Sage Vyasa's advice and greatness of Shree Shiva MahaPurana

व्यासोपदेशश्रीशिवमहापुराणमाहात्म्यवर्णनं नामैकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Sage Vyasa's advice and greatness of Shree Shiva MahaPurana description - Chapter 41



व्यास उवाच |
Sage Vyasa said (to the sages)



एतच्छिवपुराणं हि शिवस्यातिप्रियं परम् |
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं ब्रह्मसंमितं भक्तिवर्द्धनम् || 50 ||
This Shiva Purana is really very highly dear to Lord Shiva. (It) gives enjoyments, liberation; (it) is similar to Brahma (the supreme element), and increases devotion.

Sage Vyasa's advice and greatness of Shree Shiva MahaPurana

व्यासोपदेशश्रीशिवमहापुराणमाहात्म्यवर्णनं नामैकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Sage Vyasa's advice and greatness of Shree Shiva MahaPurana description - Chapter 41



व्यास उवाच |
Sage Vyasa said (to the sages)



एतच्छ्रुत्वा ह्येकवारं भवेत्पापं हि भस्मसात् |
अभक्तो भक्तिमाप्नोति भक्तो भक्तिसमृद्धिभाक् || 45 ||
पुनः श्रुते च सद्भक्तिर्मुक्तिस्स्याच्च श्रुतेः पुनः |
तस्मात्पुनःपुनश्चैव श्रोतव्यं हि मुमुक्षुभिः || 46 ||
On listening this (Shiva Purana) just once, sin reduces to ashes, a non-devotee obtains devotion, a devotee bears rich (a lot more) devotion.
And on listening again, (one gets) good devotion, and on listening again (a third time), liberation is achieved. Therefore, those who want liberation should really listen (to this Shiva Purana) again and again.

Shaiva Yoga Description

शैवयोगवर्णनं नामैकोनचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Shaiva Yoga description Chapter 39



उपमन्युरुवाच 
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



नास्ति ध्यानसमं तीर्थं नास्ति ध्यानसमं तपः |
नास्ति ध्यानसमो यज्ञस्तस्माद्ध्यानं समाचरेत् || 28 ||
There is no tirtha (place of pilgrimage) like meditation; there is no penance like meditation; there is no Yajna (sacrifice) like meditation; therefore meditation should be practised.

Shaiva Yoga

शैवयोगवर्णनं नामैकोनचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Shaiva Yoga description Chapter 39



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



अत्यल्पोऽपि यथा दीपः सुमहन्नाशयेत्तमः |
योगाभ्यासस्तथाल्पोऽपि महापापं विनाशयेत् || 26 ||
Just as a lamp, even if extremely small, destroys great darkness, similarly, even a little practice of Yoga destroys great sin.

Shaiva Yoga

शैवयोगवर्णनं नामैकोनचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Shaiva Yoga description Chapter 39



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



यस्मात्सौख्यं च मोक्षं च ध्यानादभयमाप्नुयात् |
तस्मात्सर्वं परित्यज्य ध्यानयुक्तो भवेन्नरः || 21 ||
नास्ति ध्यानं विना ज्ञानं नास्ति ध्यानमयोगिनः |
ध्यानं ज्ञानं च यस्यास्ति तीर्णस्तेन भवार्णवः || 22 ||
Since happiness, liberation and fearlessness are obtained by meditation, therefore a man may give up everything (and) then become meditation-oriented.
There is no (higher) knowledge without meditation; one who is not a Yogi cannot meditate. One who has meditation and (higher) knowledge has swam across the sea of the material world.

Yoga Progress

योगगतिवर्णनं नाम सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Yoga progress description Chapter 37



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



अगर्भश्च सगर्भश्च प्राणायामो द्विधा स्मृतः |
जपं ध्यानं विनागर्भः सगर्भस्तत्समन्वयात् || 33 ||
अगर्भाद्गर्भसंयुक्तः प्राणायामः शताधिकः |
तस्मात्सगर्भं कुर्वन्ति योगिनः प्राणसंयमम् || 34 ||
Pranayama is said to be of two kinds – Sagarbha and Agarbha. Without japa (chanting) and meditation (is) Agarbha, Sagarbha is with that (japa and meditation).
Sagarbha is hundred times more (valuable) than Agarbha. Therefore Yogis do Sagarbha Pranayama.



Recall shloka 30 of Chapter 14 of Vayaviya Samhita, later part which says that japa with Pranayama is called Sagarbha japa.

प्राणायामसमायुक्तस्सगर्भो जप उच्यते | 30

Yoga Progress

योगगतिवर्णनं नाम सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Yoga progress description Chapter 37



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहः |
यम इत्युच्यते सद्भिः पंचावयवयोगतः || 18 ||
Non-violence, truth, not stealing, celibacy, not collecting – this is said to be Yama with its five parts by the good (people).

Yoga Progress

योगगतिवर्णनं नाम सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Yoga progress description Chapter 37



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



यमश्च नियमश्चैव स्वस्तिकाद्यं तथासनम् || 14 ||
प्राणायामः प्रत्याहारो धारणा ध्यानमेव च |
समाधिरिति योगांगान्यष्टावुक्तानि सूरिभिः || 15 ||
Yama and Niyama, then Swastikasana, etc. asanas, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, just Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi – these are said to be the eight limbs of Yoga by the wise.

Pranava

हरिविधिमोहनिवारणं नाम पंचत्रिंशोऽध्यायः 
Removal of the illusion/confusion of Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma – Chapter 35



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



शिवो हि प्रणवो ह्येष प्रणवो हि शिवः स्मृतः || 43 ||
Lord Shiva himself is the Pranava (the primordial sound Om); this Pranava itself is called Lord Shiva.



Shloka 28 of Chapter 48 of Parvati block of Rudra Samhita says just the same thing in slightly different words.



शिवो नादमयः सत्यं नादः शिवमयस्तथा |
उभयोरन्तरं नास्ति नादस्य च शिवस्य च || 28 ||


 

Shiva Mahastotra Description

शिवमहास्तोत्रवर्णनं नामैकत्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Shiva Mahastotra description Chapter 31



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



नंदा सुनंदा सुरभिः सुशीला सुमनास्तथा |
पंचगोमातरस्त्वेताश्शिवलोके व्यवस्थिताः || 144 ||
Nandaa, Sunandaa, Surabhi, Sushilaa and Sumanaa – these five cow mothers are situated in Shivaloka.



This is the longest chapter in Shiva Purana, consisting of 189 shlokas.

Worship of Lord Shiva

सांगोपांगपूजाविधानवर्णनं नाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः
Bodily worship performing description Chapter 26



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



न शिवार्चनतुल्योऽस्ति धर्मोऽन्यो भुवनत्रये | 23
In the three worlds there is no other Dharma as good as worship of Lord Shiva.

Performing Bodily Worship

सांगोपांगपूजाविधानवर्णनं नाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः
Bodily worship performing description Chapter 26



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



भक्त्या पंचाक्षरेणैव यः शिवं सकृदर्चयेत् |
सोऽपि गच्छेच्छिवस्थानं शिवमन्त्रस्य गौरवात् || 6 ||
One who worships Lord Shiva with the five-lettered (mantra) with
devotion, he too attains the place of Lord Shiva because of the
weight/importance of the Shiva mantra.

Performing Bodily Worship

सांगोपांगपूजाविधानवर्णनं नाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः
Bodily worship performing description Chapter 26



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



कृत्वापि सुमहत्पापं भक्त्या पंचाक्षरेण तु |
पूजयेद्यदि देवेशं तस्मात्पापात्प्रमुच्यते || 4 ||
Even after committing a grave sin, if (one) worships the God of the Devas with devotion by the five-lettered mantra, (he) is released from that sin.

Guru's importance

गुरुमाहात्म्यं नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः
Guru's importance Chapter 15



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)


यथेह वह्निसंपर्कान्मलं त्यजति काञ्चनम् || 26 ||
तथैव गुरुसंपर्कात्पापं त्यजति मानवः |
यथा वह्निसमीपस्थो घृतकुम्भो विलीयते || 27 ||
Just as gold gives up dirt on contact with fire in this world, very similarly a human gives up sin on contact with a Guru. Just as a pot of ghee melts away (disappears) when (placed) near fire (similarly do the sins slowly melt away or disappear in vicinity of a Guru).  

Guru's importance

गुरुमाहात्म्यं नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः
Guru's importance Chapter 15



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



गुरोर्गृहे समक्षं वा न यथेष्टासनो भवेत् |
गुरुर्देवो यतः साक्षात्तद्गृहं देवमन्दिरम् || 25 ||
At the home of or in front of the Guru, (one) should not sit as one pleases. Since Guru is a visible Deva, that house/home is a temple.

Guru's importance

गुरुमाहात्म्यं नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः
Guru's importance Chapter 15



उपमन्युरुवाच |
Upamanyu said (to Lord Krishna)



श्रेयोऽर्थी यदि गुर्वाज्ञां मनसापि न लंघयेत् |
गुर्वाज्ञापालको यस्माज्ज्ञानसंपत्तिमश्नुते || 23 ||
If a good disciple does not violate any Guru's instruction even mentally, from that the follower of Guru's instructions (he) obtains knowledge and prosperity.

Greatness of the five-lettered mantra

पंचाक्षरमहिमावर्णनं नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः
Description of the greatness of the five-lettered mantra – Chapter 14



ईश्वर उवाच |
God said (to the supreme Goddess)



अनादिष्टोऽपि गुरुणा मन्त्रोऽयं न च निष्फलः | 64
And even uninstructed (not given) by Guru, this (five-lettered) mantra does not fail.

Greatness of the five-lettered mantra

पंचाक्षरमहिमावर्णनं नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः
Description of the greatness of the five-lettered mantra – Chapter 14



ईश्वर उवाच |
God said (to the supreme Goddess)



सदाचारविहीनस्य पतितस्यान्त्यजस्य च |
पंचाक्षरात्परं नास्ति परित्राणं कलौ युगे || 62 ||
Of (a person) without good behaviour, of a fallen (person), of a person of low quality, there is no higher means of rescue in Kaliyuga than the five-lettered mantra.

Greatness of the five-lettered mantra

पंचाक्षरमहिमावर्णनं नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः
Description of the greatness of the five-lettered mantra – Chapter 14



ईश्वर उवाच |
God said (to the supreme Goddess)




प्राणायामसमायुक्तस्सगर्भो जप उच्यते | 30
Chanting combined with Pranayama (kumbhaka part) is called Sagarbha (chanting, else is called Agarbha chanting).

Greatness of the five-lettered mantra

पंचाक्षरमहिमावर्णनं नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः
Description of the greatness of the five-lettered mantra – Chapter 14



ईश्वर उवाच |
God said (to the supreme Goddess)



यावज्जीवं जपेन्नित्यमष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम् |
अनन्यस्तत्परो भूत्वा स याति परमां गतिम् || 17 ||
As long as a living being chants (the Guru given mantra) a thousand and eight times everyday eagerly after completely devoting oneself, he attains the highest state.