Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

कोटिरुद्रं त्रिगुणितमेकादशसहस्रकम् सहस्रकोटिरुद्राख्यमुदितं ग्रंथसंख्यया

Koṭirudra is three times eleven thousand; the one called Sahasrakoṭirudra is stated, by the count of verses, to be a thousand times ten million Rudras.

वायवीयं खाब्धिशतं घर्मं रविसहस्रकम् तदेवं लक्षसंख्याकं शैवसंख्याविभेदतः

Vāyavīya is a hundred times the ocean; Gharma is a thousand times the sun; thus, by the distinctions of Śaiva reckoning, their number reaches a hundred thousand.

व्यासेन तत्तु संक्षिप्तं चतुर्विंशत्सहस्रकम् शैवं तत्र चतुर्थं वै पुराणं सप्तसंहितम्

But Vyāsa condensed it to twenty-four thousand; among these, the Śaiva Purāṇa is the fourth, consisting of seven saṃhitās.

शिवे संकल्पितं पूर्वं पुराणं ग्रन्थसंख्यया शतकोटिप्रमाणं हि पुरा सृष्टौ सुविस्मृतम्

Formerly, the Purāṇa was conceived by Śiva, and by the count of verses, it was originally a hundred times ten million, but was greatly forgotten at the beginning of creation.

व्यस्तेष्टादशधा चैव पुराणे द्वापरादिषु चतुर्लक्षेण संक्षिप्ते कृते द्वैपायनादिभिः

Divided into eighteen, in the Purāṇas during the Dvāpara and other ages, it was condensed to four hundred thousand by Dvaipāyana and others.

प्रोक्तं शिवपुराणं हि चतुर्विंशत्सहस्रकम् श्लोकानां संख्यया सप्तसंहितं ब्रह्मसंमितम्

The Śiva Purāṇa, consisting of twenty-four thousand verses, is declared to have seven saṃhitās, and is esteemed as equal to the Veda.

विद्येश्वराख्या तत्राद्या रौद्री ज्ञेया द्वितीयिका तृतीया शतरुद्राख्या कोटिरुद्रा चतुर्थिका

Of these, the first is called Vidyeśvara, the second is known as Raudrī, the third is Śatarudra, and the fourth is Koṭirudra.

पञ्चमी चैव मौमाख्या षष्ठी कैलाससंज्ञिका सप्तमी वायवीयाख्या सप्तैवं संहितामताः

The fifth is called Uma, the sixth is named Kailāsa, and the seventh is known as Vāyavīya; thus, the seven saṃhitās are recognized.

ससप्तसंहितं दिव्यं पुराणं शिवसंज्ञकम् वरीवर्ति ब्रह्मतुल्यं सर्वोपरि गतिप्रदम्

This divine Purāṇa, called Śiva, with its seven saṃhitās, is most excellent, equal to Brahman, and grants the highest goal above all.

एतच्छिवपुराणं हि सप्तसंहितमादरात् परिपूर्णं पठेद्यस्तु स जीवन्मुक्त उच्यते

Whoever, with devotion, recites this Śiva Purāṇa in its seven saṃhitās, complete in every way, is said to be liberated while living.

श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणेतिहासागमशतानि च एतच्छिवपुराणस्य नार्हंत्यल्पां कलामपि

Hundreds of Śruti, Smṛti, Purāṇa, Itihāsa, and Āgama texts are not even a small fraction of this Śiva Purāṇa.

शैवं पुराणममलं शिवकीर्तितं तद्व्यासेन शैवप्रवणेन न संगृहीतम् संक्षेपतः सकलजीवगुणोपकारे तापत्रयघ्नमतुलं शिवदं सतां हि

This pure Śaiva Purāṇa, praised by Śiva, was not compiled in summary by Vyāsa, who was devoted to Śiva; it is unique in benefiting all beings, destroying the threefold suffering, and bestowing auspiciousness upon the virtuous.

विकैतवो धर्म इह प्रगीतो वेदांतविज्ञानमयः प्रधानः अमत्सरांतर्बुधवेद्यवस्तु सत्कॢप्तमत्रैव त्रिवर्गयुक्तम्

Here, the dharma is taught without deceit, consisting mainly of Vedānta knowledge; it is a subject to be known by wise ones free from envy, properly established here, and endowed with the three aims of life.

शैवं पुराणतिलकं खलु सत्पुराणं वेदांतवेदविलसत्परवस्तुगीतम् यो वै पठेच्च शृणुयात्परमादरेण शंभुप्रियः स हि लभेत्परमां गतिं वै

The Śaiva Purāṇa, truly the crest-jewel of Purāṇas, shines with the knowledge of Vedānta and sings of the Supreme Reality; whoever recites or listens to it with supreme devotion becomes dear to Śambhu and attains the highest goal.

इत्याकर्ण्य वचः सौतं प्रोचुस्ते परमर्षयः वेदांतसारसर्वस्वं पुराणं श्रावयाद्भुतम्

Having heard these words, the supreme sages said to Sūta: 'Recite for us the wondrous Purāṇa, the very essence and entirety of Vedānta.'

इति श्रुत्वा मुनीनां स वचनं सुप्रहर्षितः संस्मरञ्छंकरं सूतः प्रोवाच मुनिसत्तमान्

Hearing the words of the sages, Sūta, greatly delighted, remembered Śaṃkara and spoke to the best of sages.

शृण्वंतु ऋषयः सर्वे स्मृत्वा शिवमनामयम् पुराणप्रवणं शैवं पुराणं वेदसारजम्

Let all the sages listen, remembering Śiva, the flawless one—the Śaiva Purāṇa, devoted to the Purāṇic tradition and the essence of the Vedas.

यत्र गीतं त्रिकं प्रीत्या भक्तिज्ञानविरागकम्

Where the threefold song is sung with affection, bringing devotion, knowledge, and detachment.

वेदांतवेद्यं सद्वस्तु विशेषेण प्रवर्णितम्

The true reality, known through Vedanta, is distinctly described.

शृण्वंतु ऋषयः सर्वे पुराणं वेदसारजम् पुरा कालेन महता कल्पे ऽतीते पुनःपुनः

Let all the sages listen to this Purana, the essence of the Vedas, which, in ancient times and in many past cycles, was repeatedly proclaimed.

अस्मिन्नुपस्थिते कल्पे प्रवृत्ते सृष्टिकर्मणि मुनीनां षट्कुलीनानां ब्रुवतामितरेतरम्

In this present cycle, as the work of creation began, the six clans of sages conversed with one another.

इदं परमिदं नेति विवादः सुमहानभूत् ते ऽभिजग्मुर्विधातारं ब्रह्माणं प्रष्टुमव्ययम्

A great dispute arose among them—'This is supreme, this is not'—and they approached the imperishable Brahma, the creator, to ask.

वाग्भिर्विनयगर्भाभिः सर्वे प्रांजलयो ऽब्रुवन् त्वं हि सर्वजगद्धाता सर्वकारणकारणम्

With words filled with humility, all stood with joined palms and said, 'You are indeed the creator of all worlds, the cause of every cause.'

कः पुमान्सर्वतत्त्वेभ्यः पुराणः परतः परः यतो वाचो निवर्तंते अप्राप्य मनसा सह

Who is the supreme person, beyond all principles, ancient and transcendent, from whom speech and mind return, unable to reach?

यस्मात्सर्वमिदं ब्रह्मविष्णुरुद्रेंद्रपूर्वकम् सहभूतेंद्रियैः सर्वैः प्रथमं संप्रसूयते

From whom everything arises—Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, and all the senses together—first comes forth.

एष देवो महादेवः सर्वज्ञो जगदीश्वरः अयं तु परया भक्त्या दृश्यते ना ऽन्यथा क्वचित्

This god, the great god, is all-knowing, the lord of the universe; he is seen only through supreme devotion, never otherwise, anywhere.

रुद्रो हरिर्हरश्चैव तथान्ये च सुरेश्वराः भक्त्या परमया तस्य नित्यं दर्शनकांक्षिणः

Rudra, Hari, Hara, and other lords of the gods always long for his vision through supreme devotion.

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन शिवे भक्त्या विमुच्यते प्रसादाद्देवताभक्तिः प्रसादो भक्तिसंभवः यथेहांकुरतो बीजं बीजतो वा यथांकुरः

What more needs to be said? Through devotion to Shiva, one is liberated; by grace, devotion to the gods arises, and grace is born from devotion, just as a sprout comes from a seed and a seed from a sprout.

तस्मादीशप्रसादार्थं यूयं गत्वा भुवं द्विजाः दीर्घसत्रं समाकृध्वं यूयं वर्षसहस्रकम्

Therefore, for the sake of the Lord's grace, you should go to earth, O twice-born, and undertake a long sacrificial session for a thousand years.