Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

पात्रेणैवप्रवृत्तस्तुसर्वपूजांसमाचरेत् अभिषेकांतेनैवेद्यंशाल्यन्नेनसमाचरेत्

One who is active should perform all worship using a vessel; abhiṣeka and offering should be done with rice food.

पूजांतेस्थापयेल्लिंगंसंपुटेषुपृथग्गृहे करपूजानिवृत्तानांस्वभोज्यंतुनिवेदयेत्

At the end of worship, one should place the liṅga in a container or in a separate house; for those who are inactive, their own food should be offered.

निवृत्तानांपरंसूक्ष्मलिंगमेवविशिष्यते विभूत्यभ्यर्चनं कुर्याद्विभूतिंचनिवेदयेत्

For those who are inactive, the subtle liṅga is especially distinguished; one should worship with vibhūti and offer vibhūti as well.

पूजांकृत्वाथतल्लिंगंशिरसाधारयेत्सदा विभूतिस्त्रिविधाप्रोक्तालोकवेदशिवाग्निभिः

After worship, one should always place that liṅga on the head; vibhūti is said to be threefold, from worldly, Vedic, and Shiva fires.

लोकाग्निजमथो भस्मद्रव्यशुद्ध्यर्थमावहेत् मृद्दारुलोहरूपाणांधान्यानांचतथैवच

Ash produced from worldly fire is used for purifying substances; of clay, wood, metal forms, grains, and likewise.

तिलादीनां च द्रव्याणांवस्त्रादीनांतथैव च तथापर्युषितानांचभस्मनाशिद्धिरिष्यते

Of sesame and other substances, and of cloth and the like, and also of those that are stale, purification by ash is desired.

श्वादिभिर्दूषितानांचभस्मनाशुद्धिरिष्यते सजलंनिर्जलंभस्म यथायोग्यं तु योजयेत्

For those defiled by dogs and others, purification by ash is desired; one should apply ash, with or without water, as appropriate.

वेदाग्निजंतथाभस्मतत्कर्मांतेषु धारयेत् मंत्रेणक्रिययाजन्यंकर्माग्नौ भस्मरूपधृक्

One should wear ash produced from Vedic fire at the end of rituals; ash generated by mantra and ritual, taken from the ritual fire.

तद्भस्मधारणात्कर्म स्वात्मन्यारोपितं भवेत् अघोरेणात्मंत्रेण बिल्वकाष्ठंप्रदाहयेत्

By wearing that ash, the ritual is established in oneself; with the aghora mantra, one should burn bilva wood.

शिवाग्निरितिसंप्रोक्तस्तेनदग्धंशिवाग्निजम् कपिलागोमयं पूर्वं केवलं गव्यमेव वा

It is called Shiva fire; that which is burned by it is Shiva-fire ash; first, use the dung of a tawny cow, or simply cow dung.

शम्यस्वत्थपलाशान्वावटारम्वधबिल्वकान् शिवाग्निनादहेच्छुद्धंतद्वैभस्म शिवाग्निजम्

Ashes produced from burning the wood of the shami, asvattha, palasha, audumbara, vata, bilva, and similar trees in the sacred fire of Shiva, after purification, are indeed called bhasma, born from Shiva's fire.

दर्भाग्नौ वादहेत्काष्ठंशिवमंत्रंसमुच्चरन् सम्यक्संशोध्यवस्त्रेणनवकुंभेनिधापयेत्

Or, by burning darbha grass or other suitable wood in fire, while reciting the Shiva mantra, and properly purifying it with a clean cloth, one should place the fresh ashes in a new vessel.

दीप्त्यर्थं तत्तु संग्राह्यं मन्यते पूज्यतेपि च भस्मशब्दार्थ एवं हि शिवःपूर्वंतथा ऽकरोत्

For the sake of brilliance, that (ash) should be collected and is considered worthy of worship; this is the meaning of the word 'bhasma,' for Shiva himself formerly did thus.

यथास्वविषयेराजासारंगृह्णातियत्करम् यथामनुष्याःसस्यादीन्दग्ध्वासारंभजंतिवै

Just as a king in his own domain takes the essence that is useful to him, and as people, after burning grains and the like, partake of the best part,

यथाहिजाठराग्निश्चभक्ष्यादीन्विविधान्बहून् दग्ध्वासारतरंसारात्स्वदेहंपरिपुष्यति

Just as the digestive fire in the belly, after burning up many and various foods, nourishes its own body with the finest essence from them,

तथाप्रपञ्चकर्तापिसशिवःपरमेश्वरः स्वाधिष्ठेयप्रपञ्चस्यदग्ध्वासारंगृहीतवान्

So too, the creator of the universe, Shiva, the Supreme Lord, after burning up the essence of the manifest world under his own control, has taken up that essence.

दग्ध्वाप्रपञ्चंतद्भस्मस्वात्मन्यारोपयच्छिवः उद्धूलनेनव्याजेन जगत्सारं गृहीतवान्

Having burned the universe, Shiva placed that ash upon himself; under the pretext of smearing, he has taken up the essence of the world.

स्वरत्नंस्थापयामास स्वकीयेहिशरीरके केशमाकाशसारेणवायुसारेणवैमुखम्

He established his own jewel (essence) in his body: his hair with the essence of space, his face with the essence of wind, turned away (from the world).

हृदयंचाग्निसारेणत्वपांसारेणवैकटिम् जानुचावनिसारेणतद्वत्सर्वं तदंगकम्

His heart with the essence of fire, his skin with the essence of earth, his knees with the essence of water; thus, all his limbs likewise.

ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोश्चरुद्राणांसारंचैवत्रिपुंड्रकम् तथातिलकरूपेणललाटान्तेमहेश्वरः

The essence of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra is the tripundra; likewise, as a mark upon the forehead, Maheshvara (the Great Lord) wears it.