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.
तपोयुक्तशतेभ्यश्चजपयुक्तोविशिष्यते जपयुक्तसहस्रेभ्यः शिवज्ञानी विशिष्यते
Among hundreds engaged in austerity, the one devoted to recitation is superior; among thousands devoted to recitation, the knower of Shiva surpasses them.
शिवज्ञानिषुलक्षेषु ध्यानयुक्तो विशिष्यते ध्यानयुक्तेषु कोटिभ्यः समाधिस्थो विशिष्यते
Among thousands who know Shiva, the one engaged in meditation is superior; among millions engaged in meditation, the one established in samadhi excels.
उत्तरोत्तर वै शिष्ट्यात्पूजायामुत्तरोत्तरम् फलंवैशिष्ट्यरूपञ्चदुर्विज्ञेयंमनीषिभिः
In worship, each successive stage is superior to the previous; the result, in its special form, is difficult for the wise to comprehend.
तस्माद्वैशिवभक्तस्यमहिमानंवेत्तिकोनरः शिवशक्त्योः पूजनं च शिवभक्तस्य पूजनम्
Therefore, who can truly know the greatness of a devotee of Shiva? The worship of Shiva and Shakti, and the honoring of Shiva's devotees—
कुरुतेयोनरोभक्त्यासशिवः शिवमेधते य इमं पठते ऽध्यायमर्थवद्वेदसंमतम्
Whoever performs these with devotion is united with Shiva; whoever recites and studies this meaningful, Veda-approved teaching—
शिवज्ञानीभवेद्विप्रःशिवेन सहमोदते श्रावयेच्छिवभक्तांश्चविशेषज्ञो मनीश्वराः
That Brahmin becomes a knower of Shiva, rejoices with Shiva, and should instruct the devotees of Shiva, being especially learned and wise.
शिवप्रसादशिद्धिः स्याच्छिवस्यकृपया बुधाः
The attainment of Shiva's grace comes by the compassion of Shiva, O wise ones.
बंधमोक्षस्वरूपं हि ब्रूहि सर्वार्थवित्तम बंधमोक्षंतथोपायंवक्ष्ये ऽहंशृणुतादरात्
O knower of all meanings, tell me the true nature of bondage and liberation. I shall now explain bondage, liberation, and the means—listen attentively.
प्रकृत्याद्यष्टबंधेनबद्धोजीवः स उच्यते प्रकृत्याद्यष्टबंधेननिर्मुक्तोमुक्त उच्यते
The soul bound by the eightfold bond, beginning with nature, is called bound; freed from the eightfold bond, beginning with nature, it is called liberated.
प्रकृत्यादिवशीकारोमोक्ष इत्युच्यतेस्वतः बद्धजीवस्तुनिर्मुक्तोमुक्तजीवः स कथ्यते
Being under the control of nature and the rest is called bondage; being free from them is called liberation. The soul that is bound is called bound, and the one freed is called liberated.