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).
लिंगंनाभिस्तथाजिह्वानासाग्रञ्चशिखाक्रमात् कट्यादिषुत्रिलोकेषु लिंगमाध्यात्मिकंचरम्
The liṅga at the navel, tongue, tip of the nose, and crown, and at the waist and other places in the three worlds, is the internal, moving liṅga.
पर्वतंपौरुषं प्रोक्तंभूतलं प्राकृतं विदुः वृक्षादि पौरुषं ज्ञेयं गुल्मादि प्राकृतं विदुः
The mountain is said to be pauruṣa, while the earth is known as natural; trees and the like are to be known as pauruṣa, while shrubs and the like are known as natural.
षाष्टिकं प्राकृतं ज्ञेयं शालिगोधूमपौरुषम् ऐश्वर्यं पौरुषं विद्यादणिमाद्यष्टसिद्धिदम्
The ṣāṣṭika (sixty-fold) is to be understood as natural, and the śāli, godhūma, and pauruṣa types as well; one should know that the pauruṣa is divine, granting the eight siddhis beginning with aṇimā.
सुस्त्रीधनादिविषयं प्राकृतं प्राहुरास्तिकाः प्रथमं चरलिंगेषु रसलिंगं प्रकथ्यते
The natural is said by the faithful to pertain to good women, wealth, and other objects; first among the moving liṅgas, the rasa-liṅga is described.
रसलिंगंब्राह्मणानांसर्वाभीष्टप्रदंभवेत् बाणलिंगंक्षत्रियाणां महाराज्यप्रदंशुभम्
The rasa-liṅga grants all desired blessings to Brāhmaṇas; the bāṇa-liṅga, auspicious and bestowing great sovereignty, is for Kṣatriyas.
स्वर्णलिंगं तु वैश्यानांमहाधनपतित्वदम् शिलालिंगंतुशूद्राणांमहाशुद्धिकरंशुभम्
The golden liṅga is for Vaiśyas, granting great wealth and lordship; the stone liṅga, auspicious and purifying, is for Śūdras.
स्फाटिकंबाणलिंगं च सर्वेषांसर्वकामदम् स्वीयाभावे ऽन्यदीयंतुपूजायांननिषिद्ध्यते
The sphāṭika and bāṇa liṅgas grant all desires to everyone; if one's own is absent, another's may be used for worship and is not forbidden.
स्त्रीणांतुपार्थिवंलिंगंसभत्ःणांविशेषतः विधवानांप्रवृत्तानांस्फाटिकं परिकीर्तितम्
For women, the earthly liṅga is especially prescribed; for widows who are active, the sphāṭika liṅga is praised.
विधवानां निवृत्तानां रसलिंगं विशिष्यते बाल्येवायौवनेवापिवार्धकेवापिसुव्रताः
For widows who are inactive, the rasa-liṅga is distinguished; whether in childhood, youth, or old age, those of good vows.
शुद्धस्फटिकलिंगंतुस्त्रीणांतत्सर्वभोगदम् प्रवृत्तानांपीठपूजासर्वाभीष्टप्रदा भुवि
The pure sphāṭika liṅga grants all enjoyments to women; for those who are active, worship on a pedestal bestows all desired blessings on earth.