55 - The mode of propitiating Shiva

The sages said:

1-2. How shall the three-eyed lord, the bull-bannered lord of Devas be meditated upon for realizing all Siddhis, through the Yogic path? O sage of good holy rites, everything has been heard by you formerly and in detail. It is equal to the knowledge of the Vedas. But it behoves you to recount everything succinctly once again.

Suta said:

3-4. O sages of good holy rites, Nandin having the lustre of the sun was asked in a similar manner by the son of Brahma on the mountain Meru formerly. He was surrounded by the group of sages. As Sanatkumara, the son of Brahma, bowed down to him he told him in confidence and with great concentration.

Nandikeshvara said:

5-8. Thus, lord Mahadeva, Nilalohita was formerly asked by the goddess Amba, the daughter of the mountain lord. On the peak of Kailasa the lord was asked by the goddess while he sat in the same bed with her and while he was in the height of ecstasy.

Shri Devi said:

How many types of Yoga have been mentioned? What are they Jike? How they function? How is divine knowledge that yields absolution and whereby the creatures are liberated?

The lord said:

The first is Mantrayoga, the second is Sparsha, the third one is Bhava, the fourth is Abhava and the fifth is Mahayoga which is the most excellent of all.

Mantrayoga

9-11. The practice and repetition of the japas along with meditation is Mantrayoga. The blood vessels are to be keptspotlessly pure by means of Rechaka (exhaling). The Air (Prana) is to be conquered cumulatively and severally.

Sparshayoga

There is firm and strong action due to the splendid activities of the retention of birth etc. The practice of Kumbhaka (retention of air), illuminated by the three Dharanas, is called Sparshayoga. It cleanses the three viz. Vishva, Prajna and Taijasa.

Bhavayoga

12-14. That state which is devoid of mantra and spasha but resorts to Mahadeva is called Bhavayoga. The lord is stationed dividedly within and without. The annihilatory aspect of the lord is manifest. It accords purity of the mind.

Abhavayoga.

The parts of the universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings become dissolved. Everything becomes void. The form too of the lord loses its semblance. This is called Abhavayoga which causes extinction of the mind.

Mahayoga

15-17. That meditation in which the pure form appears without colour, which is auspicious, independent, and unspecifiable, which has light and splendour always and is self-evident all round is called Mahayoga. The Atman alone pure and self-luminous ³²⁷ rises perpetually (in it). Self-luminosity, that All these Yogas bestow powers of Anima (minuteness) etc. and perfect knowledge.

327. syayam jyotih— cf. yasya bhasha sarvam idam vibhati-cited is ST.

18-20. In these Yogas the latter are better than the former. The state of Mahayoga is devoid of contact with the ego. It is great and comparable to the vast firmament. It is devoid of all coverings. Although it is incomprehensible yet it is knowable by its own nature. It is great, submerged, self-evident, and self-knowable. It shines in its blissful body. Therefore, it is considered to be knowable.

21. It should be given to a tested disciple, a brahmin who maintains the sacred fires, who is virtuous and not ungrateful. It should be given in due order, gradually.

22-25. It should be given to one who is devoted to the preceptor and the deity. Otherwise it should not be given. If so, he will be born sick, short-lived and censurable. He who gives also becomes like this, O sinless lady. Hence, one should avoid giving without testing the disciple.

My devotee shall be free from all attachments, shall consider me as the greatest resort, be endowed with perfect knowledge, and become an expert in the rites laid down in the Shrutis and Shmrutis. He shall be devoted to the preceptor, meritorious, eminently qualified, and always devoted to Yoga. Thus, O gentle lady, the eternal Yogic path has been recounted. O lady of slender waist, it is the honey that exudes from the lotuses of the Vedic and Agama lores.

26-28. After drinking the Yogic nectar the Yogin, the most excellent among the knowers of the Brahman, becomes liberated. Thus is the most excellent Pashupata Yoga. It bestows all the prosperities and prowess of the Yogas and needs no other support. It is declared as such for the sake of salvation. By whom is it obtained? O beloved one, it is obtained only by those who are engaged in worshipping Shiva and whose conduct is lovable.

After saying thus, the bull-bannered lord bade farewell to the goddess. Posting Shankukarna ³²⁸ at the gate he entered Samadhi (a state of yogic trance).

328. Shamkukarna — a particular gana.

Shaildi said:

29-31. Hence, O leading Yogin, O son of the self-born lord, be engaged in the practice of Yoga. The supreme lord is certainly identical with Brahman. Hence, by all means, the wise person seeking salvation shall always perform ablution with Bhasman. He must be engaged in the Pashupata Yoga. In due order, the Shakti pertaining to Vishnu shall be meditated upon. Thereafter,³²⁹ the Para Shakti of MaheShvara shall be meditated upon.

329. Yathakramena— beginning with Brahmi.

32-35. Thus, the stable practice of a leading yogin has been succinctly described to you.

Suta said:

Thus, Pashupata Yoga has been recounted by the intelligent Nandin, the son of Shilada, who scrupulously adheres to Bhasman. Sanatkumara the saintly lord mentioned it to Vyasa of unmeasured splendour. I heard it from him. At their behest 1 mentioned it to the sages who perform the Shatra. I am gratified. Obeisance to the brahmins and to the Yajnas. Obeisance to the tranquil one, to Shiva. Obeisance to sage Vyasa.

36-43. This excellent Lingapurana contains eleven thousand shlokas. The first section contains hundred and eight chapters. The second section contains fifty-five³³⁰ chapters. It yields virtue, love, wealth and salvation.

330. satchatvarimshad adhyayam— but the extant text consists of fifty-six adhyiyas. ST. therefore, dissolves the compound fat chatvarimshat as satcha nava cha chatvirimshaccha (madhy amapadalopi karmadharaya. But this exegesis is unauthentic. It is very probable that the second part originally consisted of fortysix adhyiyas.

Then the sages of the Naimisha forest bowed down to lord Ishana with great concentration and mental purity. Out of pleasure their body showed horripilation. After composing this branch of the Purana, the eleventh one, ³³¹ the self- born lord Brahma spoke these words, “He who reads the Lingapurana entirely, from the beginning to the end, he who narrates it to the brahmins, and he who listens to it, attains the highest goal. He attains that highest goal which is attained by penance, by sacrifices, by charitable gifts and by the study of the Vedas. He attains the scriptural lore pertaining to the Vedas. The brahmin will attain the faculty of renunciation either by action or by knowledge or by the mixture of both. His devotion will become permanent. May that noble soul have faith in me and in lord Narayana. Learning shall continue in his family and he shall not err in anything.’’ This is the behest of Brahma. Hence, all these are attained by his grace.

331. ekadashikam —In the serial order of the Puranas, the Lingpurana is the eleventh.

The sages said:

44-48. O Romaharshana, sage Suta, we the sages have attained Siddhis. Narada who is engaged in holy pilgrimages has also attained Siddhis. Our pleasure is vast. Let this pleasure be present everywhere, all round, by the benign grace of lord Shiva.

When the brahmins said this, the pious sages Narada touched the body of Suta with the tip of his splendid hands and said: “O Shuta, hail to thee. Welfare unto thee. May you have faith in the bull- bannered lord. May we too have the same. Obeisance to Lord Shiva.”