तृतीयावरणंपरम् पुरुषस्यैवसांबस्यद्वितीयावरणंशुभम्

The abode of Aghora is the third, the supreme enclosure; and the place of Purusha, of Sambhu, is the second, auspicious enclosure.

ईशानस्यपरस्यैवप्रथमावरणंततः ध्यानधर्मस्य च स्थानंपञ्चमंमंडपंततः

The place of Ishana, the supreme, is then the first enclosure; and the station of meditation and dharma is the fifth pavilion thereafter.

बलिनाथस्यसंस्थानंतत्रपूर्णामृतप्रदम् चतुर्थंमंडपंपश्चाच्चंद्रशेखरमूर्तिमत्

The seat of Balinatha there bestows complete nectar; the fourth pavilion thereafter is endowed with the form of Chandrasekhara.

सोमस्कंदस्यचस्थानंतृतीयंमंडपंपरम् द्वितीयंमंडपंनृत्यमंडपंप्राहुरास्तिकाः

The place of Somaskanda is the third, the supreme pavilion; the second pavilion is called the dance pavilion by the wise.