Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

लिंगेबेरेभक्तजनेशिवमुद्दिश्यपूजयेत् कायेनमनसावाचाधनेनापिप्रपूजयेत्

One should worship Shiva, with devotion, in the emblem or in other forms, with body, mind, speech, and even with wealth.

पुजया तु महेशो हि प्रकृतेः परमः शिवः प्रसादंकुरुतेसत्यंपूजकस्यविशेषतः

By worship, the supreme Shiva, who is beyond nature, truly bestows grace—especially upon the worshipper.

शिवप्रसादात्कर्माद्यंक्रमेणस्ववशंभवेत् कर्मारभ्यप्रकृत्यंतंयदासर्वं वशंभवेत्

By Shiva's grace, actions and so forth, in due order, come under one's own control; when actions, beginning with karma and ending with nature, are mastered, all becomes subject to one's will.

तदामुक्त इतिप्रोक्तःस्वात्मारामोविराजते प्रसादात्परमेशस्यकर्म देहोयदावशः

Then, one is called 'liberated,' delighting in one's own self; by the grace of the Supreme Lord, when the body and actions are under control, one shines forth.

तदावैशिवलोकेतुवासःसालोक्यमुच्यते सामीप्यंयातिसांबस्यतन्मात्रेचवशंगते

Then, dwelling in Shiva's world is called 'sālokya' (sharing the same realm); attaining nearness to Sambhu is 'sāmīpya,' and in mere subjection to him, one attains his state.

तदातुशिवसायुज्यमायुधाद्यैः क्रियादिभिः महाप्रसादलाभेचबुद्धिश्चापिवशाभवेत्

Then, union with Shiva (sāyujya) is achieved by means of weapons and other rites; with the attainment of great grace, even the intellect comes under control.

बुद्धिस्तुकार्यंप्रकृतेस्तत्सृष्टिरितिकथ्यते पुनर्महाप्रसादेनप्रकृतिर्वशमेष्यति

The intellect, which is the cause of action, is said to be a creation of nature; but again, through great grace, nature itself will come under control.

शिवस्यमानसैश्वर्यंतदा ऽयत्नंभविष्यति सार्वज्ञाद्यंशिवैश्वर्यंलब्ध्वास्वात्मनि राजते

Then, the mental sovereignty of Shiva will arise effortlessly; having obtained Shiva's omniscience and other powers, one shines in one's own self.

तत्सायुज्यमितिप्राहुर्वेदागमपरायणाः एवंक्रमेणमुक्तिःस्याल्लिंगादौपूजयास्वतः

This union (sāyujya), say those devoted to the Vedas and Āgamas, is thus attained step by step; liberation comes from worship, beginning with the emblem (liṅga).

अतःशिवप्रसादार्थंक्रियाद्यैःपूजयेच्छिवम् शिवक्रिया शिवतपः शिवमंत्रजपः सदा

Therefore, for the sake of Shiva's grace, one should worship Shiva with rites and so forth; Shiva's acts, Shiva's austerity, and the recitation of Shiva's mantra—always.

शिवज्ञानंशिवध्यानमुत्तरोत्तरमभ्यसेत् आसुप्तेरामृतेःकालंनयेद्वैशिवचिंतया

One should practice knowledge of Shiva and meditation on Shiva, ever more deeply; from waking to death, one should spend time in contemplation of Shiva.

लिंगादौशिवपूजायाविधानंब्रूहिसर्वतः

Now, tell in every way the procedure for the worship of Shiva, beginning with the emblem.

लिंगानांचक्रमंवक्ष्येयथावच्छृणुत द्विजाः तदेवलिंगं प्रथमं प्रणवं सार्वकामिकम्

I shall properly describe the circle of emblems; listen, O twice-born, that emblem which is first is the praṇava, fulfilling all desires.

सूक्ष्मप्रणवरूपंहिसूक्ष्मरूपंतुनिष्फलम् स्थूललिंगं हि सकलंतत्पञ्चाक्षरमुच्यते

The subtle form is indeed the subtle praṇava (Om), which is unmanifest; the gross liṅga is the manifest one, and that is said to be the five-syllabled (mantra).

तयोः पूजातपः प्रोक्तंसाक्षान्मोक्षप्रदे उभे पौरुषप्रकृतिभूतानिलिंगानिसुबहूनिच

Worship and austerity regarding these two are declared to directly grant liberation; both are of the nature of Puruṣa and Prakṛti, and there are many other liṅgas as well.

तानि विस्तरतोवक्तुं शिवो वेत्तिनचापरः भूविकाराणिलिंगानिज्ञातानिप्रब्रवीमिवः

Only Śiva knows how to describe those liṅgas in detail, no one else; but I shall speak of the liṅgas that are known as modifications of the earth.

स्वयंभूलिंगंप्रथमंबिंदुलिंगंद्वितीयकम् प्रतिष्ठितंचरंचैवगुरुलिंगंतु पञ्चमम्

The self-born liṅga is the first, the bindu-liṅga is the second; the established and the moving are the third and fourth, and the guru-liṅga is the fifth.

देवर्षितपसा तुष्टः सान्निध्यार्थंतुतत्रवै पृथिव्यन्तर्गतःशर्वोबीजं वै नादरूपतः

Pleased by the austerity of the gods and sages, Śarva (Śiva), for the sake of presence, placed the seed, in the form of sound, within the earth.

स्थावरांकुरवद्भूमिमुद्भिद्य व्यक्त एव सः स्वयंभूतं जातमिति स्वयंभूरिति तं विदुः

Breaking forth from the earth like a sprout, it becomes manifest; that which is self-manifested and arisen is known as the self-born (svayaṃbhū) liṅga.

तल्लिंगपूजया ज्ञानं स्वयमेव प्रवर्धते सुवर्णरजतादौ वा पृथिव्यांस्थिंडिलेपिवा

By worship of that liṅga, knowledge increases of its own accord, whether it is made of gold, silver, or other substances, or even of earth or clay.

स्वहस्ताल्लिखितं लिंगं शुद्धप्रणवमंत्रकम् यंत्रलिंगं समालिख्य प्रतिष्ठावाहनं चरेत्

A liṅga drawn by one’s own hand, accompanied by the pure praṇava mantra, is called a yantra-liṅga; after drawing it, one should perform installation and invocation.

बिंदुनादमयंलिंगंस्थावरंजंगमंचयत् भावनामयमेतद्धि शिवदृष्टं न संशयः

A liṅga composed of bindu and nāda, whether fixed or movable, is indeed formed by contemplation; this is seen by Śiva, there is no doubt.

यत्र विश्वस्यते शंभुस्तत्र तस्मै फलप्रदः स्वहस्ताल्लिख्यते यंत्रे स्थावरादावकृत्रिमे

Wherever Śambhu is trusted, there he bestows the fruit; whether drawn by one’s own hand on a yantra, or in a fixed or natural form.

आवाह्यपूजयेच्छंभुंषोडशैरुपचारकैः स्वयमैस्वर्यमाप्नोतिज्ञानमभ्यासतोभवेत्

One should invoke and worship Śambhu with sixteen offerings; by one’s own effort, one attains lordship, and through practice, knowledge arises.

देवैश्च ऋषिभिश्चापिस्वात्मसिद्ध्यर्थमेवहि समंत्रेणात्महस्तेनकृतंयच्छुद्धमंडले

For the sake of self-realization, the gods and sages, with mantra and by their own hand, create a pure liṅga within a pure circle (maṇḍala).

शुद्धभावनया चैवस्थापितं लिंगमुत्तमम् तल्लिंगंपौरुषं प्राहुस्तत्प्रतिष्ठितमुच्यते

A liṅga established with pure contemplation is considered the highest; that liṅga is called pauruṣa, and is said to be established.

तल्लिंगपूजयानित्यंपौरुषैश्वर्यमाप्नुयात् महद्भिर्ब्राह्मणैश्चापिराजभिश्चमहाधनैः

By constant worship of that liṅga, one attains the lordship of men; even by great brāhmaṇas, kings, and the wealthy.

शिल्पिनाकल्पितंलिंगंमंत्रेणस्थापितंचयत् प्रतिष्ठितंप्राकृतंहिप्राकृतैश्वर्यभोगदम्

A liṅga fashioned by an artisan and established with mantra is called established and natural; it bestows the enjoyments and powers of the natural world.

यदूर्जितंचनित्यं च तद्धि पौरुषमुच्यते यद्दुर्बलमनित्यं च तद्धि प्राकृतमुच्यते

That which is powerful and enduring is called pauruṣa; that which is weak and impermanent is called natural (prākṛta).