Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

नन्दिसंस्थानतः पश्चान्नविदुः शिववैभवम् नंदीश्वरोबहिस्तिष्ठन्पञ्चाक्षरमुपासते

Beyond Nandi's seat, they do not know Shiva's glory; Nandishvara stands outside, worshipping the five-syllable mantra.

एवं गुरुक्रमाल्लब्धं नंदीशाच्च मयापुनः ततः परंस्वसंवेद्यं शिवे नैवानुभावितम्

Thus, through the succession of teachers, and again from Nandishvara, I have obtained it; beyond that, the self-experienced in Shiva is not realized.

शिवस्यकृपयासाक्षाच्छिवलोकस्यवैभवम् विज्ञातुंशक्यते सर्वैर्नान्यथेत्याहुरास्तिकाः

By Shiva's grace alone, the glory of Shiva's realm can be known by all; otherwise, it is not so, say the believers.

एवंक्रमेणमुक्ताःस्युर्ब्राह्मणावैजितेंद्रियः अन्येषां च क्रमंवक्ष्ये गदतः शृणुतादरात्

Thus, in succession, the Brahmins, having conquered their senses, become liberated; I will now speak of the succession for others—listen attentively as I speak.

गुरूपदेशाज्जाप्यंवैब्राह्मणानांनमो ऽंतकम् पञ्चाक्षरं पञ्चलक्षमायुष्यंप्रजपेद्विधिः

By the teacher's instruction, Brahmins should recite the five-syllable mantra, 'Namah,' five lakhs times, according to the rule, for longevity.

स्त्रीत्वापनयनार्थंतुपञ्चलक्षंजपेत्पुनः मंत्रेणपुरुषोभूत्वाक्रमान्मुक्तोभवेद्बुधः

For the removal of womanhood, one should again recite the five-syllable mantra; by the mantra, becoming a man, in succession, the wise one becomes liberated.

क्षत्रियःपञ्चलक्षेणक्षत्त्रत्वमपनेष्यति पुनश्चपञ्चलक्षेणक्षत्त्रियोब्राह्मणोभवेत्

A Kshatriya, by the five-syllable mantra, will remove his Kshatriya status; again, by the five-syllable mantra, a Kshatriya becomes a Brahmin.

मंत्रसिद्धिर्जपाच्चैवक्रमान्मुक्तोभवैन्नरः वैश्यस्तुपञ्चलक्षेणवैश्यत्वमपनेष्यति

By mantra perfection and recitation, in succession, a man becomes liberated; a Vaishya, by the five-syllable mantra, will remove his Vaishya status.

पुनश्चपञ्चलक्षेणमंत्रक्षत्त्रिय उच्यते पुनश्चपञ्चलक्षेण क्षत्त्रत्वमपनेष्यति

Again, by the five-syllable mantra, the mantra Kshatriya is so called; again, by the five-syllable mantra, he removes his Kshatriya status.

पुनश्चपञ्चलक्षेणमंत्रब्राह्मण उच्यते शूद्रश्चैवनमोंतेन पञ्चविंशतिलक्षतः

Again, after reciting five hundred thousand times, the mantra is prescribed for a Brāhmaṇa; and for a Śūdra, with the syllable 'namah', it is to be recited two million five hundred thousand times.

मंत्रविप्रत्वमापद्य पश्चाच्छुद्धो भवेद्द्विजः नारीवाथ नरो वाथ ब्राह्मणो वान्य एव वा

Having attained the status of a mantra-knower, a twice-born becomes purified thereafter, whether woman or man, Brāhmaṇa or any other.

नमोन्तं वा नमः पूर्वमातुरः सर्वमातुरः सर्वदा जपेत् ततः स्त्रीणांतथैवोह्यगुरुर्निर्दर्शयेत्क्रमात्

Whether 'namah' is placed at the end or at the beginning, one who is afflicted should always recite the entire mantra; thus, for women as well, the teacher should instruct in order.

साधकः पञ्चलक्षान्ते शिवप्रीत्यर्थमेव हि महाभिषेक नैवेद्यं कृत्वा भक्तांश्च पूजयेत्

The practitioner, upon completing five hundred thousand recitations, should, for the sake of pleasing Śiva, perform the great consecration, offer food, and worship the devotees.

पूजया शिवभक्तस्य शिवः प्रीततरो भवेत् शिवस्य शिवभक्तस्य भेदो नास्ति शिवो हि सः

By worshipping a devotee of Śiva, Śiva becomes most pleased; there is no distinction between Śiva and a devotee of Śiva, for he is indeed Śiva.

शिवस्वरूपमंत्रस्यधारणाच्छिव एव हि शिवभक्तशरीरे हि शिवेतत्परमोभवेत्

By bearing the mantra that is the very form of Śiva, one truly becomes Śiva; in the body of a devotee of Śiva, this supreme Śiva is present.

शिवभक्ताः क्रियाः सर्वा वेदसर्वक्रियांविदुः यावद्यावच्छिवंमंत्रंयेनजप्तंभवेत्क्रमात्

All the actions of devotees of Śiva are known to be all the actions of the Veda, as long as the mantra of Śiva is recited in due order.

तावद्वैशिवसान्निध्यं तस्मिन्देहे न संशयः देवीलिंगंभवेद्रूपं शिवभक्तस्त्रियास्तथा

For as long as this is done, there is the presence of Śiva in that body, without doubt; O Goddess, the liṅga is the form, and so too is the devotee, whether woman or man.

यावन्मंत्रंजपेद्देव्यास्तावत्सान्निध्यमस्ति हि शिवंसंपूजयेद्धीमान्स्वयंवैशब्दरूपभाक्

For as long as the mantra is recited by the Goddess, so long does the presence remain; the wise should worship Śiva himself, who is the embodiment of sound.

स्वयंचैवशिवोभूत्वापरांशक्तिंप्रपूजयेत् शक्तिंबेरंचलिंगं च ह्यालेख्यामाययायजेत्

Having become Śiva himself, one should worship the supreme power; one should worship the Śakti, the image, and the liṅga, even if they are drawn or imagined.

शिवलिंगं शिवंमत्वास्वात्मानंशक्तिरूपकम् शक्तिलिंगंचदेवींचमत्वास्वंशिवरूपकम्

Considering the Śiva-liṅga as Śiva and oneself as the form of Śakti, and the Śakti-liṅga or the Goddess as Śakti and oneself as the form of Śiva.

शिवलिंगंनादरूपबिंदुरूपंतुशक्तिकम् उपप्रधानभावेन अन्योन्यासक्तलिंगकम्

The Śiva-liṅga is of the nature of sound, and the Śakti is of the nature of bindu; with the sense of mutual predominance, the liṅga is united with each other.

पूजयेच्च शिवंशक्तिसशिवोमूलभावनात् शिवभक्ताञ्छिवमत्ररूपकाञ्छिवरूपकान्

One should worship Śiva together with Śakti, contemplating their root-unity; and the devotees of Śiva, who are forms of mantra and forms of Śiva.

षोडशैरुपचारैश्चपूजयेदिष्टमाप्नुयात् येनशुश्रूषणाद्यैश्च शिवभक्तस्य लिंगिनः

By worshipping with sixteen offerings, one attains the desired result; by serving and similar acts, one should worship the liṅga-bearing devotee of Śiva.

आनंदंजनयेद्विद्वाञ्छिवःप्रीततरो भवेत् शिवभक्तान्सपत्नीकान्पत्न्यासहसदैवतत्

The wise should bring joy, and Śiva becomes most pleased; one should worship the devotees of Śiva, together with their wives, as divine couples.

पूजयेद्भोजनाद्यैश्चपञ्चवादशवाशतम् धनेदेहेचमंत्रेचभावनायामवंचकः

One should worship with food and other offerings, five, ten, or a hundred times; but one who is deceitful in wealth, body, mantra, or contemplation—

शिवशक्तिस्वरूपेणनपुनर्जायते भुवि नाभेरधो ब्रह्मभागमाकंठंविष्णुभागकम्

By the very nature of Śiva and Śakti, is not born again on earth; below the navel is the portion of Brahmā, up to the throat is the portion of Viṣṇu.

मुखंलिंगमितिप्रोक्तंशिवभक्तशरीरकम् मृतान्दाहादियुक्तान्वादाहादिरहितान्मृतान्

The mouth is said to be the liṅga, the body of the devotee of Śiva; those who have died with proper rites, and those who have died without such rites—

उद्दिश्यपूजयेदादिपितरंशिवमेवहि पूजांकृत्वादिमातुश्चशिवभक्तांश्च पूजयेत्

One should worship the ancestors and Shiva with intention; after performing worship for the primordial mother, one should also honor the devotees of Shiva.

पितृलोकंसमासाद्यक्रमान्मुक्तोभवेन्मृतः क्रियायुक्तदशभ्यश्चतपोयुक्तोविशिष्यते

Having attained the world of the ancestors, one is gradually liberated after death; among those who perform rites, the one engaged in austerity is superior.