Tripundra

विद्येश्वरसंहितायां साध्यसाधनखंडे भस्मधारणवर्णनं नाम चतुर्विंशोऽध्यायः
Wearing ash description Chapter 24



मध्यमानामिकांगुल्या मध्ये तु प्रतिलोमतः |
अंगुष्ठेन कृता रेखा त्रिपुंड्राख्याऽभिधीयते || 86 ||
Lines drawn with the middle finger, ring finger and in the middle, the thumb in the opposite order, are called the Tripundra.

The Name of Shiva

शिवेति नामदावाग्नेर्महापातकपर्वताः |
भस्मीभवंत्यनायासात्सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः || 23 ||

Large mountains of sin become (burnt to) ash with little effort by the huge fire in the form of the name of Shiva. No doubt, this is true. 

This same shloka repeats in the fourth chapter of Rudra Samhita, Srishtikhanda, shloka 45 as spoken by Lord Vishnu to Narada. A block of 20 shlokas repeat there with slight differences in one of them.

Importance of Shiva's name

विद्येश्वरसंहितायां साध्यसाधनखंडे शिवनाममाहात्म्यवर्णनं नाम त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः
Description of the importance of Shiva's name - Chapter 23



सूत उवाच |
Suta Goswami said



शिवनामविभूतिश्च तथा रुद्राक्ष एव च |
एतत्त्रयं महापुण्यं त्रिवेणीसदृशं स्मृतम् || 10 ||
Shiva's name, Vibhuti (holy ash) and Rudraksha seed – these three of high merit (holiness) are considered to be similar to the Triveni (confluence of three rivers at Prayag).

The Pranava

सप्तदशोऽध्यायः
Chapter 17



सूत उवाच |
Suta Goswami said (to the sages)



प्रणवं द्विविधं प्रोक्तं सूक्ष्मस्थूलविभेदतः || 8 ||
सूक्ष्ममेकाक्षरं विद्यात्स्थूलं पंचाक्षरं विदुः | 9
The Pranava (Om) is said to be distinguished in two types: subtle and gross. Know the subtle one as one-lettered (Om); the gross one as five-lettered.
Panchakshara (five-lettered) in this Purana and generally is a synonym of Namah Shivaya.

Higher Devotion

साध्यसाधनखण्डे तृतीयोऽध्यायः 
Chapter 3, Objective-means block



ब्रह्मोवाच |
Lord Brahma said (to the six sages who had gone to him to resolve their debate)



एष देवो महादेवः सर्वज्ञो जगदीश्वरः |
अयं तु परया भक्त्या दृश्यते नान्यथा क्वचित् || 12 ||
This (is the) deity, the Great Deity (God, Shiva), the omniscient God of the world. This (God is) but visible by higher devotion, not by any other means.
The second half of this shloka repeats in Vayaviya Samhita, Earlier/east part, Chapter 3, shloka 23.

Shiva Purana

माहात्म्य - श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराणे शिवपुराणमाहात्म्ये तन्महिमावर्णनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः
Importance – Importance of Shiva Purana description in Shree Skanda MahaPurana – Chapter 1

 

सूत उवाच |
Suta Goswami said (to sage Shaunaka)

 

कलिव्यालमहात्रासविध्वन्सकरमुत्तमम् |
शैवं पुराणं परमं शिवेनोक्तं पुरा मुने || 8 ||
Sage, to destroy the large troubles of the snake like Kaliyuga, the best and supreme (is) Shiva's Purana, as spoken by Shiva in ancient times.

The Stories of Shiva

रुद्रसंहितायां सृष्टिखंडे मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः
Rudra Samhita, Creation block, Sage question description Chapter 1

 

सूत उवाच |
Suta Goswami said (to the sages)

 

सदाशिवकथाप्रश्नः पुरुषान्स्त्रिन्पुनाति हि |
वक्तारं पृच्छकं श्रोतॄञ्जाह्नवीसलिलं यथा || 22 ||
Like the water of river Ganga, a question about the stories of Shiva really purifies, makes holier men and women, the person who replies, the person who asks as well as the listeners.

Three Kinds of Body

अष्टादशोऽध्यायः

सूत उवाच |

Suta Goswami said

 

शरीरं त्रिविधं ज्ञेयं स्थूलं सूक्ष्मं च कारणम् |
स्थूलं व्यापारदं प्रोक्तं सूक्ष्ममिंद्रियभोगदम् || 6 ||
कारणं त्वात्मभोगार्थं जीवकर्मानुरूपतः | 7

 

Know the body to be of three kinds: gross, subtle and causal. The gross body is said to be able to allow (people) to deal with (others), the subtle allows sense enjoyments. The causal body, according to one's karma, allows one to enjoy (realise) the soul (self).

The Highest Dharma

विद्येश्वरसंहितायां मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः

Vidyeshwar Samhita, Sage question description Chapter 1



व्यास उवाच |

Vyasa said (to the sages)



परोपकारसदृशो नास्ति धर्मो परः खलु || 36 ||

There is really no similar or higher Dharma than doing good to others. 



Compare परहित बस जिनके मन माही | तिन्ह कंहू जग दुर्लभ कछु नाही || and परहित सरिस धर्म नहीं भाई | परपीड़ा सम नही अधमाई || from Ramayana.

The Highest Objective

साध्यसाधनखण्डे तृतीयोऽध्यायः

Chapter 3, Objective-means block


मुनय ऊचुः |

The sages said (to Lord Brahma)


अथ किं परमं साध्यं किं वा तत्साधनं परम् |
साधकः कीदृशस्तत्र तदिदं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः || 17 ||

And what is the highest objective (that which is most worth obtaining) or what is that best means (of achieving the objective)? What kind of candidate/aspirant (the one who tries to obtain) there, tell that in detail.


ब्रह्मोवाच |

Brahma said (to the six sages)


साध्यं शिवपदप्राप्तिः साधनं तस्य सेवनम् |
साधकस्तत्प्रसादाद्योऽनित्यादिफलनिःस्पृहः || 18 ||

The highest objective is to attain the level of Shiva (union with God). The means is his service. The candidate/aspirant, thanks to it, is one who does not desire the non-permanent (of the material world) fruits.

Shiva Purana is very highly dear to God

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.

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The Jnana Yajna ends here. Any suggestions on the next activity are welcome. We have run out of volunteers, so unless volunteers are found in the next day or two, the activity related to Shiva Purana will come to an end in a couple of days.

One volunteer should at least be willing to post these translations once a day, and get someone else to do that when he/she cannot post on a particular day. Volunteers could consider other activities as well. For example, translating to other languages could be useful.

Listening to Shiva Purana once reduces sins to ashes

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.

Meditation is it, says Upamanyu 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.

Even a little practice of Yoga destroys sins

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.

Meditation is the key

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.

Sagarbha and Agarbha Pranayama

अगर्भश्च सगर्भश्च प्राणायामो द्विधा स्मृतः |
जपं ध्यानं विनागर्भः सगर्भस्तत्समन्वयात् || 33 ||
अगर्भाद्गर्भसंयुक्तः प्राणायामःशताधिकः |
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

Five parts of Yama

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).

Eight limbs of Yoga

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.

Lord Shiva is the same as the 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 ||

Five cow mothers

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.